Rampant Hoops send a message to Blues by thumping Rovers!

Celtic sent out a stark message to Linfield yesterday in Dublin by thrashing Shamrock Rovers in a the final warm up game before the two meet.

Brendan Rodgers side were not in the mood for taking it easy on the League of Ireland side as they raced into a 4-0 lead before half time. Mikael Lustig got the opener before Stuart Armstrong netted his first of the day shortly afterwards. Some neat play lead to Scott Sinclair and Moussa Dembele getting a goal a piece before the break.

GLASGOW, SCOTLAND – FEBRUARY 18: James Forrest of Celtic celebrates after he scores his team’s second goal during the Ladbrokes Scottish Premiership match between Celtic and Motherwell at Celtic Park on February 18, 2017 in Glasgow, Scotland. (Photo by Ian MacNicol/Getty Images)

The second half started much the same as the first finished with James Forrest dancing around a few bodies before calmly slipping the ball past the goalkeeper Horgan. Sinclair and Armstrong followed suit by each grabbing their second of the day before new bhoy Jonny Hayes bagged his first goal for the club. Tom Rogic rounded off an utterly dominant performance by the hoops heading home from inside the area.

Windsor Park will be hostile

All in all it was a great work out for the Scottish champions as they look towards Fridays game in Belfast in front of a sold out Windsor Park. Having grown up in Belfast, I have been to Windsor several times following Cliftonville and it can be quite an intimidating atmosphere when full to capacity. The hoops are well used to that playing at Celtic Park every week but without any vocal support (as Celtic fans have been told they will be refused entry) the atmosphere could play a part.

It's an European football night at Windsor Park!! Who's going? #COYB #UCL pic.twitter.com/44jX6bBxry
— Rangers FC & Linfield FC (@bluesbrothers86) June 28, 2017

No Skipper

I doubt very much that Brendan Rodgers or indeed any of his squad are worried about the unfriendly atmosphere that will face them on Friday night. One thing that may have the gaffer worried however, is the news that Scott Brown is likely to miss the occasion after limping off just 30 minutes into the Shamrock Rovers clash. Rodgers played down the injury worries saying that it was merely a precaution that Brown was subbed as “he felt his Achilles” and wasn’t worth risking.

GLASGOW, SCOTLAND – MARCH 12: Celtic captain Scott Brown and Patrick Roberts at the final whistle during the Scottish Premiership match between Celtic FC and Rangers FC at Celtic Park on March 12, 2017 in Glasgow, Scotland. (Photo by Mark Runnacles/Getty Images)

With or without ‘Broony’ I feel fairly confident that Celtic will have far too much quality for the ‘four by twos’ and should leave Belfast comfortable winners.