THE best way for the Celtic players to prepare for their midweek Champions League play-off tie against Hapoel Be’er-Sheva was seemingly not to play at all. The International Champions Cup may have a fancy title and over-the-top marketing pretensions but it matters little in the bigger picture, not when there is a place in the group stage of the real thing at stake. And so, when manager Brendan Rodgers boarded a plane to Limerick yesterday afternoon for the final instalment of this summer extravaganza of hyped-up pre-season friendlies against Internazionale, most of his star names stayed at home. Of those who did feature against the Italian heavyweights, perhaps only Stuart Armstrong and Ryan Christie have a realistic chance of starting against the Israelis at Celtic Park on Wednesday night. The fringe players, in fairness, put in a decent show in front of a crowd of 12,873 at the home of Munster Rugby before succumbing to a goal in either half, a header from Eder and a delightful chip from £20m summer signing Antonio Candreva the difference between the sides. The result almost felt incidental.

Whether the match should have taken place at all is another matter. Neil Doncaster, the SPFL’s seemingly permanently embattled chief executive, had said recently that he was “relaxed” about the champions postponing a league fixture to take part, a view not shared by Partick Thistle manager Alan Archibald who felt it was farcical that his team was being made to sit idle on the second game of the season so that Celtic could milk every last drop out of this particular cash cow.

Penny for Archibald’s thoughts, then, when he stuck on his TV to see that Rodgers had elected to send out a largely fringe select. The much-maligned Nadir Ciftci donning the armband as captain for the night told its own story.

In contrast, Frank de Boer, in his first match in charge of Inter, send out a strong side containing 10 internationals. The Dutchman was afforded a typically warm welcome from the largely Celtic supporting-crowd, his six months as a Rangers player evidently not having slipped their minds. There was much to admire about the way the Italians moved the ball about – especially the interaction between the original front three Ivan Perisic, Mauro Icardi, and Eder – although a largely unfamiliar Celtic line-up can take credit for containing them in a match that was entertaining if played at half-pace.

Even with little at stake there was plenty for Rodgers to absorb. He got his first proper look at Dedryck Boyata, the Belgian returning to the Celtic line-up for the first time in four months after missing Euro 2016. So much has changed since his last appearance that Boyata, a regular starter in central defence last season, has his work cut out if he is to make his return to the team a permanent one. Kolo Toure has arrived and nailed down a place, Eoghan O’Connell has stepped up and impressed, Kristoffer Ajer can play in there too, Efe Ambrose is still around, while Eric Sviatchenko and Jozo Simunovic are due back from injury soon. Boyata, playing alongside youth prospect Jamie McCart, did his chances no harm here, easing his way back in with an assured 45-minute display before being replaced by Ambrose at half-time.

There was also a rare sighting of Stefan Johansen. The Norwegian has been tipped to leave Celtic all summer, with Fulham and Galatasaray both credited with an interest. If this was him being stuck rather unceremoniously in the shop window, it was a rather low-key display, although he did raise a cheer when he hoofed a goalbound Andrea Ranocchia header off the line in the first half.

Perhaps the player who most bolstered his reputation was goalkeeper Leo Fasan. On the day that Celtic announced they had signed Dorus de Vries to provide the main competition to Craig Gordon, the young Italian also reminded Rodgers of his capabilities with a string of impressive saves. When he was finally beaten moments before half-time it came from a dead ball. Banega swung over the corner, Perisic dived to nod it on and Eder clambered highest to head over the line. He could also do little about the bedazzling finish over his head from £20m man Candreva for Inter’s second.

Celtic’s attacking prowess was seen only in flashes. Christie looked lively and had a first-half shot saved, before he and Cifti combined to create an opening for Armstrong who shot straight at Samir Handanovic. The Turk hit the bar with a second-half volley but that was about it. The stand-ins had done their bit. The main cast will return in midweek.