Jackie McNamara's testimonial/Celtic 0, Rep of Ireland XI 1: With a 33rd Scottish Cup success to provide some small measure of comfort in the wake of last week's championship calamity, it was carefree cabaret day yesterday at Celtic Park where some 52,000 supporters turned out to say goodbye to some firm favourites and hello to a former god or two.

The tone of the proceedings had always been predictable, but the fact that the kick-off was delayed by eight minutes for no other apparent reason than the squeezing in of a couple more of the club's sing-a-long anthems dispelled any doubts about the priorities on a sunny Sunday afternoon in Glasgow.

The crowd had paid their money for many reasons. To celebrate the contribution of a member of an increasingly rare breed, a Scotsman who had served their club for a decade, certainly but also to cheer fondly regarded visitors (bar Liam Miller) and, of course, to mark in emotional fashion the end of the Martin O'Neill era.

And then there was the little matter of welcoming back a certain Swede. Henrik Larsen's appearance amongst the Celtic substitutes warming up during in the second half generated more noise than even the sight of McNamara taking to or leaving the pitch, quite possibly for the last time in a Celtic jersey.

Indeed, with so much to distract them - Paul Lambert, Bobo Balde and Craig Bellamy were amongst the other players effectively saying their farewells here - the supporters can barely have had time to give the nature or outcome of the game much more than a passing thought and on the day that was in it even Robbie Keane's last-minute winner for the visitors was warmly received by the locals.

The goal was the product of good work by Aidan McGeady and Matt Holland, a fine curling cross by Gary Doherty and a sharp piece of finishing by the Spurs striker.

It marked the culmination of the game's better half too for the locals had by then introduced a good many players not involved in Saturday's match at Hampden Park and so as the replacements forced the pace of the contest a little, Brian Kerr observed afterwards, the Irish were obliged to match them.

Clearly the highlight of a rather lackadaisical afternoon from the locals' point of view was the arrival into the proceedings of Larsson with just over a half an hour remaining.

Within eight minutes the Barcelona player came close to scoring a goal that would surely have brought the house down when, after a decent build up, Momo Sylla split the Irish defence with a low through ball and the striker looked set to pounce only for Shaun Maloney to race into his path.

It was one of the home side's most promising moments although they had been thwarted in promising circumstances in the first half too when Steven Reid blocked attempted shots by first Craig Bellamy and then Craig Beattie in quick succession.

Ireland's best chance prior to the goal came not long after with Stephen Elliott's close range downward header was scrambled off a densely populated goal line but in truth there was little enough to get excited about.

For Kerr's point of view, however, the game still represented a good day's work with every member of the squad getting a run out and only reserve goalkeeper Joe Murphy picking up a knock of any kind.

Many, he admitted afterwards, needed the game, but all will know that they will have to step up the pace by quite a bit next weekend when the party atmosphere will not be guaranteed regardless of the result.

CELTIC: Douglas; McNamara, Varga, Balde, Laursen; Beattie, Lennon, Lambert, McGeady; Sutton, Bellamy. Subs: McManus for Varga, Maloney for Sutton, Wallace for Bellamy and Marshall for Douglas (all 34 mins), Fernandez for McGeady (half-time), Larsson for Beattie (59 mins), Sylla for Lennon (60 mins), Hedman for Marshall (61 mins), Moravcik for Wallace (70 mins), Donnelly for Lambert (80 mins), Wallace for Sylla (89 mins).

REPUBLIC OF IRELAND XI: Given (Newcastle United); S Reid (Blackburn Rovers), Cunningham (Birmingham City), Doherty (Norwich City), Carr (Newcastle United); Quinn (Sheffield United), Miller (Manchester United), Kilbane (Everton), A Reid (Tottenham Hotspur); Morrison (Birmingham City), Elliott (Sunderland). Subs: Kenny (Sheffield United), O'Brien (Newcastle United) for Cunningham, Holland (Charlton Athletic) for Quinn, Kavanagh (Wigan Athletic) for Kilbane, Keane (Manchester United) for Miller, Duff (Chelsea) for A Reid, Keane (Tottenham Hotspur) for Morrisson (all half-time), McCarthy (Leicester City) for Elliott and McGeady (Celtic) for Carr (70 mins), Carr for S Reid (80 mins).

Referee: B Cassidy (Scotland).