He was the unlikely hat-trick hero, but it wasn't exactly a shining performance for Luis Palma or Celtic as they came from behind to beat Sligo Rover 3-2/
The Honduran gave Brendan Rodgers' side the lead early on with a back post tap in.
Rovers responded well though, with a big helping hand from Scott Bain in goal. He managed to palm Kailin Barlow's effort into his own net, then was beaten low at his near post by Simon Power's low, bouncing strike.
The hosts could and probably should have gone further ahead after the break, despite Celtic pressure, with Owen Elding missing a big one-on-one opportunity against Bain.
But that pressure eventually told as Palma twice stole in at the back post to tap home and turn the game around in the dying moments.
He's been challenged to do more to force his way back into Rodgers' plans. It wasn't a stand out display despite the goals from Palma, but he will at least have given his manager some food for thought going forward.
5 talking points
Brendan Rodgers admitted beforehand it felt like a crime he couldn’t give some of his fringe men more first team game time.
The Celtic boss needed Luis Palma to get his side out of jail as the Hoops nicked a 3-2 win against Sligo Rovers when it looked like the Irish outfit were going to them red-faced.
Rodgers’ men got a result in the end but he might not feel quite so guilty as several his back up brigade don’t look like threatening to break into the first team any time. Palma gave it a go and has a better chance than most as Celts got off to a flier.
But a couple of shockers from Scott Bain turned the friendly clash on its head and it could have been worse for slack Celts in an alarming opening period.
Rodgers gave run outs to the likes of Maik Nawrocki and some of the club’s kids, while Alex Valle got another 45 minutes under his belt and Luke McCowan put in a shift trying to help out the youngsters alongside him.
Full-time
It's all over and Celtic sneak a stoppage time win.
Luis palma's early opener looked to have them on thier way, but they were second best after Kailin Barlow and John Power both benefitted from Scott Bain mistakes.
Sligo had chances to make it 3-1 in the second half, but were made to pay when Palma stole in at the back post not once but twice, to claim his hat-trick and the win for the Premiership champions.
GOAL!
And Celtic win it with Palma's hat-trick goal.
It's almost a carbon copy as Yang slips the ball through to Isuguzo, who fires to the back post.
Palma is there un marked again and it's a simple finish for the Honduran to claim a treble.
GOAL!
Celtic are finally level and it's been coming.
They work the ball well and McArdle clips a great ball to the back post.
Palma is there unmarked and ghosts in for another tap in, simialr to his first goal, to tie things up as we move into stoppage time.
Save
Bain has to stand up to prevent Sligo making it 3-1.
Owen Elding is played through the middle and he holds off the two Celtic defenders before trying to slide the ball past Bain.
But he spreads himself well and is able to save with his legs to keep Celtic within touching distance.
Save
Another big chance goes abegging for Celtic.
Turley wins possession back and drives forward.
McCowan does briliantly to make up the ground on the break and he is played in, but denied by a last ditch takle from former St Johstone defender John Mahon.
Sitter
It should be 2-2.
McCowan plays a through ball to Yang and the Korean is one-on-one with Rush from close range.
He lifts the ball over the Sligo keeper, but also over the crossbar.
It's a poor, poor effort and sums up sloppy Celtic so far tonight.
Off the line
Luke MCCowan comes close to a leveller.
The ball is cleared as far as the recent signing and he feigns a shot before chopping back on to his left.
McCowan sends a curler towards the far corner but it's headed off the line with Rovers sub keeper Rush just standing and watching.
Wide
Palma is eyeing a second and has a go from a free-kick.
McGinty is rooted, but watches it zip past his left hand post as Palma cuts a frustrated figure.
Restart!
Celtic get us back underway.
A number of changes for Sligo but just one for Celtic.
Alex Valle makes way for Mitchell Robertson.
Half-time
If this is the fringe guys trying to impress, then they're falling well short.
Despite starting well, Celtic have been second best to their Legue of Ireland opponents and are perhaps lucky they are only 2-1 down at the break.
Guys like Maik Nawrocki, who have been out in the cold, won't be brought back into the fold on this evidence.
Expect to see a number of changes in the second half, but Brendan Rodgers will be deanding better, friendly or not.
Held
Celtic finally get another effort in on goal.
Valle does well to skip past two men and spray the ball out to Yang on the opposite side.
he centre for Turley, but his first time effort takes a deflection, loops up and is easy eno0ugh for McGinty to catch.
Save!
Bain does better this time.
Power tries to catch him out with a free-kick from a similar distance to hs goal.
He thumps it low towards the near post but this time Bain reads it and gets down well to turn it beind for a corner, which he then comes and and claims.
Let off
Fitzgerald runs in behind Valle on the blindside and is in on goal.
Bain come sut, but valle does well to recover and just outs enough pressure on that sees Fitzgerald lose possession as Valle manages to nick the ball just before the Rovers wide man could shoot.
Save!
Bain called into action again.
This time Fitzgerald aims for the near post and Bain is unorthodox, but effective as he shovels the ball away from goal.
He's been busy ever since Sligo's first goal and is keeping Celtic in it just now.
Save!
Sligo putting the pressure on Celtic now.
A good move gives Pearse a chance to shot from an angle after taking a chipped ball well on his chest to create the space.
He hammers it goalwards and Bain is bale to beat it away with a corner.
GOAL!
What a turnaround from the hosts!
Simon Power is allowed to cut inside under little pressure and the midfielder lets fly from distance.
It's well struck, bur Scott Bain will again be questioned, as he doesn't get down or accross quick enough and is beaten low at his near post.
GOAL!
Sligo hit back!
Scott Bain won't want to see that again.
Kailin Barlow's effort from the edge of the area wasn;t quite straight at the Celtic keeper, but he gets too hands to it although nowhere near enough purchase and essentially palms the ball into his own net.
It was always highly unlikely he was going to stake a claim for the no 1 jersey, but errors like that won't help him add to the few appearances he'll likely get when Kasper Schmeichel isn't available
GOAL!
An early lead for Celtic!
Yang is played in on the right and sends a low ball across goal.
It's missed by Lewis Dobbie, but Palma is on hand at the back post to tap in from close range.
Yang then goes close soon after but 0-1 it is in Sligo.
No takers
Alex Valle and Luis Plama combine well on the left.
The Honduran drifts towards the edge of the box and place a cross with the outside of his right foot.
However, no-one makes a real effort to get on the end of it and it runs out on the far side, much to the wide man's frustration.
Kick-off!
Ubderway at the Showgrounds!
The hosts get the game started, al in red and Celtic of course in the famous hoops.
20 minutes to go
Not long until kick-off at the Showgrounds.
It's a sell out in Sligo with the Scottish champions in town.
Brendan Rodgers has been out to do a pitchside interview over the stadium PA, saying all the right things as it;s hands across the water for this one.
The big chance for Luis Palma?
He didn't get the call up for Honduras and has had limited chances this season.
But could it really be a blessing for the winger?
He starts and has the chance to prove what he can do to Brendan Rodgers tonight.
Viljami Sinisalo waits for debut
The summer signing has been Kasper Schmeichel's understudy so far this season.
But despite not playing a minute of football so far he has been called up by Finland - and missed out on the chance to make his Celtic debut at the Showgrounds.
Sligo Rovers XI named
McGinty, Hutchison, Denham, Wiggett, Morahan, Henry-Francis, Malley, Barlow, Fitzgerald, Pearce, Power.
Subs: Brush, Mooney, McElroy, Malone, Mahon, Radosavljevic, Muldoon, Reynolds, McDonagh.
Celtic team news
Celtic: Bain, Palma, Valle, Yang, McCowan, Nawrocki, Agbaire, Welsh, Bonnar, Dobbie, Turley.
Subs: Morrison, Rice, Robertson, Bonetig, McArdle, Dargie, Davidson, Cannon, Haddow, Isiguzo.
West is best
Plenty make the trip from Dublin to Parkhead every other week, but Celtic and their fans will get a different Irish experience in Sligo.
Situated on the west coast in the province of Connacht and part of the country's Wild Atlantic Way, it's wet. Very wet. Even comnpared to Glasgow.
It's rural but with some of best scenery Ireland has to offer, and Sligo sits in the shadow of the mighty Benbulben.
Of course, Guinness is the tiple of choice but in may towns across the west, you can head into what seesm to be a general shop or hardware store and discover there's an old fashioned boozer through the back.
Sligo Rovers are in the process of raising funds to expand their Showgrounds home, ensuring it;s up to spec for UEFA fixtures, with regualr European football the aim for the Bit O'Red.
Brodge in the house
Rodgers confirmed he'll be in the dugout at the Showgrounds as he casts his eye over a number of his squad payers.
He also plans to give some of the kids a chance while getting the not so regualr first teamers up to speed.
I’ll be there. I’ll be taking the team. That plan was in place a few months back. We’ll need to recover some players. But there’s going to be a number of players that need games.
So it’ll be a mixture of our first team players in the squad and also some of our young players because it’s my chance to see them. But yes, we’ll go over there. It’s always great to go back home. And then we’ll prepare them for Aberdeen.
Long standing links
Celtic's links to Sligo go all the way back to their foundation, with it being the birthplace of Brother Walfrid.
The man who founded the club in order to raise funds for the catholic ppor in Glasgow's east End was born in Ballymote, a village just over 15 miles from the city of Sligo.
