Shane Duffy insists he will only get better after goalscoring Celtic debut

SHANE Duffy promised Celtic fans there was more to come after his scoring debut in the 5-0 Premiership win over Ross County.

An early Odsonne Edouard penalty and a poacher's goal from Albian Ajeti, the Switzerland striker who was making his first Celtic start, had the visitors two goals up by the interval in Dingwall against a side who caused plenty of problems for the champions.

Debutant Duffy, the Republic of Ireland defender and life-long Celtic fan who signed on loan from Brighton, headed in from a Callum McGregor corner to ensure a comfortable last half-hour.

Fellow defender Kristoffer Ajer grabbed a fourth from close range before substitute Patryk Klimala fired in to keep the champions six points behind leaders Rangers with two games in hand.

The Scottish Premiership
Aberdeen (1) 1 McCrorie 16.
Kilmarnock (0) 0.
Livingston (1) 1 Pitman 1.
Hamilton (0) 2 Templeton 57, Munro 85.
Motherwell (1) 1 Campbell 4.
St Johnstone (0) 0.
Rangers (2) 4 Kent 13, Tavernier 39, Roofe 68, Arfield 87.
Dundee Utd (0) 0.
Ross County (0) 0.
Celtic (2) 5 Edouard 4(pen), Ajeti 20, Duffy 59, Ajer 64, Klimala 75.
St Mirren (0) 0.
Hibernian (2) 3 Nisbet 14, Newell 17, Boyle 59.

The Scottish Premiership
Aberdeen (1) 1 Kilmarnock (0) 0
Aberdeen: Lewis,Hoban,McKenna,Considine,Kennedy (Logan 76),
Ferguson,McCrorie (McGeouch 81),Hayes,Hedges (McGinn 81),
Wright (Taylor 87),Watkins.
Subs Not Used: Ojo,Main,McLennan,Cerny,Anderson.
Goals: McCrorie 16.
Kilmarnock: Rogers,Millen,Broadfoot (Dikamona 46),Findlay,
Waters (Whitehall 80),Burke (McKenzie 65),Tshibola,Dicker,
Kiltie,Brophy (Pinnock 66),Kabamba,Dikamona (Rossi 90).
Subs Not Used: McGowan,Haunstrup,Doyle,Cameron.
Booked: Kabamba.
Ref: Bobby Madden (Scotland).

Livingston (1) 1 Hamilton (0) 2
Livingston: McCrorie,Devlin,Ambrose,Guthrie,Serrano,Bartley,
Robinson (Kouider-Aisser 86),Pitman,Holt (Sibbald 62),Forrest,
Lokotsch (Tiffoney 62).
Subs Not Used: Poplatnik,Crawford,McMillan,Taylor-Sinclair,
Stryjek,Lawson.
Booked: Holt,Guthrie.
Goals: Pitman 1.
Hamilton: Fulton,Martin,Odofin,Want,Munro,Collar (Trafford 83),
Callachan,Mimnaugh,Templeton (Fjortoft 86),Ogboe (Winter 77),
Moyo.
Subs Not Used: Hamilton,Gourlay,Callum Smith,Meikle,Owolabi,
Johnson.
Booked: Templeton,Mimnaugh.
Goals: Templeton 57,Munro 85.
Ref: Don Robertson (Scotland).

Motherwell (1) 1 St Johnstone (0) 0
Motherwell: Carson,O'Donnell,Gallagher,Mugabi,Lamie,
McGinley (Grimshaw 71),Campbell,O'Hara,Polworth,Lang,
Watt (White 69),White (Long 90).
Subs Not Used: Hastie,Maguire,Seedorf,Peter Morrison,Maciver,
Johnston.
Booked: O'Hara,Watt,Carson,Campbell.
Goals: Campbell 4.
St Johnstone: Parish,McNamara,Kerr,Gordon (Craig 64),McCart,
Tanser,McCann,Wotherspoon (Davidson 85),Conway,Hendry (Kane 54),
O'Halloran (May 54).
Subs Not Used: Clark,Duffy,Olaofe,Rooney,Robertson.
Ref: Euan Anderson (Scotland).

Rangers (2) 4 Dundee Utd (0) 0
Rangers: McLaughlin,Tavernier,Goldson,Helander,
Barisic (Ughelumba 58),Davis,Jack (Kamara 11),
Barker (Morelos 23),Hagi,Kent,Roofe,Morelos (Arfield 58).
Subs Not Used: Edmundson,Itten,Firth,Patterson,Stewart.
Booked: Barisic.
Goals: Kent 13,Tavernier 39,Roofe 68,Arfield 87.
Dundee Utd: Siegrist,Neilson (Freeman 81),Edwards,Reynolds,
Bolton (Sporle 81),Powers (Chalmers 46),Butcher,Pawlett,Robson,
Clark (Shankland 59),Harkes.
Subs Not Used: McMullan,Cammy Smith,Mehmet,Appere,Graham.
Booked: Bolton,Edwards,Pawlett.
Ref: Kevin Clancy (Scotland).

Ross County (0) 0 Celtic (2) 5
Ross County: Laidlaw,Randall,Donaldson,Iacovitti,Reid,
Vigurs (Kelly 80),Gardyne (Charles-Cook 79),Tillson (Draper 65),
Paton,Stewart,McKay (Shaw 32).
Subs Not Used: Morris,Watson,Munro,Wright,Mackinnon.
Booked: Tillson.
Celtic: Barkas,Duffy,Jullien,Ajer,Brown (Turnbull 77),Frimpong,
Ntcham (Elyounoussi 71),McGregor (Soro 78),Forrest,
Ajeti (Klimala 62),Edouard (Christie 71).
Subs Not Used: Taylor,Bain,Elhamed,Welsh.
Booked: Ajer.
Goals: Edouard 4 pen,Ajeti 20,Duffy 59,Ajer 64,Klimala 75.
Ref: Andrew Dallas (Scotland).

St Mirren (0) 0 Hibernian (2) 3
St Mirren: Zlamal,Fraser,McCarthy,Foley,Tait,
McGrath (MacPherson 82),Sheron (McAllister 59),Erhahon,
Durmus (Connolly 59),Dennis (Erwin 46),Obika (Morias 87).
Subs Not Used: Langfield,Jamieson.
Booked: Sheron,McCarthy.
Hibernian: Marciano,McGinn,Porteous,Hanlon,Doig,
Boyle (Shanley 87),Gogic,Newell (Mallan 87),Murphy (Wright 81),
Doidge,Nisbet (Gullan 77).
Subs Not Used: Barnes,Gray,Stevenson,Hallberg,McGregor.
Booked: Hanlon,Newell.
Goals: Nisbet 14,Newell 17,Boyle 59.
Ref: William Collum (Scotland).

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Boli Bolingoli, whose breach of coronavirus protocols led to two of Celtic's fixtures being postponed, has left Glasgow to sign for Turkish side Istanbul Basaksehir FK on a season-long loan.

The left-back flew to Spain and back last month without telling the Hoops then failed to quarantine himself for 14 days as required, before playing against Kilmarnock five days later.

Celtic's next two Premiership games were shelved as a consequence while boss Neil Lennon said the "maximum sanction" had been meted out to Bolingoli before adding the Belgian's representatives would look to move him on.

Bolingoli featured 29 times for the Glasgow giants after signing from Rapid Vienna last summer but he has now linked up with the Turkish champions, who say there is an option to make the move a permanent one next summer.

Celtic said on their website: "Boli Bolingoli has joined Turkish side Istanbul Basaksehir FK on loan until the end of this season. Everyone at Celtic wishes Bolingoli well during his time at Istanbul Basaksehir FK."

The defender was given a three-game ban by the Scottish Football Association, with a further two-match penalty suspended until 28 February, as a result of his indiscretion.

Duffy, who played a club game for the first time since July, believes more matches can only help him as he looked forward to facing St Mirren in Paisley on Wednesday night.

He said: "Yeah, it's really still pre-season for me, that's my third game. I had two for Ireland and now this.

"I'll only get better. I know I play my best when there's a run of games.

"I'm delighted there's a lot of games, hopefully I keep my spot, I know the more games I play I'll get fitter and sharper on the ball."

Celtic boss Neil Lennon noted that goalkeeper Vasilis Barkas, signed from AEK Athens in July, made several crucial saves to keep County at bay.

He told CelticTV: "I am delighted. I think he probably needed a game like that to get his Celtic career up and going because he has looked assured and comfortable.

"He showed his qualities so he can be really pleased with that as we are.

"It was a good scoreline. It was a good performance, not great, but we will get better.

"I thought we were little bit slow in the first half but the second half we were a lot better.

"Albian, starting for the first time, it was a good striker's goal so it augurs well for the season."

Neil Lennon claimed Shane Duffy looked "peerless" after his debut goal for Celtic in the 5-0 Premiership win over Ross County in Dingwall.

The home side gave as good as they got in open play in the first half but found themselves behind to an early Odsonne Edouard penalty and a goal from strike partner Albian Ajeti, who was making his first start for the visitors.

County were left with no chance when Republic of Ireland defender and life-long Celtic fan Duffy, a loan signing from Brighton, powered a header in from a corner on the hour mark.

Fellow defender Kristoffer Ajer tapped in a fourth before substitute Patryk Klimala added a fifth to leave Lennon's side six points behind leaders Rangers with two games in hand, one of which is against St Mirren on Wednesday night.

Duffy was playing his first club football since July and the Celtic boss was impressed.

Lennon said: "Shane had the two games for Ireland which will have done him the world of good.

"He hadn't played that much football. Same with Ajeti, he needed a run out and today he's produced a great striker's goal.

"Shane, we all know what the club means to him, but to score on his debut was just great. I think after the goal he just looked peerless, just outstanding.

"That will give him a lot of confidence. He's getting used to us, our style of play and we're getting used to him. But it's been a good day's work for him."

Lennon was also pleased to see recent signing from Motherwell, David Turnbull, come on to make his debut on a day when there was a "lot of positives".

He said: "I was delighted to put him on. He's a good player and showed some nice touches.

"I thought second half we were superb. We looked a real threat, very powerful. I thought my goalkeeper had a fine game when called upon, he had some good saves.

"Overall I'm thrilled. We will get better. I think we can play better and we will as we go along."

County boss Stuart Kettlewell was left perplexed after a heavy beating.

He said: "Everyone that was here could see how well we performed in large parts of the game and it's so hard to take.

"I won't make a case for getting something out of the game when you lose 5-0 but we never went on the back foot.

"We lost 6-0 at Parkhead last season but it could have been 10-0. We couldn't string two passes together, they created umpteen chances and our goalkeeper made saves.

"But here our goalkeeper didn't make a save and that gives you an indication of the game.

"I thought we were exceptional but we didn't attack their 18-yard box with real quality in terms of capitalising on our chances.

"We also didn't defend well either from two corners, a free-kick and we obviously conceded a penalty but when you lose these games 5-0 you think it's from open play and them carving us open but that wasn't the case. "