The deal is until July next year.

Celtic centre-half Jozo Simunovic paid his own fitting tribute to Billy McNeill by heading in the winner against Kilmarnock at Parkhead.

There will be no marquee meeting with Celtic for Cork City in the first round of the Champions League but Ireland’s title-holders will still face tough opposition when the pairings are finalised at the draw in Switzerland this morning.

With Cork City not in action until tomorrow when they play host to Limerick, Dundalk will travel to Waterford this evening looking to convert their superior goal difference into a clear points advantage at the top of the Premier Division table.

The pressure was ratcheted up on Stephen Bradley’s tenure as Shamrock Rovers head-coach when they became the first side to lose to basement side Bray this season.

Paul Sharry has admitted that AIB Leinster club success with St Loman’s this weekend would be sweeter than anything he might have achieved in soccer, writes Paul Keane.

Boss Brendan Rodgers believes Celtic are better placed this season to make progress in Europe despite their daunting Champions League group.

Cork City boss John Caulfield has reignited his war of words with Shamrock Rovers, saying his club are expecting “gamesmanship” in their meeting this week and accusing Hoops players of “hitting the deck for no reason”.

Three second-half goals for Shamrock Rovers were enough for the Hoops to get by Shelbourne at Tolka Park in the FAI Cup.

Cork City skipper and centre-half Alan Bennett has been cleared of a charge of violent conduct after being sent off in the EA Sports Cup semi-final defeat to Shamrock Rovers.

Cork City manager John Caulfield has admitted that finding a replacement for Sean Maguire is “not going to happen straight away” as the Preston striker — a used substitute for his new club in their 0-0 draw with Leeds United on Saturday — waits to see if Martin O’Neill includes him when he unveils his Ireland squad today for next month’s World Cup qualifiers.

Celtic’s potential powder-keg Champions League qualifier with Northern Irish champions Linfield in Belfast now looks set to take place on July 14.

Another game and another night to remember for Cork City, but this time their swaggering winning margin masked the fact they also had to show spirit in coming from behind to beat a Shamrock Rovers who were reduced to 10 men with the score at 1-1.

When Glanmire lost four key members of their Super League squad in the off-season, many predicted a meltdown of their club.

As Dundalk know better than most in recent years, points win prizes.

Cork City hope they find Dundalk suffering from a European hangover of the ‘what did I do last night?’ kind when they take on the champions and league leaders in a much anticipated top of the table clash at Oriel Park tomorrow (6pm).

Inverness and Celtic warmed up for their William Hill Scottish Cup semi-final showdown next weekend with a 1-1 draw at a blustery Tulloch Caledonian stadium.

Celtic’s Europa League campaign came to a frustrating end with a 1-0 defeat by Inter Milan at the San Siro after Hoops defender Virgil van Dijk was dismissed in the first half.

QPR 3 Leicester City 2

Celtic captain Scott Brown has signed a new contract with the Scottish champions that will commit him to the club until the summer of 2018, the Parkhead club have announced.

Celtic dramatically crashed out of the Champions League for the second time this season with a 1-0 play-off defeat by Maribor at Parkhead taking the visitors through 2-1 on aggregate.

Celtic are on the verge of signing Serbia international striker Stefan Scepovic from Sporting Gijon, according to his manager.

Celtic ran riot on their Scottish Premiership flag day with a 6-1 thrashing of hapless Dundee United at Parkhead.

Celtic began the defence of their Scottish Premiership title with a 3-0 win over St Johnstone at McDiarmid Park but not without some help and some controversy.

Ronnie Deila believes Jo Inge Berget is a "perfect match" for Celtic.

Teemu Pukki struck twice against KR Reykjavik at the BT Murrayfield Stadium last night to take Celtic one step closer to the Champions League group stages and is hoping Southampton target Fraser Forster remains at Parkhead to enjoy it with him.

Bray Wanderers 0 Shamrock Rovers 3

St Patrick's will face either Celtic or KR Reykjavik in the Champions League third qualifying round if they come through their second-round tie against Legia Warsaw.

Champions League 2nd Qualifying Round, 1st Leg

KR REYKJAVIK 0 CELTIC 1

Celtic 3 St Johnstone 0

A devoted husband died of a broken heart exactly a month after his wife of 65 years passed away.

Celtic 2 Ajax 1

Sligo Rovers 3 Shamrock Rovers 0

Kilmarnock 2 Celtic 5

James Forrest has been ruled out of Celtic’s Champions League game against AC Milan at the San Siro on Wednesday night.

Anthony Stokes has welcomed the competition new Celtic signing Teemu Pukki will bring to the Parkhead strike force.

Celtic new boy Nir Biton will go straight into the Hoops squad for the Scottish Premiership game against Dundee United at Tannadice tomorrow.

Celtic have left themselves with it all to do to reach the Champions League after a surprise defeat to Kazakhstan champions Shakhter Karagandy in the first leg of their play-off at the Astana Arena.

A late Anthony Stokes strike gave profligate Celtic victory over Ross County in their Scottish Premiership opener at Parkhead.