Brophy delivers the trophy

I know, I know, football people hate this kind of chat, but as we walked out of Celtic Park with a spring in our step last night, we were all convinced, the proceeding minutes were critical to the destination of this season’s Premiership trophy.

Celtic were imperious.  Olivier Ntcham orchestrated events, he seems to glide, not run, over the pitch, head up, ready to pirouette (which he does regularly), or fire a pass into whatever space has been opened in front of him.

I know we cannot fit Oli, Ryan Christie and Tom Rogic into the team at the same time, but if I was Neil Lennon, I would be trying to figure out how to fit two of them into the side.  Can one of them learn the No. 6 role and take some pressure off the McGregor-Brown pairing?

After (literally) hundreds of consecutive corner kicks without success, our conversation rate from this set piece is almost as good as it is from the penalty spot.  Christopher Jullien and Jozo Simunovic converted last night, while Jozo struck another effort off the post.  Jullien is as accomplished as anyone in the air since Bobo.  He worries defenders, which in itself, creates opportunity for others.

Greg Taylor lost possession twice in the opening minutes.  This is often an indication a player will hide, instead, Greg threw himself into the challenge.  He was always available and thereafter seldom put a foot wrong.  We need to remember how careers are developed.

With the points secure and Hearts thoroughly looking like the team at the bottom of the table (they really need a keeper, btw), Kilmarnock staged a late, though not unexpected, revival against Newco.  When news arrived of Eamonn Brophy’s 89th minute winner, memories of Ricky Fulton’s Rangers manager’s difficulty pronouncing another Irish name.  “Brophy delivers the trophy” © Callum Brennan.  It was a night of poetry, on and off the field.