CELTIC 4 KILMARNOCK 0
KIERAN TIERNEY hit a cracker for his first goal since his return to Celtic in the summer after his six-year absence on an afternoon where the champions fired in four without reply and moved to within seven points of Hearts.
The Hoops were already leading through an early strike from Johnny Kenny when the fans’ favourite struck six minutes after the interval.
Tierney, who had come on for the injured Marcelo Saracchi, summed up the situation in a heartbeat before whipping a superb low left-foot effort wide of Kille keeper Eddie Beach to his left to settle the Hoops nerves against a side who threatened on the break.
KIERAN’S CRACKER…Killie keeper Eddie Breach is helpless as Kieran Tierney whips in Celtic’s second goal in the 4-0 win at Parkhead.
Daizen Maeda collected a third and it was put to bed in stoppage-time when Arne Engels lashed in a perfect penalty-kick.
With Hearts drawing 1-1 with Dundee United at Tynecastle, the door was open for Martin O’Neill’s men to close the gap at the top with a game in hand.
It was absolutely crucial the hosts avoided a banana skin on this occasion – and, thankfully, they went about their task with due diligence.
There were only four minutes on the clock when Maeda blazed an excellent chance over the bar from 10 yards after a shot from Sebastian Tounekti had broken his way smack in front of goal.
The Japanese ace, scorer of 33 goals last season, rushed his shot and the effort flew waywardly off target.
In the eighth minute, Callum McGregor and Luke McCowan combined to set up Kenny who lashed a low right-foot drive at goal.
Keeper Beach was beaten, but the attempt hammered against the inside of the right-hand post and bounced to safety.
THAT’S MY BHOY…Reo Hatate congratulates Johnny Kenny after the opener.
The hosts didn’t get the opportunity to curse their ill luck when, two minutes later, the young Irishman thumped in the breakthrough strike.
Tounekti was involved again as he danced into the danger zone and tried to pick out Reo Hatate, but the ball broke free.
The midfielder regained possession on the left bye-line before nudging a pass in front of Kenny and on this occasion the frontman walloped home from four yards.
In the 22nd minute, Tierney came on for the limping Saracchi, who had started well before sustaining an injury.
Maeda had the miss of the decade when he had a swipe from two yards and failed to make contact. Beach mishandled a shot from Tounekti and the ball dropped to the frontman unguarded in front of an open goal.
The forward thrust a hesitant foot at the ball and the chance was gone. It was a howler.
And it almost cost Celtic dear when a long ball from Beach on the half-hour mark eliminated the central defence and saw Bruce Anderson running in from the left.
The Killie forward hit a vicious angled drive high past the stranded Kasper Schmeichel and only the crossbar saved the champions’ blushes.
BAFFLED…Daizen Maeda after a bewildering miss.
And then it was Schmeichel to the rescue with a flying save to tip the ball over the crossbar following a deflection from Liam Scales after a drive from Scott Tiffony.
Celtic had lost a bit of the early momentum, but an acrobatic effort from McCowan and a header from Kenny showed they were still an attacking threat.
In the 51st minute, Tierney made his explosive impact to double the Hoops’ advantage to ease tension within the stadium.
Anthony Ralston and Benjamin Nygren entered the action in the 63rd minute as debutant Jahmai Simpson-Pusey, who had looked composed, and McCowan made way.
Referee Don Robertson bewildered friend and foe alike when he booked Callum McGregor for a slide challenge in the 70th minute after ignoring an identical lunge from David Watson on Hatate only moments earlier.
It got even more bizarre when blundering Robertson flashed a yellow card at Maeda after he challenged James Brown. Disgracefully, the Killie defender feigned contact and went down in a heap. TV pictures proved he missed his calling in Hollywood.
In the 78th minute, Arne Engels and Yang Hyun-jun joined the fray as replacements for Kenny and Tounekti.
HOOP, HOOP HOORAY…Daizen Maeda is congratulated by Benjamin Nygren after claiming Celtic’s third goal with a sweeping low drive.
Seven minutes later, Maeda eventually got the goal that had escaped him earlier.
Liam Scales got the ball rolling with a pass out of defence, Engels spotted the run of the Japanese speedster and rolled a perfect pass into the stride of his team-mate.
Maeda latched onto the ball before sizzling a low drive under Beach for an emphatic third goal.
And it was all over when Engels drove in a low penalty-kick to Beach’s right-hand post after Yang had been sent tumbling in the box by Brown.
With four goals, a clean sheet, a dominating performance, a stalemate in the capital and three points in the east end of Glasgow it was a positive afternoon for the champions.
Martin O’Neill and his players can now enjoy the international break.
TEAM: Schmeichel; Simpson-Pusey (sub: Ralston 63), Trusty, Scales, Saracchi (sub: Tierney 22); McCowan (sub: Nygren 63), McGregor, Hatate; Maeda, Kenny (sub: Engels 78) and Tounekti (sub: Yang 78).
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