The centre-back was brought on following a red card to Jozo Simunovic and did a fine job in place of the Bosnian.
Celtic centre-half Jack Hendry was unlucky not to start yesterday against Rangers in the most highly anticipated Scottish league match of the season, as Brendan Rodgers opted to start Dedryk Boyata instead.
Boyata, 27, was at fault for the Rangers opener after just three minutes, and made a number of costly errors throughout the match in a very shaky performance.
Celtic fans’ already minimal trust in the Belgian will have diminished even further if anything, while their belief in Hendry will have no doubt grown.
The 22-year-old Scotsman was added to the fray with 30 minutes to go, coming on in place of Tom Rogic. Making your Old Firm debut under such circumstances is never easy.
Hendry was not simply brought on to help see out a victory, he was called upon with the added pressure of keeping things tight to ensure his team of 10 men would not conceded a further goal.
For a first taste of the derby of derbies, this was a tough ask for a man making only his fourth Celtic appearance.
Nevertheless, Hendry did a fine job under difficult circumstances and provided the solidity required of him, clearing his lines with confidence each time and playing the ball out from the back with intent.
At 22, Hendry, along with Kristoffer Ajer and Jozo Simunovic, is the future of Celtic’s defence and, with the league all but wrapped up now after the win over Rangers, surely Hendry deserves the chance to go on a run of games and finish the season strong.
Receive exclusive football transfer news and updates twice a week to your mailbox
