Celtic players celebrate their league triumph following their match against Ross County at Celtic Park Stadium in Glasgow on Saturday. It was the Glasgow giants’ third Scottish Premiership championship in a row. (Reuters)

AFP/Glasgow


Celtic manager Neil Lennon insists his side will not switch off for the remainder of the season despite a flat performance in their 1-1 draw with Ross County on Saturday.
The Glasgow giants wrapped up their third Scottish Premiership championship in a row with seven games to spare following an emphatic 5-1 win away to Partick Thistle on Wednesday.
The home fans were hoping for more of the same as the champions faced a lowly Ross County side who had lost on all three of their previous visits to Celtic Park.
However, County put a dampener on the party as Celtic conceded their first league goal at Parkhead since November last year when Melvin De Leeuw grabbed a 16th minute opener.
Kris Commons did manage to fire the Hoops level in the 35th minute for his 28th goal of the season but neither side could force a winner in a quiet second half.
“We were a wee bit flat but I can totally understand that. The game was probably an aside to the celebrations really,” Celtic boss Lennon said.
“We’ve had no preparation work for this game at all and you could probably see that a wee bit in the way we played.
“But overall I’m not angry or disappointed or anything like that. We will play better between now and the end of the season, that’s for sure.
“I think the players have made plans for this evening and some of them may have had half a mind on it before the game. They deserve it and are entitled to it and we’re still looking forward to the remainder of the season as well.
“We may change the shape of the team as we go along and maybe have a look at different aspects of the way we want to play.
“But I certainly want a bit more vibrancy in the next six games from what was there today. I’d like to finish the season off on a high and we will do that,” he added.
With the title already sewn up teenager Eoghan O’Connell, young cousin of Irish rugby captain Paul O’Connell, was handed his competitive debut while fellow teenager Liam Henderson made only his fourth appearance for the Hoops.
“I was afforded the luxury of playing a couple of the academy boys,” Lennon added. “I am excited about the likes of Liam and Eoghan and what we’ve got coming through and we are still a relatively young team.
“Eoghan’s done very well and he grew into the game. He was making his debut and I thought as the game went on he got better and better so I’m really pleased with his contribution.
“That’s only Liam’s third or fourth appearance and he plays with great maturity for someone of his age.”
Ross County manager Derek Adams felt his side had been unlucky not to win. “We would have taken a point before the game but after it I am a bit disappointed not to go away with all three points,”
“I wasn’t surprised by how flat Celtic were. We were just better than Celtic, that’s the way I look at it.
“We were really positive and I think they probably didn’t realise that was going to happen.  They probably didn’t think we would come here and have a right good go at them.
“You’ve got to be happy to come to Celtic Park and get a point because it’s a difficult place to come but you get greedy at times.”