Norway or Ireland again, or All-Ireland tie

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If Celtic overcome Linfield, they will return to the north of Ireland or head to Norway in the next round.

Dundalk drew 1-1 with Rosenborg in the first leg in Ireland this week, so the Norwegians have a slender advantage, but the tie is by no means beyond the Irish. A return to Ireland in the next round would be a great reward for the many Celtic fans from that area who travel over to Scotland to see their team, but will be unable to attend tonight’s qualifier in Belfast.

Dundalk had a spectacular season in Europe last term, overcoming Champions League perennials BATE Borisov, before Legia Warsaw eliminated them from the premier tournament, opening up the opportunity for what proved to be a special season in the Europa League group stage.

Last season Rosenborg were eliminated from the Champions League third qualifying round by APOEL Nicosia.

From a travel perspective either destination is a good one for Celtic, although Brendan Rodgers would prefer to have the second tie at home.

Of course, fans of Linfield and Dundalk will be salivating at the prospect of an All-Ireland Champions League encounter.

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  1. mickbhoy1888 on

    I’m told too get your shekels on a Matty Clark too get the first booking tonight

  2. cliftonville celt from belfast on

    Panda Hands

     

     

    I hope so I’m well overdue retirement – like the majority of our team !

  3. mickbhoy1888 on

    Celtic and Linfield always knew that there was going to be a sizeable Celtic support attending tonight’s game, what other reason would they have for erecting security fencing on Tuesday night to create a segregation area behind one of the goals

  4. Anyone remember the story on Coronation Street years ago when a guy pretended to be a pilot?

     

     

    The lie grew and grew and the scriptwriters milked it for all it was worth until it all blew up in his face.

     

     

    That story makes me think of Regan as the pilot with Doncaster as his co-pilot.

     

     

    Their big lie of course is deciding for what they believed to be the good of the game, that dead Rangers could be regarded as the same club.

     

     

    In 2012 it may have seemed like a good idea to this pair of clowns.

     

     

    Now not even the Coronation Street scriptwriters would not have ability to write the script for what is about to befall our two pilots who have themselves brought the game into disrepute.

     

     

    We have been talking to clubs Mr Regan, Mr Doncaster. You should know that we know. The game is up and we suspect that both you know that your time is up.

     

     

    Us? We are going nowhere, or maybe Edinburgh where if all else fails, we’ll see you at 1 Parliament Square.

  5. Archdeaconsbench

     

     

    I mentioned that VM price for Premiersports. Rather than a one-off payment, I added it on to my already large pac, er, deal, hence the discount. The nice lady probably noticed my age, and is hoping I forget to cancel after 30 days, so that it runs all year!

  6. mickbhoy1888 on

    Says it all on this blog when contributors can recall a story line from a bloody soap opera from a few years back

     

    Geewhizzz hope it didn’t clash with any Champions League nights

  7. theglasgowcelticway on

    Yeah,Rowan Atkinson is very much alive unlike little Johnny from his “fatal beatings” sketch. Hilarious.

  8. Delaneys Dunky on

    Heading up to my bhoy’s house for fitba, beer and curry.

     

    Mon the Celts!

     

    No mercy.

     

    HH

  9. Treble Winning Captains.

     

     

    Sounds promising. Even in the event of titles being stripped, if the Big Lie stopped being challenged on places like this, high courts, not to mention the UEFA Club Licensing Department, then only a pyrrhic would see that as a victory.

  10. Celtic fans to be placed in segregated area at Windsor Park

     

    Celtic fans to be placed in segregated area at Windsor Park

     

    The first leg of the big Champions League tie kicks off at 5pm tonight at Windsor Park

     

     

    David Young and Deborah McAleese, Press Association

     

    14 July, 2017 14:45

     

    Topics Belfast Celtic Linfield Windsor Park

     

    RELATED STORIES

     

    SDLP says Celtic fanzone during Linfield game ‘misuse of public funds’

     

    Celtic boss Brendan Rodgers ‘sad’ that club’s fans couldn’t have ‘assurances for safety’ as squad arrive in Belfast

     

    Celtic fans with tickets for this evening’s match against Linfield, despite the Glasgow club turning down its official allocation, will be accommodated in a segregated area of the Belfast stadium.

     

     

    While Celtic opted not to take up the offer of tickets for travelling fans, citing safety concerns, some supporters have still secured a place inside Windsor Park for the Champions League qualifying clash.

     

     

    Acknowledging that reality, hours before kick-off Linfield announced that a section of the ground would be reserved for Hoops fans.

     

     

    “Linfield Football Club has worked closely with all relevant authorities to ensure that tonight’s Champions League qualifier against Celtic is played in a safe and welcoming environment,” said a club statement.

     

     

    “Both clubs have made public requests that Celtic fans do not purchase tickets for the game. Despite this, some fans may have purchased tickets for the match with the intention of supporting Celtic.”

     

     

    A large security operation is expected to be in place across the city for the event.

     

     

    The qualifier was moved from July 11/12 to avoid a clash with Orange Order commemorations at the height of the marching season.

     

     

    Celtic opted not to take their ticket allocation for the game due to fears of trouble among the club’s supporters and Linfield’s loyalist fans.

     

     

    The PSNI has insisted that the decision not to accept the allocation of away tickets was taken “solely by the football club and was not made by PSNI”.

     

     

    However, Celtic officials later said they were surprised by the PSNI’s statement.

     

     

    “This is clearly not our understanding of the situation,” the club said.

     

     

    In his pre-match press conference on Thursday, Northern Ireland-born Celtic manager Brendan Rodgers said he was “disappointed” there would be no away fans at the game.

     

     

    “The football club haven’t been able to have assurances for their safety, which is sad for me. Coming back to Northern Ireland, and a new Northern Ireland, and not being able (to) ensure that the supporters’ safety is guarded, then that is a problem for me,” he said.

     

     

    Belfast City Council has funded a fanzone for Celtic fans at a pub complex in west Belfast.

     

     

    Celtic fans who are unable to attend the match will be able to watch it on big screens at the Devenish complex.

  11. Getting into the m ood now, great to have the football back,all I want tonight is a win & no Celt getting injured on or off the field.

     

    Just beat the Bigots & move on with the season.

     

    The thought of Dundalk getting through & a Champions League game in Dublin makes me dizzy with excitement.

  12. Houl yer Wheest,

     

    Were you in Thurles last Sunday for the Munster Final. Must have been close on forty thousand Cork Supporters there, I’m still buzzing.

  13. leftclicktic on

    Wont be long now

     

    It’s sad that in 2017 you have to worry about your team and fellow fans at a game of football.

     

    3 nil and all home safe will be fine.

  14. CORKCELT

     

    I was indeed. Our train arrived at 11.30 and we had a good seisiun in Bowes before heading to Semele. Hafter Clare missed the penalty my friend shouted cmon Cork in his broad Belfadt accent. A voice rang out from behind us “Come on the wee man from the north.”

     

    A great occasion and wonderful to herbarium “the banks” again. I was in the terrace hand the craic was mighty.

     

    I’m hoping to be in Pairc Ui Caoimh for the quarter finals.

  15. mickbhoy1888 on

    And it’s also sad that in 2017 you have to worry aboot yer weans going into any toon centre in the U.K. on a Saturday night

  16. mickbhoy1888 on

    Aye gies Dundalk and I can get to visit the bar where Dixie toddled off with the season ticket money

  17. Good afternoon CQN, I had an interesting meeting this morning. Those who know me will understand the significance of this story. As some of you know I am working in the outskirts of Newcastle in the back of beyond. Well I had a Scottish guy come in to see me today for a professional reason. He promptly asks where I come from and what team I support. Well my reply was he probably wouldn’t like the answer. He then showed me his Celtic tattoo and told me he was known as the hunskelper general. A finer lhad you would have trouble meeting.

     

    Anyhoos, now in central Newcastle and about to head to the Irish Centre to watch the game.

     

     

     

    Hail! Hail! PMTYH

  18. Jeepers, Houl yer Wheest, I was in Bowes myself around that time and in the Terracing for the game, pity we could have had a pint together.

  19. embramike supporting Res 12 on

    Celtic XI: Gordon, Lustig, Simunovic, Sviatchenko, Tierney, Brown, Armstrong, Forrest, Rogic, Sinclair, Griffiths.

  20. Cultsbhoy says Hail Hail to Hector and Brendan on

    4-0

     

     

    Kyle Walker sold for 50 million Sevcos

  21. embramike supporting Res 12 on

    Subs: De Vries, Izaguirre, Bitton, Dembele, Hayes, McGregor, Kouassi

  22. Barney, Seisiun is the Irish word for a session and is commonly used even when guys are talking in English.

     

    So you will have to let Houl Yer Wheest the benefit of the doubt on that one.

  23. HOUL YER WHEEST

     

     

    Seisiún = ah yes, drink copious amounts of alcohol, till everyone (including yourself) becomes a lot more attractive(not huns though).

     

    Ive had many a good Seisiún.

  24. Corkcelt

     

    There must have been 5,000 in the beer garden.

     

    We went into the bar. Billy asked the barman if they stocked Jameson. The barman pointed to the optic.

     

    “There’s an envelope behind it addressed P Sheehan give it to me.”

     

    That contained our tickets. It was left there on the Friday by a Limerick man.

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