Kelsy celebrates making it twoImage source, SNS

At a glance

  • Neil double and Kelsy strike earns Rangers emphatic win

  • Ibrox side dominate throughout in front of 50,000 home fans

  • Celtic overrun in deserved defeat to end treble hopes

ByMartin Dowden
BBC Sport Scotland Senior Reporter at Ibrox

Rangers progressed to the Premier Sports Cup semi-finals as they delivered an emphatic and dominant win over Celtic at Ibrox.

Captain Dan Neil's superb double, sandwiched by Kevin Kelsy's thumping half-volley, left an insipid Celtic well beaten, chasing answers throughout as the hosts advanced to meet Aberdeen.

Victory delivered a dream Old Firm managerial debut for Derek McInnes who has overseen a sharp upturn in form and results after early season struggles.

With no away supporters, 50,000 home fans lapped up a performance during which Martin O'Neill's men were found wanting ahead of a league meeting at Celtic Park between the sides next Sunday.

This is the type of occasion Rangers just haven't got through in recent years. They ripped up that script at Ibrox.

O'Neill opted for Sam Johnstone in goal and he looked more than uncomfortable from the off. It seemed Celtic hadn't expected how Rangers would set up and they were relentlessly punished.

Ryan Naderi did well to feed Kelsy who in turn laid the ball off to Neil all alone outside the penalty. His finish into the corner showed genuine class.

The pressure rarely stopped. Kelsy scored his first goal for Rangers when he drifted to the back post and fired a superb shot in off the near post.

Emmanuel Fernandez thought he had a third but was ruled offside. However, another arrived when Neil gathered and sent a beautiful curling shot beyond Johnstone into the top corner to send Ibrox wild.

Match stats

Rangers analysis: Dream outcome and performance for McInnes

Derek McInnes got his tactics spot on and clearly had his players absolutely on point as to what it would take to dispose of Celtic.

Their intensity was clear. Their gameplan effective. They were dangerous throughout and prepared to take a risk, relying on individuals to win their battles.

Rangers fans drooled as Celtic looked dumbfounded.

It is such a big moment for Rangers and McInnes after early season woes. Any doubters watching this will be having rapid rethinks.

This is exactly the type of occasion Rangers have fallen short in repeatedly. Not here, and now they have engineered a real chance of silverware ahead of travelling to Celtic on league business next weekend.

There were so many big performances, capped by an outstanding display from captain Neil, who arrived as a Rangers player on the biggest stage to seal a very significant victory for the club.

Celtic analysis: Celtic well beaten

For all that Rangers performed well and came up with a tactical plan that paid off, Celtic were second best by some distance. The levels between them were stark.

Early errors handed Rangers huge encouragement but they just never got going.

O'Neill spoke about characters in this side pre-match, but too many appeared to vanish when the going got tough, in stark contrast to what Celtic usually do on domestic occasions like this.

Celtic's starting selection didn't work with Camilo Duran nullified on the right and Sebastian Tounekti ineffective down the left.

The absence of Hassan raised eyebrows and more so as time ticked on. When introduced at half-time, there was little impact. Sam Johnstone did not look at all comfortable in goal.

New signings didn't deliver. Experienced faces equally so. It was startling how poor their performance was.

Celtic have earned league wins without, in the main, excelling.

This was a sharp, sore lesson with a big, big response required this week both in Europe and against Rangers at home next weekend.

What they said

Rangers manager Derek McInnes tells BBC Scotland: "It was the performance and result we were all looking for. The game demanded a big performance and I thought we delivered on that. It's a good reference point for my players.

"They're a young squad and they saw how much that result means to the supporters."

Celtic manager Martin O'Neill tells BBC Scotland: "We were well beaten. The 3-0 scoreline doesn't hide it, it was a tough afternoon for us.

"We were well in the game early on, even at half time, but they were stronger than us on the day and they deserved to win.

"I think throughout the first half we, in really good positions, gave the ball away, we had three or four brilliant opportunities on the counter-attack and wasted them."