A lack of cutting edge cost Celtic dearly as a Hearts smash and grab sent them into the Scottish Cup final after spending most of the game under the cosh. A controversial last minute penalty by Craig Beattie put Hearts through after an equally controversial equaliser from Celtic four minutes from time.
Celtic completely dominated the first half but had nothing up front to exploit their possession or territorial advantage. Hearts best opportunity of the game came within the opening seconds when Kelvin Wilson was carless with a back pass which was collected by Elliot but Fraser Forster came to the rescue.
Celtic then took over and bossed Hearts comprehensively but could not find a way to open the Hearts defence. Lustig headed over from Kris Commons free kick after the full back was fouled. Midway through the half Commons and Samaras combined to release Mulgrew who crossed from the win for Hooper who should have scored with his header from 8 yards but could not find the target.
Commons nipped onto a short back pass 10 minutes from half time but his touch to take the ball behind goalkeeper Jamie MacDonald was too heavy. Commons had Celtic’s first attempt on target five minutes from the break with a shot from 23 yards but MacDonald saved comfortably.
Ki had two incredible chances in the game, both unmarked back post headers at the end of each half. With 44 minutes gone he struck the upright from 4 yards when he should have scored, an outcome that would be repeated towards the end of the game.
Craig Beattie was introduced at half time and immediately changed the pattern of the game. Two minutes into the second half he played-in Rudi Skacel, benefitting from a ricochet off Kelvin Wilson. Skacel rounded Fraser Forster and shot high into the net.
The goal seemed to break Celtic’s spirit as Hearts created several chances in the opening 20 minutes of the second half. Skacel shot from 35 yards, forcing Forster into a good save. The same player then shot wide after a knock down from Beattie.
Andy Driver dispossessed Michael Lustig just after the hour but Glenn Loovens came to the rescue and conceded a corner. Craig Beattie then played a one-two with Driver before shooting narrowly wide.
Neil Lennon changed Celtic’s shape in an attempt to get back into the game, replacing Samaras with Anthony Stokes and Celtic were soon back in the ascendency. Hooper linked with Stokes on 66 minutes but the Irishman’s shot was deflected wide.
Stokes then headed over from a Ledley cross and had an attempt from 13 yards after Mulgrew cut back to him.
On 82 minutes Ki should have levelled after Kris Commons chipped a free kick towards the back post by the Korean midfielder headed against the post again.
Anthony Stokes should have equalised with five minutes remaining when he got onto the end of a Mulgrew header but he could not turn the ball goal-wards.
A minute later Dylan McGeogh fed Joe Ledley who moved the ball onto Charlie Mulgrew. Mulgrew crossed for Gary Hooper who headed home from 4 yards but the Celtic striker was in an offside position when the cross was played.
In the 90th minute referee Euan Norris awarded Hearts a penalty kick when the ball struck Joe Ledley’s arm when struck from less than 2 yards from him while he was trying to turn his back on the ball to block. Ledley’s arm was not at his side but it was not in an unnatural position either, nor was there even the remotest suggestion of a deliberate act. Beattie struck the penalty straight down the middle as Forster dived to his left.
The last few frantic moments of the game offered further opportunities for Celtic. A Ledley volley was saved before the ball struck Andy Webster inside the Hearts box but the referee wasn’t interested on this occasion.
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Mickbhoy1888,
Half an hour ago I said I would scroll past you forvermore, but I can’t let this go.
You have argued that great Celtic managers have defeated the opponents and the system, the cheating and the corruption. But so has Neil Lennon, he is a champion. There is a strong argument that he has come incredibly close to winning back to back trebles. LC Final last season, poor performance yes. Give or take the dishonest mistakes he owned the Myth in the league. This year, Stokes should have had a penalty in the LC, we have just been cheated in the Scottish Cup and won the league convincingly.
Not one of the managers, who Neil cannot hold a candle to in your opinion, has had to face, overcome and defeate what he has. Stein, Hay, McNeill, the great Tommy Burns, O’Neill. Anyone. Your solution to him losing out to cheating officials? Sack him. Sack Neil Lennon because he is not smart enough to overcome cheating officials. That’s lunacy and short termism beyond anything I have ever heard on here.
I would have no one else at the helm.
God Bless Neil Lennon
TJ
Paul67 et al
Shocking abuse by Chelsea supporters during the minutes silence for the victims of Hillsborough. Had to be cut short by the referee it was so bad. And let us not forget, Hillsborough was a FA Cup semi-final! Totally disgraceful behaviour!
Blacks hand ball should never come into it. It was a straight red all day long for his legbreaker on Ledley!! Wanyama got sent off for less.
ticgaz on 15 April, 2012 at 17:46 said:
Allgreen ,
Does that mean all fringe players should be sold ?
I’m a Paddy fan , I know he’s injured a lot and certainly should
be played more when he is fit , he’ll not be on big money , I’d
certainly keep him.
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i agree totally about paddy ….. i think he would have played well today
RT
Was not a statement regarding todays performance.
Man this debating lark is tough huh ?
HH
Most will already know this but craig beattie is from a family of retarded inbreds, very, very bitter huns.
Hence its celebrations..
R T
The 3 of them???
The most important trophy in any season is , by miles , the league and weve romped that in style and I’m delighted at that , especially given where we were at half time on 15 October. The failure to go on a make it the double or treble shouldn’t take away from a monumental achievement in turning this season around.
We have a young team and a young manager both of whom again made errors today at Hampden against teams whose whole season depended on this one game , as Rangers’ did a few weeks ago. That has to be a concern but they’ll learn.
The biggest lesson is that failure to take chances (and to hook those players who arent on their game) leaves us open to the opposition twelve taking any chance they can late in the game to nick a result.
I’d put that decision today almost up there with Collum’s Broadfoot penalty last season.
Disgraceful.
Sky ch. 993 for the FA cup semi final
HH
Sure that all the ex refs will be in papers supporting cheat Norris decisions.
Referees only bothered about looking strong & decisive. Not bothered about getting it right.
WHO WON THE LEAGUE?? Nite U all.
ernie lynch on 15 April, 2012 at 16:26 said:
I disagree
His response to our penalty claim was ‘no penalty’, ball to hand could do nothing about it.
Correct
His response to the Hearts penalty should have been the exact same.
Instead he came out with a pile of nonsense about rule changes which as you pointed out would actually make the situation worse. Which clearly illustrates a football man wasnt talking football.
I’m not interested in hearing we didn’t play very well today. We all know we didn’t play very well, but even with the misses in front of goal, even with the lack of penetration, even with the laxness at the back, we would still have had an extra 30 minutes to sort it
Where is our No.10?
oh for a Lubo or for a player up front who runs into channels making the pass easy…
all we do is play square pass after square pass..
no creative players in the middle…
Craig Beattie won`t be quite so celebratory when he goes to the ATM at the end of the month to find that his wages haven`t been paid again.
the management never learnt from the ross county game.in plain english we are not good enough ,theres about 5 in the team that are not good enough to play in the hoops ;hearts got a penalty we were denied one ,hoopers goal was offside ,and neil lennon should sit in the stand ,this running on to the park to confront refs is embarassing ,when we are wining things are fine but when we get decisions against us he loses the plot. think he should lay into some of his players ,act like a coach ,and try and gee the hoops to go on and win games,im gutted , anyway hearts one the game and thats a fact.
Went out for a walk saw a couple of comments about who says that this team are getting a reputation as bottlers on the big “one off” occasion as I mentioned earlier.
It is only my honest opinion and that of my brother and friends who also go to the games. We failed to turn up twice at Ibrox this season, second time only starting to play once a goal down when the chance to win the league was there Also against Killie in the League Cup and again today we had no cutting edge.
Big games need big game players. despite being the best in Scitland we are short in this regard. Forrest, Kayal and Izzy will make a difference next season but we need to strengthen to have any chance of Champions Leagur qualification.
Opinions opinions, that’s what a blog is for surely?
RobinBhoy
the long wait is over on 15 April, 2012 at 18:09 said:
———————-
True the league is the main show but in Scotland the best teams usually wins it all, we’ve come up short this year by a fair bit.
I don’t think we’ve learnt anything this season, made the same mistakes over and over again. I worry that next season could be the same. I hope not,
IPhone spelling is also not good enough!
TBB,
re Craig Beattie,thought his celebration made him look
like a bit of a dick,have seen champions league winners celebrated with
less enthusiasm,looked a put on show to me
Awe_Naw_No_Annoni_Oan_Anaw_Noo on 15 April, 2012 at 18:07 said:
RT
Was not a statement regarding todays performance.
Man this debating lark is tough huh ?
HH
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jude2005 is Neil Lennon \o/ on 15 April, 2012 at 18:08 said:
R T
The 3 of them???
=======================================
I hope I can spell facetious right, coaz that’s what i was being. please excuse me.
My personal take is that we are indeed a better team with our three most effective/best players playing well and all in the team at the same time.
It becomes an even more successful season when you think about how we coped with the loss of last years player of the year, a contender for same and a player who scored a dozen goals from midfield in half a season.
The three you named have all been injured for lengthy periods. I don’t know why Izzy isn’t getting games – perhaps he is still not 100%. Commons is the type who needs a run to get going again, and I thought he played quite well today, Kayal, well, he’s out, what more can I say.
They also make a more effective player of Hooper and perhaps Samaras. Quicker thinking, more effective.
If we can get them fit and play them regularly then we will of course improve. In the meantime we have a team capable of beating the SPL fodder more often than not. A good pre season for the three most effective players we have should see an improvement on it’s own.
How big is that Wembley pitch, always thought Hampden was big but it looks tiny this season. Bale is very overrated.
Dang iPhone keypad!
I’m not interested in hearing we didn’t play very well today. We all know we didn’t play very well, but even with the misses in front of goal, even with the lack of penetration, even with the laxness at the back, we would still have had an extra 30 minutes to sort it out if it wasn’t for a blatant piece of mibbery from an utter cheat of a referee.
Too many seem to see mibs as just another obstacle to overcome, but they’re not.
You can’t legislate for a 91st minute penalty being awarded by an unaccountable and untouchable cheat. Norris knows that no matter how ridiculous that award was, he’ll be backed 100% by his mates in the refereeing ludge and their fellow travellers in the media.
So what makes us so special that we should be good enough to beat not only the opposition, but the match officials as well?
Why can’t we simply have to be good enough to win on a level playing field?
Anyone who says forget about the ref and concentrate on our own shortcomings (which are nowhere near as serious as some of the doomsayers think) is condoning the situation whereby we are not required to be simply good enough to win like everyone else we play against. We have to be more than that and exactly how much more is at the whim of people like Euan Norris.
So get off Lenny’s back and get off the team’s back. Otherwise you’re enabling the mibbery.
Celtic 1-2 Hearts
Posted on 15 April, 2012 by Paul67
353
A lack of cutting edge cost Celtic dearly as a Hearts smash and grab sent them into the Scottish Cup final.
A number of times in the last few weeks in postings I have referred to PL ignoring Neil Lennon’s pre January transfer window for a bug physically dominating target man.
All this week’s talk of making an impact in Europe is simply a lot of hot air unless we can totally dominate here.
We talk referees until we are blue in the face. It was not a MIB who today missed three chances from a few yards out.
the truth is that it will only take a few more results like today to give credence to the notion that in one off crunch matches, the present Celtic side does not cut the mustard.
Celtic need a captain who can lead in big games . A winner . Not Scott Brown who masquerades as such…
Give the armband to Mulgrew.
Today’s team was a mile away from my preferred starting line up.
Was that team anybody on CQN’s preferred 11?
Anybody still keen on Ki or Wilson?
From the BBC:
“A Marius Zaliukas drive struck the arm of Joe Ledley before also appearing to brush the hand of Victor Wanyama.”
WOW !!!
gordybhoy 64 If Stokes had scored the winner in the final minutes and celebrated like Craig Beattie we would have been happy for him and know doubt claiming the ref. was wrong to book him.To have a go at Craig Beattie when he had just put his team into the cup final is churlish to say the least. We werent helped by the referee today but if we had taken our chanches earlier in the game it wouldnt have mattered.H.H.
Just seen their penalty, never never in a month of Sunday’s. Would it have been given at the other end – no. Against the huns – no.
Shocking but I’m not surprised but gives me ammo for tomorrow when Hertz fans complain about ref decisions.
and for neil lennon said that this team would do well in the champions league .you must be joking.i and i hope there is big changes come next season ,thats including management ,and players .i said a few weeks ago kelvin wilson was was timebomb ,after this afternoons performance i have been proved right.so him and loovens and 3 others will not be around next season.
Maybe it is my green tinted glasses but I thought Hooper was in line with last defender. His arm was offside (therefore he was technically onside)
Very disappointed.
It has always annoyed me that we have never won the cup 3 times in succession, a feat achieved by Aberdeen and the Huns in modern times ( QP and Vale of Leven in the early days).
We lost today to a mediocre Hearts side who will be pumped by the Huns next week and we lost the league cup to a mediocre Killie side.
If that’s how we perform in the Champions league qualifiers we will struggle to make the Europa League never mind the big cup (ESPECIALLY IF WE PERSEVERE WITH KELVIN WILSON).
Another major reality check today. We are far from the finished article and major work is still required.
SuperSutton on 15 April, 2012 at 18:20 said:
From the BBC:
“A Marius Zaliukas drive struck the arm of Joe Ledley before also appearing to brush the hand of Victor Wanyama.”
WOW !!!
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Did these guys learn their trade in 1930’s Germany or Stalin’s Russia?
According to BBC Scotland’s North Korean correspondent last weeks rocket launch resulted in the Koreans setting up a colony on the moon.
StMichaelsBhoy2 on 15 April, 2012 at 18:19 said:
Dang iPhone keypad!
The same last minute poor refereeing excuse was trotted out four weeks ago when we simply failed to come out the traps against Killie.
As an old timer I don’t apologise for once again stating that Stein’s Celtic sides consistently succeeded in the face of referees who were at least as bad, if not worse than the present lot.
timbhoy2 on 15 April, 2012 at 18:22 said:
and for neil lennon said that this team would do well in the champions league .you must be joking.i and i hope there is big changes come next season ,thats including management ,and players .i said a few weeks ago kelvin wilson was was timebomb ,after this afternoons performance i have been proved right.so him and loovens and 3 others will not be around next season.
======================================
My last post today is to tell you to catch yersel on.
Heading home
Stories of Craig Beattie being an Orange B obviously true.
Referee was a nugget.
Like the Killie game, if we put chances away would not be talking about him.
HH
Forget all talk of Champions League. It just makes us look daft.
Consolidation of domestic dominance a realistic ambition at this stage.
A double next year a treble the year after… Then talk about Europe.
We have won SPL after years of squandering title opportunities.. We are still squandering cup opportunities. Long way to go to Europe.
To be fair most of us wanted SPL – we have it. We are going in the right direction but we have a long way to go….believe me!
gordybhoy64
We’re all permitted our view. You’s is no more or less valid than mine.
Beattie has had a wretched time for many years and I don’t begrudge him a nutty celebration after a match winning goal in an important game.
timbhoy2
Neil Lennon has never said that!
F’Off ya Hun.