CELTIC have been drawn against Rangers at Ibrox in the Scottish Cup quarter-final after tonight’s ballot.
Martin O’Neill’s men will lock horns with the Govan club for the second time in a Cup competition this season after beating them 3-1 in the Premier Sports League Cup semi-final at Hampden in November.
Danny Rohl’s side have been handed a home draw for the third successive tie after beating Annan Athletic in the earlier round and then Queen’s Park 8-0 in Govan earlier today.
The match is due for Saturday March 7 or Sunday March 8 and means the clubs will play each other in back-to-back encounters with the champions due at the venue in the league the previous weekend.
Wilfried Nancy’s catastrophic 33-day stint as Parkhead boss came to an end when the Hoops lost 3-1 in the Glasgow derby on January 3, his sixth defeat in eight outings.
O’Neill, who masterminded the earlier win at the national stadium, returned in an interim capacity for a second time two days later.
The other game between the sides this term ended in a tame goalless draw at Ibrox in August. Brendan Rodgers was the Hoops boss while Russell Martin was in control of the home outfit.
ON YOUR MARKS…Sebastian Tounekti and Junior Adamu, Celtic’s goalscorers in the 2-1 extra-time triumph over Dundee at Parkhead.
The Hoops’ star of the competition so far has been Sebastian Tounekti who scored crucial goals in the 2-0 opening round victory over stubborn Auchinleck Talbot at Rugby Park and followed up with the extra-time winner against Dundee at Parkhead last night.
The Tunisian international winger also set up new Bhoy Junior Adamu for the equaliser a mere THREE seconds from the end of stoppage-time.
SCOTTISH CUP QUARTER-FINAL DRAW:
Rangers v CELTIC
St Mirren v Partick Thistle
Falkirk v Dundee United or Spartans
Dunfermline v Aberdeen or Motherwell
Quarter-final ties are due on the weekend of March 7/8.
The Final will be played at Hampden on Saturday, May 23.
WANT TO KNOW A SECRET? Celtic Confidential is the stunning new book that brings the exclusive inside stories behind the headlines. Alex Gordon’s sixteenth Celtic book is available NOW. Order a copy and get £5 OFF the cover price of £25. All is revealed in a sensational new publication. Just click SHOP HERE and your book will be on its way. Happy reading!
