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.
1,358 Comments- Pages:
- «
- 1
- 2
- 3
- 4
- 5
- 6
- 7
- ...
- 36
- »
You can’t fight city hall.
God bless Neil Lennon & the long-suffering Glasgow Celtic.
before anyone pipes in with the old
“If you’re good enough, the referee doesn’t matter.”
they do when a you’re cheated and a penalty is given in the 90th minute.
According to Murdo MacLeod, Hooper was “six or seven inches” offside at the goal.
I wouldn’t bother about complaining to the SFA. I think it is time to call their bluff and say we won’t bother competing anymore in the corrupt Scottish set up where we are always the ones cheated.
THE DECISIONS HAVE NOT EVENED THEMSELVES OUT OVER ANY SEASON I have watched Celtic..
did it defo hit the hearts players hand?……………
Dont agree we played badly We played good football in 1st half but lacked a bit of cutting edge Sammy was a disgrace today back to his bad old self Our lack of physical presence up front means we dont have plan B We need big target man to combat when teams sit in against us But cant agree we never played well thought we dominated for more than 70% of game and missed 2 of easiest chances available Loovens our best defender Ref a scumbag should have sent off Black for deliberate hand ball Penalty a disgraceful decision but press will not report it
So Dougal, Clark or the liar to be the first to tell us the penalty decision was quite correct?
For the love of ghod gonny stop bleatin about the refs. Team crap @ Ipox got what they deserved – blame the ref. Kille cup final team crap, got what they deserved , cue blame the ref. Today team absolute crap, cue blame the ref. Never subscribed to the Neil lennon cannae win a big game, but now its just to much of a co-incidence. Someone tell me why Izzy was not left back and charlie in the middle in place of the big liability Wilson? – Why Ki in midfield in front of Wanyama who provides excellent cover the dodgy defence.? Neil WTF?
Philbhoy – It’s just the beginning! on 15 April, 2012 at 15:48 said:
Forget the mibs!!!!
totally agree…..we really were shite
We are very much a work in progress and I am afraid we just need to soak this up. The management and the players should have learned from the League cup defeat, We need to start at a high tempo and score an early goal.We did neither today.
Labored possesional play led to precious few chances.The few clear cut chances were squandered.Ki in particular should be ashamed of his efforts.
Once we are under pressure,the back four inspire no confidence. Kelvin Wilson is Josh thompsons big brother.
Dreadful penalty decision, but the game should have been out of sight long before the 90th minute
Philbhoy
Agree 100%
the poor refereeing hides our own inadequacies.
If Mcleod had any more brains he would be a half wit.
As for the football, I think it should be clear to us all that Wilson is not the answer. Simply not imposing enough and good for at least one howler every game.
Similarly Ki – despite his obvious talent, if we get a decent offer in the summer we should sell. Two appalling misses today, and did not impose himself on a workmanlike Hertz midfield.
Our attitude also seems to waver these days. Apart from last week, we start matches like mice – Huns, LCSF, and today.
Why?
We play into the hands of weaker teams who know if they can prevent us scoring in the first half they have a chance.
Neil has worked wonders this year and thoroughly deserves the title and all the plaudits he gets from us. But our converstion rate in big games is worrying, and will need to improve if we are to stop suffering muggings like today.
Marvin – bang on.
Last min of the League Cup Final – stonewaller to Celtic, not given.
Last min of the SFA Cup semi final – never a pen to Hearts, given.
What’s the difference? And yet some Celtic fans STILL say forget the ref, the ref doesn’t matter??
I detest this stinking hole of a country. For once can Celtic stand up for every one of us and let these despicable people know exactly how we feel. To say nothing would be to apologise for merely existing. How many times?
No matter the flaws in our performance, the result was determined by a shocking refereeing decision.
The same was true of the LC Final.
Feedthebear
……and Neilly in the referees face at the end is an attempt to hide his!
And as a football manager, he has a few.
Would we have been claiming for that Penalty at the other end of the pitch?
Poor decision in my view but that aside I though the officials had a reasonable game. We lost the game because we played well below what we are capable off. The responsibility for that lies with Neil not Euan Norris.
To ceaser1967 and others – we were poor and have been and Neil needs to do better. There is no doubt about that. But given that doesnt mean you cant complain about absolutetly disgraceful decisions such as that today. Its a massive leap for the referee to come to the conclusion thats a penalty – but he did it because he hates us.
So please dont say if its one thing or another
I wish Hibs every bit of luck against that lot.
Hibs haven’t won it for a lonng lonng time so would like to see them do it.
Celtic and Lenny should do what the hun do , and refuse to attend any diciplinary meetings.
Show them up for the corrupt cheats and fraudsters that they are.
To all thems saying we are deficient, when we play by the same rules as them, then I will comment on the team and coaches, not untill then.
ghents
imo a poor performance ..not enough made of our possession
Hearts ended the game with a defender and a collection of midfielders in midfield we should have overran them ..we didn`t
we let the MIB influence the game ..again as was against Huns,Killie cup final and today …today was the most outrageous inconsistency..Norris …the man who loves giving the huns pens ..5 in 3 games…..Lenny will get in big trouble for losing it after the final whistle …i understand his ire ..but he is playing into their hands losing his temper in this fashion
re defence …Wilson ..no more please …just not good enough..given the options why was he picked..
we haev plenty of LB cover …Mulgrew/Ledley
why no RB cover on the bench when we knew that Lustig wasn`t match fit ….
deeply unhappy with this game on so many fronts
It is a racing certainty that one day during this week one of the LL will print an article from a former referree that will back up every decision made by the ref today.
Im going for Tuesday, Kenny Clark and the Sun.
Be interesting to see if Dermot Gallacher in his Monday slot on Sky brings up the decisions!
Worst decision I’ve seen since Collum gave the “eyes in the back of the head” penalty last season.
celtic weren’t great but I think a draw was a fair result until bias took over.
I fully back Lenny in his reaction, i’m surprised he was so restrained, I’d have been livid.
we did not play with any high tempo until vic and dylan came on but we deserved to go to extra time and have the chance to win the game. The pen decision is just another honest mistake my ar** going against us which is always hard to take but the title this year was our most important prize as it gives us the opportunity for the champiosn league and for me the only show in town. norrris dallas collum mccurry syme rowbothom dougal freeland tait clark thompson and the rest of the cheats have to live with it all there lives and one day one of them will break ranks and spill the beans.
First off what a cheating referee disision the penalty.But we had at least three outstanding chances to score and did not take them.It was like a rerun of the cup final.We will only get better while the huns are on the big slide.Looking forward to next season.Hail Hail
I can’t blame Lenny for losing it at the end, but shouldn’t Thommo or (better still!) Mjallby be the one confronting the ref?
They need to start shielding Neil a bit…
Loads of apologists, grateful that their masters allow them to sit at the back of the bus, on here today. Your compliance and grovelling sickens me.
one victory in five appearances at hampden …worrying
My obsevations…
If a manager plays two bomb scares at centre back then he gets what he deserves.
Time to ship out the gutless Koreans.
For heavens sake play Paddy McCourt. In a game where we dominated possession we nevertheless lacked any creativity or cutting edge. Paddy would have done more in 5 mins than the out of form Joe Ledley did all game.
Well done Dylan McG……you added some quality to the side.
Cheated and shamefully treated.
It’s just instinct with those referees – All the other teams we face = good,Celtic = evil.
Even when we do get the odd decision,they mull over it for what seems like an eternity.When we are deemed to have committed a foul – bang,quick as a flash – red card,booking,penalty.
I hope that we can move Kris Commons on in the summer.
A lot of people here need tae look a bit closer to home for answers as to why we got beat today… How many times have we seen that (Celtic) performance in the last 2 years. The problem with shouting about the referees (admittedly gash) performance is that filters through to players and management to the point where an utterly inept Celtic performance is overlooked. We were poor the day, very poor.. And not for the first time under NL in a ‘big’ game… Some folk need to wake up.
We seem to be forgetting that we have the power to change Scottish football as the fans who pay good money, We don’t go no money gets generated simples!!!
….PFayr on 15 April, 2012 at 15:58 said:
one victory in five appearances at hampden …worrying
Where are you getting your stats from?
Paul 67 – the Daily Record could not have written a “better” summary of the game today. Time to grow a pair!!!!!
Blatant cheating cost us the game today – nothing else. Those on here who beg to differ, enjoy your soup.
teabhoy on 15 April, 2012 at 15:51 said:
I agree – I really do, however before every game the mantra should be that we need to be good enough to beat the opposition and the referees.
Thats been the mantra since Stein.
We have a valid argument – a genuine complaint about some of the most obvious forms of cheating in any professional sport; however I dont think we should allow that, to side track us from another poor performance at Hampden – 3 weeks after we should have learned the valuable lesson which would not have allowed todays performance to have happened.
Perhaps you are right, perhaps today and tomorrow is the day for taking issue with impartiality and the summer is the time to focus on what has become quite an alarming run of results caused by tactics, selections and mentality in big games.
Why is it that every time we lose a game,all these new names appear on the blog?