AN intriguing shift of fortune sets the stage for Celtic's meeting with Hamburg in the Europa League on Thursday night. When the teams met in Glasgow two weeks ago, Tony Mowbray's side could not buy a goal at home and were in the midst of three barren fixtures at Celtic Park, the others being the scoreless league draw with Motherwell and the Co-operative Insurance Cup quarter-final defeat by Hearts.

All three games contributed to a set of undesirable sequences, such as Celtic's worst start to a league season since 1946 and a home record of two victories from nine competitive starts. On Saturday, however, Celtic at last matched performance with result and swept Kilmarnock aside to guarantee that Mowbray's side would remain league leaders.

Hamburg, meanwhile, have shipped goals since they won in the east end of Glasgow and followed a 3-3 draw with Schalke 04 with their first league defeat, 2-3 at home to Borussia Monchengladbach on Saturday.

It is too much to suggest that Celtic are favourites for this week's return encounter in the Norbank Stadium, but at least when Mowbray and his players fly out on Wednesday morning they will be accompanied by the feeling that the breaks may be going their way after a testing period.

Mind you, a home win over Kilmarnock has to be put in context. The Ayrshire side last won there in 1955 and in their last 30 visits they have taken none of the 90 points available.

Given that background, Celtic would really have been in trouble had they not been able to rack up a win. Still, they set about their task with a fierce determination and Kilmarnock could not have complained had they been further behind at the interval than 2-0 down to Aiden McGeady's strike and Georgios Samaras's fierce header.

Jim Jefferies' team did stage a brief revival after the break and had Kevin Kyle placed two clear headers a couple of feet lower, they might have exposed self-doubt in their hosts, but once that brief squall passed, Celtic treated the Kilmarnock box like a firing range, so much so that it was quite remarkable they had only Niall McGinn's first goal for the club to show for their almost complete control of the proceedings.

Jefferies did not attempt to play the game of ifs and buts when he summed up he contest. "We said to the players before the game that they were going to come at us,"he said.

"We just couldn't get near them. I thought we were better in possession in the second half when we had a go, and Kevin Kyle admitted he should have scored a hat-trick with headers."

Paddy McCourt has been pestering Mowbray for starts and, with Shaun Maloney injured, the mercurial ex-Derry City man had his wish granted.

McCourt is usually value to beat at least two opponents whenever he gets possession, although he also has a habit of taking on the next man and the one after that, until an opponent gets a toe to the ball, but the process can be very wearing for defenders and one such meander set McGeady up for his accomplished finish after 12 minutes.

McCourt made way for McGinn after an hour and his fellow countryman responded with his first Celtic goal, an emphatic finish after a well-timed break from midfield. Marc-Antoine Fortune also appeared as a substitute after his injury lay-off.

McGinn, though, may have to cool his heels on the bench again for Thursday's clash. "If I get a run out in Hamburg, I'll be over the moon but I'm happy to be part of the squad," he said.

"I'm still learning, I'm still young and the main thing a few months down the line is to be playing for the first team."

There was a contentious moment when McGeady was cautioned for simulation after he went down in a challenge by Jamie Fowler. Both managers sympathised with the Celtic midfield player afterwards and McGinn also suggested that McGeady is a victim of his own trickery.

"He's a top-class player and he's going to give opponents problems and they're going to need to time themselves right on whether to dive in or stand up," said McGinn. "He keeps the ball close to his feet but, no, he's not a diver." (© Daily Telegraph, London)

Celtic -- Zaluska, Hinkel, Caldwell, Loovens, Fox, McGeady (Zhi 82), Crosas, N'Guemo, McCourt (McGinn 66), McDonald (Fortune 66), Samaras. Booked: McGeady.

Kilmarnock -- Bell, Fowler, O'Leary, Wright, Skelton (Flannigan 66), Hamill, Bryson, Taouil, Invincibile (Fernandez 46), Kyle, Sammon (Hay 45). Booked: Taouil, Wright.

- Celtic 3 Kilmarnock 0 Roddy Forsyth

Irish Independent