BACK WITH A BAN

O'Neill fears end of away fans after Old Firm shame

- BY ANTHONY EVANS

MARTIN O'NEILL expects a ban to be slapped back on Old Firm away fans after Sunday's shame game at Ibrox.

And the Celtic boss says that "saddens" him given the crackling atmosphere during his side's Scottish Cup win over Rangers.

Hoops supporters filled the 7,500-seat Broomloan Stand in the derby's first full away allocation since 2018 following reductions and an eventual tit-for-tat ban.

But O'Neill feels the ugly scenes as many spilled on to the pitch to celebrate Tomas Cvancara's penalty shootout winner - with Rangers fans streaming on to confront them - has put paid to hopes of stands full of visiting fans at future derbies.

Nine arrests have so far been made amid claims of assaults on stewards and one of Celtic's backroom staff after a chaotic end to the quarterfinal.

The shocking scenes came seven days after Ibrox housed 2,000 Hoops fans for a 2-2 Premiership draw between the bitter rivals.

O'Neill said: "The noise on Sunday, and the Sunday before where we only had 2,500 people there, was not something I've heard in a long time.