Soccer

Tributes paid to Liam Miller as Celtic progress in Scottish Cup

Flags fly at half-mast at Parkhead before minute’s silence after death of former midfielder

Players and fans stand for a minute’s silence in memory of Liam Miller before the Scottish Cup, fifth round match at Celtic Park. Photograph: Andrew Milligan/PA Wire
Players and fans stand for a minute’s silence in memory of Liam Miller before the Scottish Cup, fifth round match at Celtic Park. Photograph: Andrew Milligan/PA Wire
Sat Feb 10 2018 - 15:02

Celtic 3 Partick 2

Parkhead paid tribute to former Celtic midfielder Liam Miller ahead of Saturday's 3-2 win over Partick in the fifth round of the Scottish Cup.

Flags above Celtic Park flew at half-mast for the 36-year-old from Cork, who passed away from pancreatic cancer on Friday, while players from both sides wore black armbands in tribute.

In the game itself, James Forrest scored a hat-trick to secure a quarter-final spot for Brendan Rodgers's side.

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Tributes to Liam Miller outside Celtic Park ahead of the Scottish Cup fifth-round match. Photograph: Andrew Milligan/PA Wire
Tributes to Liam Miller outside Celtic Park ahead of the Scottish Cup fifth-round match. Photograph: Andrew Milligan/PA Wire

In a whirlwind start to the lunchtime encounter the Hoops winger scored twice in the opening 10 minutes before a mistake by defender Jozo Simunovic allowed Jags striker Kris Doolan to pull one back.

It looked done and dusted when Forrest fired in his third in the 53rd minute but in the 84th minute Jags substitute Conor Sammon, on for Doolan, fired in a second for the spirited visitors.

It was not enough to prevent the holders going into Sunday’s quarter-final draw although Rodgers may be concerned with some defensive frailties ahead of the first leg of their Europa League tie against Russian side Zenit St Petersburg on Thursday.