Killie 1 Celtic 3

HELLO and welcome to www.celticfc.net for tonight’s Co-operative Insurance Cup quarter-final between Celtic and Kilmarnock at Rugby Park. Kick-off is at 7.45pm.
Celtic manager Gordon Strachan has named a strong line-up, with only a handful of changes from the team that beat Hibernian 4-2 on Saturday. Stephen McManus misses out through injury, while Barry Robson, Paul Hartley and Cillian Sheridan drop to the bench.
Into the team come Darren O’Dea, Aiden McGeady, Massimo Donati and Mark Wilson. Paddy McCourt is again amongst the substitutes.

TONIGHT’S TEAMS:

CELTIC: Boruc; Hinkel, Caldwell, O’Dea, Wilson; Nakamura; Donati, Brown, McGeady, Maloney, McDonald
Subs: M.Brown, McCourt, Hartley, Sheridan, Robson

KILMARNOCK: Combe, Fowler, Hamill, Lilley, Wright, Murray, Bryson, Fernandez, Pascali, Taouil, Invincibile
Subs: Gibson, Skelton, Sammon, Simmonds, Rascle

Celtic will be wearing the gold away strip for tonight's match. Gary Caldwell will captain the Hoops in the absence of McManus.

The two teams get ready to emerge from the tunnel, with kick-off coming at 7.45pm.

Celtic kick off.

Maloney has started up front with McDonald

Taouil falls in the box while being pursued by Wilson. Penalty claims are rightly waved away, although referee Craig Thomson is getting pelters from the Killie fans

Celtic begin to settle. On a freezing night, the pitch looks slippy, with the ball zipping about

Brown is penalised for a foul 25 yards out. Taouil takes the free-kick and Wilson clears

McGeady races up the left wing and attempts to find Nakamura on the edge of the box. Lilley intercepts

Celtic probe at the Killie defence through Nakamura and Maloney. The Scot takes a heavy challenge but eventually gets to his feet

Donati is seeing a lot of the ball as Celtic continue to press for a second.

Killie pounce on a loose Brown pass and race to the other end. O'Dea fouls Fernandez, but Boruc gathers the free-kick

Killie attack down the right but Donati shows a cool head to thwart the danger

Almost a second for Celtic. McGeady works a pass to Nakamura, who cuts the ball back into his path and Combe somehow saves from 10 yards. The corner comes to nothing

Celtic continue to look the more composed team, although Killie are working hard

McDonald cuts inside and lets fly from 20 yards. Combe saves the left-foot shot

Killie attack down the right wing. Caldwell, Brown and Hinkel all make headed clearances

Hinkel takes a heavy head knock. After treatment he gets to his feet gingerly

Nakamura whips in a free-kick and Killie clear

Fowler, minutes after being booked, is again penalised for a foul. From 35 yards, Maloney's shot lands inches past the post

Brown and McGeady start a counter attack but Combe catches McGeady's deflected cross

Killie sub - Skelton on for Wright

Killie's Invincibile picks up possession and looks for the top corner. From 25 yards, the shot curls wide

Caldwell produces a superb clearance and sends McGeady free. His pass for McDonald is intercepted

Nakamura and Brown combine on a break to find McGeady. From 16 yards, his low shot is saved

Referee Thomson is in danger of losing control of the game. How Bryson escaped punishment for the lunge on Nakamura is a total mystery

Brown is fouled on the edge of the Celtic box as Killie look to pile pressure on the Hoops defence

A superb passing move involving five players ends with McDonald being upended in almost the same position as the previous free-kick. Nakamura's shot is blocked this time.

HALF-TIME: KILLIE 0 CELTIC 2 - An opener from McDonald and a moment of genius from Nakamura gives Celtic a 2-0 lead at the break

Celtic sub - Hartley on for Nakamura, who was on the end of some heavy tackles in the first half

Brown has moved wide on the right. Hartley is in the middle with Donati as Celtic start the half on the attack

McGeady does well to rob Taouil and feed McDonald on the edge of the box. He picks out Hartley and his 25-yard strike fades wide

Wilson is booked for a pull on Taouil. The Killie midfielder takes the free-kick and Caldwell clears.

Killie win a free-kick on the left wing. Taouil whips it in and Caldwell clears yet again

Fowler sends a dangerous ball into the box. Caldwell clears

Boruc expertly gathers a Fowler cross

Maloney's pass to McDonald allows the Aussie to spin at the edge of the box. He falls under a challenge but play is waved on

Boruc punches a cross clear and Wilson is forced to defend bravely after Donati is caught in possession

Killie try to attack on the left wing, but Brown manages to thwart the danger and is fouled

Boruc tips a Taouil free-kick over the bar

Taouil fouls McGeady wide on the left. Maloney takes the free-kick and Combe punches to safety

Maloney and Brown go for a one-two on the edge of the box. Killie survive

Celtic sub - Sheridan on for McDonald

Boruc, taking Hinkel's backpass, produces a Cruyff turn inside his six-yard box to skin Fernandez.

Donati races in from the left and almost picks out Maloney with a low cross

Hartley attacks on the right, but Killie crowd him out as he looks to cross

Great chance for Sheridan. McGeady opens up space for Wilson and his cross his headed past by the Irish striker

Double sub for Killie - Sammon and Simmonds on for Taouil and Invincibile

Brown, taking McGeady's pass, slices a shot wide of the upright

Killie sub Simmonds' header floats past the post

Aiden McGeady has been named man of the match.

Hartley wins a foul 30 yards from goal. Maloney's effort is saved by Combe

FULL-TIME: Kilmarnock 1 Celtic 3 - Goals from McDonald, Nakamura and McGeady seal Celtic's passage to the semi-final of the Co-operative Insurance Cup. The draw is made on November 12.