SHANE DUFFY apologised to the Celtic support after enduring the derby debut from hell as the champions plunged to a dreadful 2-0 defeat at Parkhead yesterday.
The Republic of Ireland international defender, who is on a season-long loan from Brighton, toiled along with his team-mates against Steven Gerrard’s Ibrox outfit as they lost their first league game of 2020.
Duffy, a lifelong Celtic fan, failed to impose himself on his opponents on his big day as Neil Lennon’s men collapsed to goals from opposing centre-back Connor Goldson in each half.
However, the player took to Instagram to say: “Big and ugly enough to accept that today weren’t good enough from me personally and the team overall. I can accept the abuse towards me not the first and won’t be the last but I won’t ever give up on making it right again. It hurts today personally in such an important game for me to not play well and lose my first game for Celtic . Can only apologise to the fans for today it really hurts at the minute.”
Boss Lennon utilised 16 players throughout a lamentable 90 minutes, but, remarkably, despite strikers of the calibre of Leigh Griffiths, Mohamed Elyounoussi, Albian Ajeti and Patryk Klimala on display, the team still couldn’t muster a single shot on target.
Vasilis Barkas wasn’t overworked at the other end, but he still allowed a slow-motion header from Goldson to beat him in the ninth minute and he was static when he was beaten for a second time shortly after the interval.
Duffy was unfortunate at the second goal after blocking the original shot, but the Ibrox defender followed up to toe-poke the ball into the net.
HOOPS FIRE BLANKS IN DIRE DISPLAY
