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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bournesouprecipe on 16 April, 2012 at 11:08 said:
easily our best player in first half, got caught once in second half when he seemed to get injured
reality is no one has a real claim to be out motm, much mediocrity with a couple of players having shockers
Kayal33
Maybe Mackay-Stevens father in law would have something to say about that, He ran the Rangers supportes bus from Brora for years. Nah he wouldnt he’s a decent man. Think Gary & Scott are Tims anyway.
Ten Men Won The League 10.11
Cant agree with all your comments – But I do agree about Neil Lennon
His actions and challenging of referee’s is not good for Him or for Celtic
I liked Alan Thompsons interview
67 ECW
Paul67 is it not time fur a new article….. I’m bliddy starving…..
I had a chicken burger at Hampden yesterday, what a bloody waste of time and money that was :>)
fat Bhoy Tim
V
medtim
That I don’t know but I would also be surprised if it wasn’t passed by SPL Board but then again there is nothing in any rules that say all board members have to be present to agree to what resolutions are proposed.
Mort
RE Ki
If we were further down the road then I’d hold on to Ki – he’d be great in Europe potentially.
Right now we are at the point where we need to consoldate domestically over the next 2 years. Ki is not cut out for SPL murderball.
Cash him in now – along with those mentioned by greenjedi above. For me Brown should go too – he’s not the leader bwe need he failed again yesterday as he has done too often in the past. We need a capatain who leads in difficult times.
Scottish Football should admit publicly that it is playing to a handicap system – a wee bit like golf . It should let the rest of the world know about it.
Cultsbhoy
I knew I forgot somebody!!!!
Brown!!!
other than Hun game -we should be fielding guys on the fringes..to give them their chance in a relatively safe environment? It also undermines the league to a degree.
Kayal33
I agree with this bit “reality is no one has a real claim to be out motm”
In which case IMHO it certainly wasn’t Lustig over the piece.
He doesn’t look fit to me, and that’s before I decide on his capability, because he’s generally not been on the pitch long enough since he signed in January.
JuryStillOut CSC
neillybhoy on 16 April, 2012 at 10:55 said:
Folks looking for a bit of Advice from the ex-pat tims in Canada.
Neilly, quite a few CSC’s in the Toronto area. Any of them will be MUCH better than watching at home. Pick one from this site. Good luck on the move.
http://www.nafcsc.com
According to Wiki, 41 is the number of times Paul McCartney sings the phrase ‘Let It Be’ in the famous Beatles hit, of the same name.
Pop Music CSC
Cheers Weeron, had it all planned that my first week i’d be down the club to celebrate a cup final and meet the locals….
Missus thinks our weekends will now be football free i’ve just got 10 celtic clubs to go drinking in to see which one i like best…happy days.
Lustig looked pretty good until he was injured. Must have been accidental – Hearts aren’t a dirty team after all.
Kayal33 on 16 April, 2012 at 11:08 said:
That’s the sort of team I was thinking but didn’t drop Broonie because I don’t think it will ever happen.
I’m not Scott Brown’s biggest fan but he was carrying an injury yesterday. The fault lies with NL for gambling with a player not 100%
CultsBhoy loves being 1st on 16 April, 2012 at 11:15 said:
I’d be very sad to see Ki go.
The amount of times that Lenny has had to bring him on just to get us passing properly makes me think we should keep him.
I’d rather keep Ki and offload all the deadwood. McGinn, Murphy, ODea, Thompson, Rassmussen, Juarez, Loovens, if anyone will take them. Surely we could get a few bob for Loovens and Juarez.
To single out Ki in a midfield where all of the four played poorly seems very unfair to me…
Kris Commons hardly kicked a ball, Brown was anonymous and Joe Ledley had one of his poorer games…
SP
My squad for next season for a 4-5(3)-1(3) formation if that makes sense
Keepers
Forster
Zaluska
RB – Mathews & Lustig
LB – Izzy & Mulgrew
CB – Rogne, Mulgrew, Wilson & Fojut
WL – Samaras & Commons
WR – Forrest & Commons
LM – Ledley & Ibrahim
CM – Wanyama & New signing
RM – Kayal & McGeough
CF – New signing, Stokes, Samaras
And all the youngsters getting a better chance as well
No point dwelling on yesterday any more. There are 5 games to go to the end of the season, and we should use them to look forward especially as we have ECL qualifiers in July. Those are the next big games. Once El Glasico is over I’d go as far as to send some of the senior players away on early holiday and focus on giving the dev squad guaranteed playing time.
Ciao—–
Warm and sunny -way down south .
Needed to do stuff indoors this morning – watched the game again .
Poor . Pedestrian . Lots of possession but no creative punch . Profligate . 3 sitters missed. Very poor defensively. I really don’t understand the playing square pegs in round holes thing . Kevin Wilson -Never ! Why play a half fit Brown ?.
The Officiating was dreadful . Not fit for purpose . Inconsistent and open to accusations of partiality. Scottish football has no future if the likes of the thuggish Black are allowed to do their anti football thing without being appropriately sanctioned..
Scared to switch on the tele —— wall to wall coverage of a man dying on a football pitch. Up close and in slow motion . Vile !
Mort,thanks again.
Paul67,I hope you are okm with me quoting some stuff from your good self on this.If you could provide some further clarity on it I would be much obliged.
In paul67’s article on this (the one commencing “Gerrymandering”) he says “Resolutions to be voted on at the 30th April meeting are proposals from the SPL Executive Neil Doncaster”
Paul goes on to mention he would have expected Doncaster to have included Regan and Taylor in his proposals….no mention of SPL Board!!
If the above is correct I,like yourself,would be quite surprised to say the least IF Mr Doncaster chose to share his thoughts with people outwith the SPL hierarchy while excluding SPL Board members.
I may be reading this wrong but,in my experience,it would be most unusual in any business for the executive to bypass the board….if indeed that has happened.
You can’t get any money for Loovens – his contract is up (thankfully)
I wont be going to Ireland at the end of April or coming over to scrawny Scotland in May :-((((((((((((((((((
Loads of problems but a colleague landing in hospital at the weekend has put an end to that idea.
Trying to make it over in July instead.
Hail Hail
KI ——–
Ki is a player.
He is not suited to the blood thunder and snotters version of football that is played in Dreichland.
Morning CQNer’s
Would just like to say that I’m sick at, yet another defeat in a ‘big’ game.
Thats 3 in about a month – Killie LCF, huns at ibrokes when it ‘should’ have been a ‘big’ game for us and, yesterday were, I have to say Neil picked the wrong team! IMO!
I know about referee cheating etc but, thats part of our DNA. Some of our greatest victorie’s have come in adversity.
Now, I think that Neil would be a better manager/person if, there was someone in the positions of power who would/should, haul Neil’s erse upstairs and point out to him…”hey, your not making the best of your resources!”
Bad team selections
Falling into the same – referee ‘mouse-trap’ ALL THE TIME!
Not demanding that, money is made available for quality players rather than, bringing in, frees/bosmans etc.
And, get dressed like a CELTIC manager, not someone who’s just fallen out the back door of Bairds Bar!
P.S. My apologie’s to Bairds Bar:o)))
Hail Hail
Dallas himself wheeled out to slate lenny today? STV going for it
Hugh Dallas has come out to say that photographs of Neil Lennon running on the pitch yesterday would be shown round the world and “that is not good”
Like the Head of Referees in Scotland being sacked for gross misconduct and being exposed as bigot being shown round the world was ok.
As if we didn’t already know, 90% of Scotland is anti Catholic, anti Irish and anti-Celtic. It will never change so the question is a simple one. Do we stay and continue as is or do we make a break from the cess pit once and for all? I know which way I’d go but a very in depth feasiblility study is required to find the best place for us because Scotland, it ain’t !!!!!!!!!!!
Hail Hail the Champions
KINGLuBO
ps Bring back Marc Crosas
docdocthedoc on 16 April, 2012 at 11:55 said:
Dallas himself wheeled out to slate lenny today? STV going for it
protecting his protege, at least it makes a change from Clark or Dougal
The Shabby Chapeau is fair brimming with joy at the happy returns sent from DBBIA earlier.
I’m gonna need a bigger present…
Re the Petrov banner. Make of this what you will.
http://www.hmfckickback.co.uk/index.php?/topic/109897-joe-ledley-tweetpetrov-banner/
Celtic were not good enough yesterday again at Hampden. We can moan about the referee (quite right to do so) but we should have been two up at half time and out of sight. Plenty of work to be done and plenty dross to be cleared out before our Champions League assault next season.
Good luck to Hibernian in the final. Mrs LB is Hibs daft!
LB
Nothing much changes in the way of strange referee decisions. I was at that cup semi final against Hearts in 88 and I looked at my old man when McPherson assaulted Bonner and was astonished with the decision to allow the goal.
I think we’ve got a number of posters feeling we should still beat the likes of Hearts and Kilmarnock even with the bad decisions like we did back in 88.
We also have a number of posters feeling if we got a unbiased referee then we might just win.
I understand both sides of the argument. We didn’t take our chance when we should in both Hampden games and that is not good enough however are we saying we have to accept that the referee is allowed to cheat and that is just the way it has always been and always will be.
I’m of the opinion that Neil escalated referees vs Celtic with the Dougate/Dallas thing last year and those referees in Dallas little club are out for revenge everytime they referee a Celtic match.
We might be slightly disappointed Celtic fans tonight but we are the Champions and have alot to look forward to next season.
Hail Hail
Who in there right mind asked Hugh Dallas a disgraced sectarian cheat to comment on Neil Lennon, not on the game or the bad decisions but on the person. It is quite obvious he also thought it wasn’t a penalty but they never published his opion on that matter.
There is a big difference between Spurs getting beat 5 -1 with one dodgy goal and Celtic being beaten 2-1 by the dodgy penalty decider. Shocking journalism yet again.
There’s a lonely rock missing you somewhere Slug why don’t you go home…
Shame on Scotland’s press for giving this bigot a voice to speak and why do they always trot out these clowns who are no longer involved in the game.
They want to ask someone ask Fleming he’s in charge of these idiots.
SP
medtim at 11:47
It might be unusual but in terms of how a company operates, I don’t think there would be anything technically wrong with a CEO (provided he was also on the Board of Directors as most are) drafting resolutions to be voted on by shareholders of the company.
Shareholders can also draft resolutions to get them voted provided they have backing of 5% (I think) of the shareholders. Ultimately its up to the shareholders to approve or reject the resolutions.
Mort
Still gutted about yesterday, was really looking forward to 19th with the Scottish cup and Champions league finals on the same day.
Anyway if any CQNers are coming to Norwich be great to say hi to you.
Theres loads of pubs here,but theyre not cheap, although theres a few Weatherspoons.The Norwich CSC will be in the Temple bar for a wee afternoon sing-song, which is beside the Catholic cathedral not the main Anglican cathedral though this is worth a visit for any culture vultures as is Norwich castle(go there at 12 o’clock as its only a quid for an hour).The Norwich fans are quite family oriented you rarely if ever hear of any trouble.
Looking forward to seeing any of you on the 22nd May
Hail Hail
Alanpartridge CSC
South of Tunis -after the Muamba illness Mancini implied that medical services for footballers in Italy were superior to those in England- the weekend’s sad events show that it’s impossible to screen with 100% accuracy.
Anyways- on a happier note- I’m sure you will have it on vinyl but ‘Satan is Real’ by the ole Louvin Brothers is just brilliant; hillbilly heaven.