A late goal by Kilmarnock substitute Dieter van Tornhout was enough to overcome Celtic in the Scottish Communities League Cup Final at Hampden this afternoon. Celtic’s record in League Cup finals since 1970 has been dismal, they have reached 21 finals in that time, winning only seven, and have contrived to lose to rank outsiders, including Partick Thistle, Hibs, Dundee, Aberdeen and Raith Rovers, but few victors will have gone into the final with form as indifferent as Killie’s.
Neil Lennon changed the Celtic formula, brining Kelvin Wilson into central defence and pushing Victor Wanyama into midfield but they never managed to dictate play for a sustained period. Both teams had great chances, Kilmarnock keeper, Cammy Bell, won man of the match, while his opposite number, Fraser Forster, was Celtic’s best performer.
Gary Hooper had a miserable day but was most culpable after intercepting a risky pass by Mahamadou Sissoko across the Kilmarnock box but, unmarked, with the ball at his feet 18 yards from goal, he snatched at his shot and Bell saved.
Kilmarnock looked nervous early on but after Dean Sheils’ shot went narrowly past 20 minutes in they settled and looked the equal of the favourites.
Scott Brown crossed well from the right for Stokes to head from 13 yards but Bell was there to end the danger again. Brown then had a fine shot tipped over by Bell.
Paul Heffernan then brought the best out of Fraser Forster as the Celtic keeper kept his team level.
Sheils looked sure to put Kilmarnock ahead minutes after the break when he fought free inside the box but with the goal opening before him he seemed to panic and could not connect properly with his shot. Sissoko threatened again with a header. The warning signs were there for Celtic.
Neil Lennon realised his formation was not working and decided to hook Thomas Rogne, who was playing well, but the tactical switch allowed Ki to move into midfield while Wanyama dropped back. Ki immediately brought a degree of composure to Celtic’s play but Kilmarnock were no less threatening.
Gary Hooper was eventually subbed for Geogrios Samaras as Celtic again changed the recipe. Samaras played left and James Forrest was asked to play behind Anthony Stokes but the change didn’t have the desired effect.
With seven minutes of the game remaining Lee Johnson got behind the Celtic defence on the left to cross while van Tornout drove towards the back post where he headed into the net to give Kilmarnock the lead.
Celtic chased an equaliser and Bell made an excellent double save to deny Samaras and Kris Commons. Anthony Stokes had a last minute claim for a penalty denied and was booked for his efforts.
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436 Comments- Pages:
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Liam Kelly, you and your family are in my thoughts.
Your Father would have been proud toady I’m sure.
Perspective.
Bankiebhoy
I think that the real point
this guy gave the Huns a pen he couldn’t have seen
I think we could be sure that Killie would have been given it
Well done Killie. Well done Celtic. As good a cup final as we have seen for a while.
Had it not been for willie collum, I would have walked away satisfied, that in a 50-50 game, someone had to win.
But willie collum is a cheat.
TLWIO
Wilson can’t jump – I noticed in first half that the Kilmarnock corners were targeted at the place where he was standing. The fact that he doesn’t go forward at corners says it all.
CRC
Yes, up for a beer, I briefly met Lennybhoy last week , when he helped me out with a ticket for Tannadice.
I normally embarrass myself on a Sunday night on a 5 a side pitch , hence sobriety is the order of the day, but , I hope to make an exception for the St J game.
Liam Kelly’s father did die today. In mainstream press now
http://www.dailymail.co.uk/sport/football/article-2116825/Liam-Kellys-dad-dies-Kilmarnock-beat-Celtic-League-Cup.html?ito=feeds-newsxml
Terrible news.
Weeron, agree entirely. Respect for opponents in defeat is the Celtic way, no matter how much it hurts. But Gollum IS a cheat!
stephboy, if you are so sure about the world not needing rangers then why buy a newspaper that is perenially commited to serving them? James Traynor, sports editor of that rag, has recently tried to mudrake by dragging celtic into a made-up controversy over tickets for the ipox game. Neil Lennon has hinted that there may be legal action taken by Celtic FC as a result. This is the latest in a long line of stories designed to hurt our club, so I will be as judgemental as I like about Celtic people who buy it.
Just a thought – but as for the remaining 50 pages of that rag, they seem to have a disproportionate focus on negative stories about the Roman Catholic Church. I don’t know, or care, if you are a Catholic or not, but I’m sure you agree that all faiths deserve an equal crack of the whip.
At the end of the day it’s a free country: you go on buying the rag and funding its agenda if you like, but don’t think that’s a neutral act and one I won’t condemn.
There is nothing like perspective.
We lost a cup final and are, rightly,disappointed.
Young Liam Kelly wins a final but so sadly loses his father who was proudly watch ng his boy.
News like that just confirms it is, after all, only a game.
Mr Kelly, RIP
Thoughts with Liam Kelly’s family tonight. Should have been a high for him and his family tonight.
HH
CRC
W C was never going to give us a penalty stonewaller or not!!
PF,
Agreed. Different rules for the Celtic.
It’s still acceptable in some circles.
The reason they are buckin’ is we’ve turned them over….they know the jig is up.
Time is now on Our side.
( Don’t like losing any game mind, but that game showed we don’t need the huns.)
HH
Long time since I posted anything, but to be honest I enjoy reading more than posting if truth be told.
Like everyone I am disappointed with both the performance and result, as I had only one ticket I gave it to my son who is only 20 years of age, he has arrived home very depressed with the outcome ( I am sure he will witness many over the years to come, god willing).
The points of Neil having his tactics wrong coupled with the team selection resonate with me also, however he is young and so is the team he has constructed. We need a few tweaks here and there and a bit of quality in front of goal when the pressure is at its highest, that costs money and we should go the extra mile before the CL qualifying rounds begin.
If I may offer a memory, which posters of my age will remember well and younger ones may wish to dwell upon.
When we disposed of the mighty Leeds Utd in the 1970 European cup semi-final we faced Feyenoord of Holland, the great Jock Stein promptly dropped George Connolly who had scored the winner at Elland Road, was outstanding at the Hampden return and replaced him with David Hay, to add to this puzzling change he never even bothered to watch them prioir to the final. Tommy Gemmell said in an interview years later the whole team including big Jock underestimated how decent as side they were.
If the greatest ever manager who walked the earth got it wrong in a major final, I think we should support a young manager who has more right than wrong in, what may be recalled in years to come the most bigoted, hideous and appalling circumstances any manager has tolerated during their tenure.
Keep the faith and let us look forward and congratulate Kilmarnock on their win, a town that has had grim financial hardships to endure over the last few years.
Hail Hail and God Bless Neil Lennon
devastated by this awful news
RIP
A very weak and insipid performance.
My bete noire Broon was superb, but Forrest is a serious worry anywhere outside G40, a serious blind-spot. The inclusion of Kelvin Wilson was a disaster.
Just saw that Liam Kelly’s father has passed away. Dreadful news, I will say a prayer for them.
Clashcitybhoy on 18 March, 2012 at 22:08 said:
Post match beer sounds good after St J game. Will try and round up a few bhoys. Be in touch soon.
HH
CRC
It wasn’t a penalty,but it wasn’t a booking either.He tripped himself up.He should have buried it anyway,long before he fell.
It doesn’t matter now,it’s over and done with.
We lost it fair and square,it’s all our own fault.Well apart from our support,whom were exceptional,as per usual.
As for that mickeywalt – if he doesn’t get barred from this site,then i am gonna bar myself.
That reprobate has been at it all day,agitating,trying to provoke…I noticed him from early on this morning,he’s been at it.
People have been barred for a lot less.That’s what annoys me,fair enough,he doesn’t swear,but he is crafty and sneaky.
Scumbag rat he is.
the Daily Record is not a newspaper-
notafanofstan on 18 March, 2012 at 22:12 said:
Exactly my sentiments,blind spot has now cost us.
We seem to have a problem. One we need to recognise to deal with. The mentality is somewhat fragile, not the players, not the supporters, but our club.
Too often we have failed at the final hurdle: Today, against them last season etc etc.
It seems to be at it’s worst when we are expected to win. In my opinion it’s certainly a newish phenomenon . But the fragility is there. Today we (some exceptions) expected to just to turn up and win. The celebratory party atmosphere was there pre-match amongst the same fans who panic and decry the players every error when we are “just” one goal ahead. It seems this fragility trait was evident in the players today. Too many just failed to match their opponent, failed to support team mates and work, it’s that simple. We had no realisation or acceptance that to win you need to beat your opponents desire and workrate. When they realised that Killie were going to match us, some found it impossible to get in the groove, whilst some were posted missing.
Just found out that boy Kelly’s father passed away.
We cant really be down about losing a trophy when he has lost his dad today.
HH
Jinky was my hero on 18 March, 2012 at 22:11 said:
Some very good points in that post, perhaps you should post more often!
Another disappointment in the League Cup final. It`s just as well we have some other things to look forward to. Our young team let themselves down but they`ll be keen to make amends. It`s how a team recovers from a setback that `s important.
RIP JACK KELLY
Puts things like football into perspective
Thoughts and prayers with the Kelly family at this sad time
YNWA
Thoughts with the Kelly family tonight.
YNWA.
goal malaga 1-1
Ah well, just remembered the Huns got gubbed!! Must have been that young team!
HH
CRC
Did mc lean get that shirt out of an army store??
Very sorry to hear of the death of young Liam’s father,” we are here for a short visit so make the most of your time be it short or long, rememeber to tell those you cherish that you love them for you never know when it may be the last”.
RIP Mr Kelly, my thought and prayers are with LIam and his family.
Very disappointed by the performance from our players and it could be argued, our management as well.
Along with Hearts, Airdrie, Falkirk, Dundee and Motherwell, I have no time for the part-time Huns and two-scarf brigade at Kilmarnock, but the fact remains that they won the League Cup and we didn’t.
We should show some sporting integrity, a rare commodity in Scottish football, congratulate them and move on.
The day is now about the Kelly family and their personal tragedy. Our thoughts are with them.
T4
One for the hun:
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=syPPrz6t1PQ
Take it outta that Billy.
Everytime we get beat,i watch that video…and everything is alright one more…
:)
Cant believe how much Wilson didnt do at the killie goal!! Shocking!!
From where I was sitting Stokes didn’t dither – he didn’t have time to. It seemed to me that he went down because the defender took his leg away.
I hate to say this but Kelvin Wilson doesn’t look good enough to be in that team. Young Forrest also had little impact on the proceedings. Of course it would have been a quite different story if Hooper had scored in five minutes.
Treble on for at least the next five years….We will win a few of them…..
In Neil we trust…
God Bless Liam Kelly’s Dad
My thoughts and prayers are with the Kelly Family , forget football we should be thinking of the Kelly family at this sad time.
RIP Mr Kelly. What a dreadful end to one family’s big day
Regarding the penalty decision,not seen it from a conclusive angle
to say it was or wasnt,but the angle the ref has there is no way he can be sure its a dive.
Sad day for Kilmarnock on what should be a day of joy,puts my dissapointment
into perspective
AAFG on 18 March, 2012 at 22:27 said:
So we lost a football match we could have won. Happened lots of times before and probably shall again.
What does it matter?
Tomorrow, regardless of the result, I still have washing to do, food to cook, washing up to do and a house to clean – just as I have every week.
Real life doesn’t take a break because of football.
A wee bit of perspective would be nice.
If we win, great.
If we don’t, these things happen.
Life and it’s practicalities go on.
Don’t bother trying to slaughter me, it won’t work.
I have my perceptions and values – end of story.
Still wish the best for all of you.
Cheers
Alex