CORK, IRELAND - JULY 08: Celtic's Colby Donovan scores to make it 2-1 during a Cork Super Cup match between Cork City and Celtic at SuperValu Páirc Uà Chaoimh, on July 08, 2025, in Cork, Ireland. (Photo by David Fitzgerald/SNS Group via Getty Images)
Colby Donovan was the unlikely hero as Celtic beat Cork City 2-1 to lift the Cork Super Cup.
Donovan started the match at right-back, was substituted at half-time but returned to the pitch in the 72nd minute after Stephen Welsh suffered a shoulder injury.
Celtic’s Starting XI was recognisable with a midfield trio of Callum McGregor, Arne Engels and Luke McCowan but after the break Welsh, taking over from McGregor as captain was the only first team player.
Celtic made full use of the huge pitch at Páirc Uà Chaoimh to stretch their hosts but only had one goal to show for their efforts- a quickly struck shot from McCowan when the ball broke to him 15 yards from goal in the 27th minute.
Luke McCowan fires in from the edge of the box! ?@CelticFC find the breakthrough to take the lead in Cork ? pic.twitter.com/SxZiYSHcFM
— Premier Sports (@PremSportsTV) July 8, 2025
Cork made more of a game of it after the break with Malcolm Murray equalising in the 66th minute after Welsh and Ross Doohan were caught waiting for each other to clear.
Welsh had taken a knock early in the second half, six minutes after the equaliser he had to go off with Donovan making an unscheduled return to the pitch.
And @CelticFC go 2-1 up late on! ?
Donovan’s header looks likely to secure the Cork Super Cup for Brendan Rodgers’ men ? pic.twitter.com/V1AIFJbwjv
— Premier Sports (@PremSportsTV) July 8, 2025
Cork looked like holding out but three minutes from full time a corner deep into the box was met by Mitchell Robertson, his header across goal was headed powerfully home by Donovan in what looked like a rehearsed set-piece.
Celtic head out to the Algarve tomorrow for intensive training with two matches thrown in backed by the return of their players from international duty.
CELTIC: Viljani Sinsalo (Ross Doohan 46), Colby Donovan (Mitchel Frame 46), Auston Trusty (Stephen Welsh 46 (Colby Donovan 72)), Dane Murray (Scott Robertson 46), Hayato Inamura (Ben McPherson 46), Callum McGregor (Sean McArdle 46 (Samuel Isiguzo 72)), Arne Engels (Kyle Ure 46), Luke McGowan (Francis Turley 46), Ben Summers (Thomas Hatton 46), James Forrest (Adam Montgomery 46), Johnny Kenny ( Callum Osmand 46)
? @CelticFC manager Brendan Rodgers on what it means to play in Ireland, how he’s approaching tonight’s game, and his own GAA days
“It’s very special. Obviously, it’s the roots of our club back in Ireland.” ?? pic.twitter.com/X9Vgqr4Lmz
— Premier Sports (@PremSportsTV) July 8, 2025
Inamura was MOM in my humble opinion.
Got to agree with you there paddybhoy he looked like he’d been in the team for months not just 2 or 3 days.
“……….after Welsh and Ross Doohan were caught waiting for each other to clear.”
Quel surprise? Welsh isn’t good enough, injury prone and a bit of a snowflake. Should’ve been shipped out years ago. Doohan? Shakespeare’s Comedy of Errors in the most important position on the pitch. I despair about who’s running the show!
Great goal from Luke McCowan and the header back across goal made our 2nd a (tap) head in. And Celtic TV’s clowns commenting has Lawwell written all over them. Fukkin embarrassing. To charge what they did to supporters is nothing short of a fukkin disgrace.
Lawwell again. GHTF, pronto! He’s dragged us down and embarrassed us since very soon after the ill-equipped arsehole came into CP. He should be hunted away, as all of them should including the main parasite from Eire, and a fu**in embarrassment to Celtic and Eire too. Sell up to supporters then fu*k off to play golf in snake-ridden Burma. You’ll probably meet some ‘friends’. Amen.
Like others have said…Inamura looks like a football player…and a very good one at that…Very impressed….As for the second half…Well if that’s the future of our team…we could be in trouble…Very disappointed.
A good Irish / Scotch Hoolie in good oul’ Cork tonight then !