Speaking post-match on his 74 year-old birthday, O’Neill said: “I think today’s result – if you belong to Hearts – then you’ll think it’s a great result for them. But even so, we’re not out of it. If the game had ended at half-time, with our performance, we’d have thought ‘we’re a million miles off it’.”
“Now by the end of the game, the manner that we played, particularly here at Ibrox, 2-0 down, we fight back. There’s still plenty of heart and desire to try and retain the championship. It’s just been a tough old struggle this season. We just have to try and dig it out.”
Reo Hatate of Celtic celebrates scoring his team’s second goal during the Scottish Premiership match between theRangers and Celtic at Ibrox on March 01, 2026 (Photo by Ian MacNicol/Getty Images)
O’Neill said his players demonstrated resilience to salvage a draw and suggested Celtic had done enough to come away from the Glasgow Derby clash with all three points.
He said: “It was lovely to come out and get something. We could easily have won it in the end.”
“Luke [McCowan] says he maybe should have scored. I haven’t seen very many things back. First-half, totally Rangers. Second half, totally us.”
Jack Butland of theRangers looks dejected during the Scottish Premiership match between theRangers and Celtic at Ibrox on March 01, 2026.. (Photo by WM Sport Media/Getty Images)
“I think if you had told me at half-time that we would get out of this with something, it looked a long, long way off. But when we finally scored the penalty, at about the sixth attempt, Hatate is racing out to put the ball back on the halfway line.”
“There is a bit of frustration but I think we are still in the title race when it looked pretty daunting at half-time.”
Conor Spence
Celtic in the Thirties by Matt Corr. Click on image to order
Believe that our last 2 matches, have involved a far higher degree of showing a desire, with more commitment in gaining the required results imo?
Been far too questionable, on way to many occasions this season to date, for my liking.
Would like to think that it will transpire into our players moreso now, as it’s a requirement for ourselves until the end of this season.
We haven’t really formed the likes this season, within team selection this season really imo?
Can accept poor games within our players, but should never be a question of commitment to our goals within our club?
Yesterday showed ourselves an element that’s been badly lacking this season.
Even so, we left ourselves plenty of room for improvement, where 90 minutes displays are still required, especially with the goal differences involved.
Let’s face it —-The players who graced the field at Ibrox yesterday would never even get a game in MON’s teams during his first stint as Celtic manager . Yesterday , MON & Co. picked what they thought was the best eleven from a shower of very ordinary players :-
Junior Adamu—-Impressed for half-an hour in Europe—So was he good enough to throw into the Ibrox cauldren—-Sorry , I don’t think so ?
Oxlaide-Chamberpot—–A great player in his day but that was a long time ago—-Should never have been anywhere near Ibrox .
Murray——Totally untested , at this level —-What a gamble ?
Nygren —–Disappears for most of every game—–No help to the team and his team-mates—-Certainly NOT a mid-fied power house ?
Sinsalo—–A real gamble in this torrid atmosphere but did O.K.
Maeda——A lower league player with some speed . Ball control attrocious .
Martin if you win the League with this lot ; you’ll certainly be cannonised . Good Luck !!!!!