Attendance 7,571
Rangers' Youths went down 0-2 to Celtic at Hampden tonight in a game where the greater physical strength and power of the Parkhead men proved decisive.
The Light Blues were far from being at full strength with John Fleck, Danny Wilson and Andrew Little all eligible but not selected as the long-term focus was on youth development rather than specifically the winning of trophies - unlike Celtic who have effectively bought in their entire youth team from other clubs.
A healthy Mount Florida attendance of 7,571 regrettably included vermin from the 'Braazen Heid' pub and all points east who spent the entire evening poisoning the air with racist and sectarian hymns of hate, spewing forth songs and chants in support of illegal terrorist organisations. Why, one wonders, did the police not arrest the entire Celtic End for - at the very least - Breach of the Peace?
As to the game itself, the first-half was cautious although Rangers did have the edge in attacking play.
Rhys McCabe was first to threaten in eight minutes with a shot from the edge of the box that was held by Celtic goalkeeper Danielle Giordano.
Thirteen minutes later Ibrox Captain Kyle Hutton drove forward to send a twenty-yard shot flashing wide.
A first-half of few clear-cut chances ended goalless - but five minutes after the restart Greig Spence broke forward only to see his shot turned wide by 'Gers goalkeeper Grant Adam.
Rangers remained the more dangerous however - McCabe's snap-shot from a Kal Naismith pass being held by Giordano in 52 minutes, then soon afterwards Archie Campbell's volley from a Naismith cutback was blocked by the 'keeper.
It was one-way traffic - Dylan McGeouch was inches away from breaking the deadlock in 57 minutes with a twenty-yard shot that struck the side-net.
Sixty seconds later - at the other end - the deadlock was broken when hesitation in defence allowed Celtic substitute Sean Fitzharris to break forward and net with a low drive.
The first goal was always going to be crucial - and so it would prove for another Parkhead substitute Filip Twardzik made it 2-0 with a header from a non-existent Matthew Hughes free-kick in seventy minutes.
Fitzharris almost notched a third goal five minutes later with a solo run that produced a fine save from Adam.
Rangers however continued to fight to the end - Naismith working an opening in 82 minutes only to see his eighteen-yard shot finish inches wide of the target.
RANGERS Adam; Durie (McAusland 76), Wylde (Wiktorski 83); Cole, Scott, Ness (Dick 63); McGeouch, Hutton, Campbell, Naismith, McCabe
UNUSED SUBS Weir, Wright
CELTIC Giordano; Gallagher (O'Donnell 89), Lowdon; Hughes, Gallagher, Bagshaw; Towell, McAuley (Fitzharris 56), Spence (Twardzik 68), Forrest, Keatings
UNUSED SUBS Kennedy, McGregor
REFEREE Steven McLean