Celtic’s under-18s side suffered a shock 2-1 defeat away to Montrose in the Scottish Youth Cup on Friday night, ending their defence of the trophy far earlier than expected.
Played at Links Park, the home of the Scottish League One side, Montrose started the match strongly and were two goals up within 17 minutes thanks to Jay Cochrane and Ben Hermiston.
Despite a reply from the Young Hoops through Daniel Cummings, as well as some significant Celtic pressure in the second half, Montrose held on for a famous victory against last year’s tournament winners.
Stuart McLaren’s side played out an entertaining final against rivals Rangers in May, winning an eleven-goal thriller 6-5 by the end of extra time at Hampden. It was broadcast live on BBC Scotland for supporters to enjoy, having been denied tickets.
Hopes would have been high for an extended run in this year’s edition but it’s the Academy of the Gable Endies who will dream of silverware beyond the Third Round. It’s a huge confidence boost for them and they’ll feel like they can now beat any team left in the tournament.
It’s unclear whether or not the Celtic side was significantly weakened because of youth international call-ups or injuries, with no official updates from the club on the fixture.
However, fans would like to think the Bhoys shouldn’t be on the receiving end of a defeat to Montrose at any level, even if these games are all about player development.
Hopefully, at the very least and through their disappointment, it was a big learning experience for the group and they can move forward into the rest of the season with a new determination.
In other news, “This was my favourite Celtic strip of all time”; Brendan Rodgers shows his love for Bhoys.
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