New Hibs player makes stark admission after Celtic defeat as cup chances assessed

Hibs’ new players will need to pick themselves up quickly after the “eye-opening” 2-0 defeat by Celtic, according to Warren O’Hora.

Nicolas Kuhn and Callum McGregor netted for Celtic as the Premiership champions went on to record a straightforward success over the Hibees at Easter Road. The scoreline could have been greater given Celtic had 19 efforts at goal, with Hibs only really threatening once when substitute Kieron Bowie’s late effort hit the woodwork.

Irishman O’Hora was making his second Premiership appearance following his move from MK Dons and Hibs’ record so far is zero goals for and five against, with a Premier Sports Cup tie at Celtic Park coming next.

“The speed, the physicality is definitely different and something that we have to get up to, and me personally, I have to get up to,” said the centre-back. “That’s why I’ve come to this club and that’s why I’ve come to this league, because I want to play the best in this league, I want to play the best in this country, and I want this club to be up there with teams like that and that’s what we’re excelling to be.

Warren O'Hora got his first taste of facing Celtic. | SNS Group

“Yeah, look, it’s an eye opener, but I felt like we did well enough in the second half to maybe nick a goal and maybe nick something out of the game. But it didn’t go that way for us and there’s a cup game on Sunday against them away at Celtic Park, so anything can happen.”

Hibs signed four players last week to double their summer transfer tally with two of the newcomers, Mykola Kuharevich and Bowie, making their debuts against Celtic and O’Hora added: “It’s a process. It’s all new. We are a new enough squad, we have brought in some boys.

“The gaffer has been brilliant with me personally, he’s been brilliant with all the new boys, no doubt about it, and in training he’s working hard with us. I felt the second half was much better, I felt we actually got in their faces a bit, played some nice stuff, we got in some good areas, defended as a team much better.”