Match ends, Celtic 3, Morton 0.
CelticCeltic3MortonGreenock Morton0
Celtic swept into the semi-finals of the Scottish Cup with a composed first-half demolition of Greenock Morton.
A missed header from Thomas O'Ware allowed Leigh Griffiths to open with his 34th goal of the season.
Gary Mackay-Steven stroked home from Kieran Tierney's cross soon after.
And Callum McGregor curled in a sumptuous third with Celtic dominant, and noticeably sharper and slicker than their opposition.
Morton boss Jim Duffy changed the normal shape of his Championship team by fielding a back three instead of four and leaving out in-form winger Bobby Barr. His gamble failed.
However, he was not helped by schoolboy defending by O'Ware for the loss of the decisive first goal.
Ronnie Deila made sweeping changes for the Premiership leaders, one of them enforced by an injury to Dedryck Boyata, but the rest all in midfield with Tom Rogic, Stuart Armstrong and Patrick Roberts making way for Kris Commons, Mackay Steven and McGregor.
It was a surreal atmosphere in the ground, the game kicking off in the Glasgow east end midday sunshine and Celtic Park not even half-full.
And the manager of Celtic knew that defeat would surely bring his own high noon, following patchy recent form. But it took just 14 minutes for his worries to ease.
O'Ware totally misjudged his header on the end of a cross from the right and it fell to, of all people, Griffiths four yards out and unmarked.
Celtic were on their way.
Their second came 11 minutes later and again Mackay-Steven's finish could be filed as straightforward.
Their third, 10 minutes after that, was far more inventive. McGregor was really clever with a bending finish from the edge of the box and Celtic were now entitled to dream about what Sunday afternoon's draw might bring.
No further goals came, nor indeed were required, but there was the one black spot - an injury to Stefan Johansen on the stroke of half-time courtesy of a clumsy challenge by Mike Miller that went curiously unpunished.
And that, really, was that. Celtic through and nerves soothed for Deila, with substitute Patrick Roberts and Mackay-Steven firing against the post and bar, respectively, in the second period.
Line-ups
Celtic
Formation 4-2-3-1
- 1Gordon
- 23Lustig
- 28SviatchenkoBooked at 10mins
- 21Mulgrew
- 63Tierney
- 8Brown
- 42McGregor
- 15CommonsSubstituted forS Armstrongat 73'minutes
- 25JohansenSubstituted forKazim-Richardsat 45'minutes
- 16Mackay-Steven
- 9GriffithsSubstituted forRobertsat 60'minutes
Substitutes
- 4Ambrose
- 13Kazim-Richards
- 14S Armstrong
- 18Rogic
- 26Bailly
- 27Roberts
- 49Forrest
Morton
Formation 3-5-2
- 1Gaston
- 2Kilday
- 4O'Ware
- 3Lamie
- 11McCluskeySubstituted forGasparottoat 76'minutes
- 7McKee
- 6MillerBooked at 44minsSubstituted forBarrat 52'minutesBooked at 83mins
- 8Forbes
- 17Russell
- 9JohnstoneSubstituted forQuitongoat 89'minutes
- 21McManus
Substitutes
- 10MacDonald
- 12Scullion
- 16Barr
- 19Gasparotto
- 28Quitongo
- 30McGowan
- 36Tennant
- Referee:
- William Collum
- Attendance:
- 14,858
Match Stats
Home TeamCelticAway TeamMorton
- Possession
- Home64%
- Away36%
- Shots
- Home27
- Away7
- Shots on Target
- Home11
- Away3
- Corners
- Home7
- Away5
- Fouls
- Home10
- Away10
Live Text
Post update
Full Time
Second Half ends, Celtic 3, Morton 0.
Substitution
Substitution, Morton. Jai Quitongo replaces Denny Johnstone.
Post update
Corner, Morton. Conceded by Charlie Mulgrew.
Post update
Attempt blocked. Bobby Barr (Morton) right footed shot from outside the box is blocked.
Post update
Foul by Scott Brown (Celtic).
Post update
Ross Forbes (Morton) wins a free kick in the defensive half.
Post update
Attempt missed. Callum McGregor (Celtic) left footed shot from outside the box is just a bit too high.
Post update
Stuart Armstrong (Celtic) wins a free kick in the defensive half.
Booking
Bobby Barr (Morton) is shown the yellow card for a bad foul.
Post update
Foul by Bobby Barr (Morton).
Post update
Bobby Barr (Morton) wins a free kick on the left wing.
Post update
Foul by Colin Kazim-Richards (Celtic).
Post update
Attempt blocked. Colin Kazim-Richards (Celtic) right footed shot from the right side of the box is blocked.
Post update
Stuart Armstrong (Celtic) wins a free kick in the defensive half.
Post update
Foul by Joe McKee (Morton).
Post update
Foul by Colin Kazim-Richards (Celtic).
Post update
(Morton) wins a free kick in the defensive half.
Post update
Attempt saved. Stuart Armstrong (Celtic) left footed shot from outside the box is saved in the centre of the goal.
Substitution
Substitution, Morton. Luca Gasparotto replaces Stefan McCluskey.
