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:
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Kev Jungle
Look at MON, Robbo and Steve.
How big a bunch of scruffy slobs did they look like?
obonfanti1888 on 16 April, 2012 at 12:27 said:
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Wrong!!!
We are a SMART Football club! IMO!
Hail Hail
kev jungle
absolute bullshit – sorry but true
i suppose you think that fred goodwin was always very smartly dressed
get a real life
Thought it would have been his good mate Dougall myself rather than Gallus himself…..but hey ho. Tis all rather amusing.
Keep digging Shugg. It’s a joy to behold, ya plank.
Good to see how seriously the SFA takes it relationships with its member Clubs, and understands the importantance of maintaining good working relationships.
Unbelievable our taxes AND ticket money pays the wages of these clowns.
TEAM FOR SUNDAY (And 4 matches after that):
N/A (Take your 5 remaining games and your 15 points and your 0-3 results and shove them- we’re resigning)
any info on the new strips yet?
HH
greenjedi on 16 April, 2012 at 12:29 said:
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MON shaved and, looked the part!
IMO, if you look the part then, you’ll feel the part and, act the part:o)))
Hail Hail
Oi Hugh….Give me my coin back.
KevJungle
Tony Mowbray always looked smart in his suit and brogues. Gave him something to stare at as we were getting pumped by St Mirren.
spikeysauldman on 16 April, 2012 at 12:29 said:
/////////////////
When I think of Celtic managers….I think of my leader.
I think of, MON, WIM, TB, BJS and I see CLASS!
Only saying.
If you don’t like it….scroll-on past!
Simples :o)))
Kayal33 on 16 April, 2012 at 12:34 said:
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Tony Mowbray is a, football manager not a Celtic manager.
There is a difference you know.
Hail Hail
KevJungle – “1st Flag on the JUNGLE roof for, Lennons Lions” on 16 April, 2012 at 12:31
IMO, if you look the part then, you’ll feel the part and, act the part:o)))
You really are extracting the urine….did Craig Why(i)te look the part?
I work with many people who dress smartly for work…..but they are brain dead. A persons choice of attire does not define how good they are at their job.
Platini looked a complete mess on the park but boy could be play.
So Dallas thinks that Neil should be more like Harry Redknapp when it comes to referees?
I’ve never been one for criticising referees – it’s never been my game – but it was a blatant penalty. If you get the penalty, it could make a big difference.”
Harry Redknapp On Howard Webb’s decision to turn down penalty appeal against Sunderland in Nov 2010
“The whole thing was a farce. It was handball. Nani put his hand on it and dragged it down. Mark Clattenburg is a top referee but he has had a nightmare with that.”
Harry Redknapp On Mark Clattenburg’s call to allow Nani’s controversial goal in 2-0 defeat to stand in Oct 2010
“He’s got a hand on the ball – it was a terrible decision. It was a gift that United didn’t deserve and it put them back in the game. Without that bit of help from the ref, I don’t think United would have come back.”
Harry Redknapp On Howard Webb again, for giving Manchester United a controversial penalty at Old Trafford in April 2009
“It’s a nailed-on penalty. If he felt Robbie dived, why didn’t he give him a yellow or a red card? The penalty decision and Ledley King going off injured, they were the turning points.”
Poor Howard Webb feels Redknapp’s fury again for failing to give a penalty for a foul on Robbie Keane against Chelsea in Sept 2009
“I just question the referee’s overall performance which I thought was inept. Every game I see this season has seven or eight bookings. I think it’s frightening.”
On Andy D’Urso’s performance at Wolves in Feb 2008
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“I never walk in after games and complain about a referee but this guy is scary. He’s a poor referee and I’ve seen him make a mess of so many games. He’s really not good enough.”
On Steve Tanner’s display in a 2-0 defeat at West Brom in Dec 2008
kevin
When I see Neil Lennon, I see Celtic Class.
As a manager, I would wish for none other than him as manager of Celtic. The man epitomises what it is to be Celtic.
Mort
sorry should have edited that 1st
Norwich —-
There was a real good record store in Norwich —– Andy’s Records .
It sold vinyl ——-it isn’t there any more -it closed down.
Very sad .
KevJungle
So should Lenny decide he’s had enough and walks you’re ruling out Paul Lambert as a replacement based on his lack of sartorial elegance? ;-)
So now Neil disnae dress right is there no end to this stupidity…
they rolled out dougie dougie after the last final to tell the world it wasnt a penalty, who is really surprised that dullass has been rolled out this time.
last time a proven liar what did you expect this time eh ffs
new article posted.
@ChrisBarrie75 @OfficialNeil Or pack our bags and get out of this league that is run by crooked #SFA officials. #CelticFamily
Retweeted by Neil Lennon
The fact that Lenny retweeted this yesterday is very interesting I think,obviously Lenny feels the same way about the situation as most of us on CQN
Mort on 16 April, 2012 at 12:38 said:
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I was wondering how long it would take you to join the queue ?
Celtic class managers don’t feck about with team selections on big games then, run onto the park after the MIB to create a decoy from his own fallings!
Hail Hail
fallings = failings
TBB
I can find no provision in SFA Club Licensing specifically covering an application by a club with no financial footballing history being granted a licence.
The rules I have read appear to apply to clubs who already exist and have at least 3 years financial history to present as part of the licensing process.
If no provision exists then amendment is required to enable a license to be granted.
Given that club licensing and UEFA licensing work in parallel in terms of the principles applied would UEFA not have to sanction any change the SFA make?
Would earlier discussions be on the basis that the footballing public would just go along with it eventually, so Doncaster got the nod, but the public outcry since SPL plans announced and wider public interest is going to force acceptance that the jigs up.
The conflict of interest between Spl commercial interests and SFA’s supposed sporting integrity role makes it imperative the SFA and by extension UEFA carry out their role or the gemmes a bogey everywhere.
There is no Old Firm.
I’m led to believe that this will be an interesting week at Hampdem, with Neil being summoned followed by the continuanceof the Rangers Case and of course the SPL vote.
If Hugh Dallas thought (mistakingly) that the whole world was watching yesterday they will next week! Scottish football has reached it’s crossroads, make the wrong decision and many of us will be lost to the game forever….I have no intention of being tarnished by the name of the SFA/SPL. How Celtic extradite themselves from this I don’t know, however we need to.
I’ll not make any comments on yesterday’s game other than we have no divine right to win games however the right to expect good officialdom. I will not return to Hampden till they have neutral (UEFA selected) officials for the main fixtures. I long ago stopped going to away matches!
Hail Hail
Kev Jungle
Style over substance is I believe is what your wanting!
Knightmare – liquidation looms for Rangers if £500k fee isn’t found
By jim Traynor on Apr 16, 12 07:20 AM in
PAUL Murray is, of course, correct. The appeal of Rangers is diminishing by the day and pretty soon it will be too late to save this club from oblivion. 48 hours and the clock is ticking.
With every passing minute Rangers’ value, both to those who want to own them and the game in general, decreases at an alarming rate.
The longer the Ibrox club remain in administration the less appealing they become. Their debt continues to rise and rise and rise and at the same time their prospects of a healthy future fall.
In fact, with every new hour liquidation looms larger. A newco with all the points and financial penalties that it would attract becomes more of a reality.
Murray, who leads the Blue Knights group, has been moved to warn the administrators that further delays are endangering Rangers’ survival but perhaps this grave message should also be passed on to the two other less serious bidders, Singaporean Bill Ng and Chicago-based Bill Miller.
Although the administrators haven’t named them, it has become clear that before pressing home their bids these two groups want clarification from the SPL about the insolvency sanctions league chiefs hope to have ratified when the clubs meet two weeks today. It is likely to fall on deaf ears.
Rangers are far more close to liquidation as they are to an exit via Creditors Voluntary Arrangement. A CVA is looking highly unlikely and if I may stick my neck out it is impossible. The more the process is stretched out the shorter become the odds on Rangers being shut down.
The supporters can point their fingers at the administrators and blame them for the delays but even though it is the case that the longer Rangers are mired in administration the more money Duff and Phelps rake in, it’s hardly their fault if at least two of the bidders insist on changing or qualifying their offers. Rangers fans should be in no doubt every minute is critical to their clubs survival and history.
It’s also true that Rangers would have been exiting administration long before now if just one of the bids was high enough on credibility to convince creditors, particularly the Inland Revenue, to sign up to a pence-in-the-pound deal.
But the reality is this. Not one of the bids is especially tempting and unless HMRC – and they are the ones who hold the key to the CVA door Rangers want to squeeze through – can be persuaded to play ball, liquidation is inevitable
But it is believed that so far the best bid, which is around the £14million mark, is offering the tax authorities no better value than liquidation. And you also have to take into consideration the tax man’s reluctance to cut deals.
He does do deals, of course, but it depends how powerful and influential you and your friends are in the world and how much a criminal you are regarded.
Basically, if you are a small business trying to survive in this recession and you owe say, £50,000, forget it. You’ll be shut down pronto.
If you are a few grand short on your annual tax bill they’ll take your home and sell it.
But if you are a multi-national and owe the nation’s coffers £700m, your legal and financial people will be able to come to some kind of deal with the tax people over tea and biscuits.
That’s just the way it is but even though the King of Scotland, Alex Salmond, had a quiet word with HMRC about Rangers being one of the country’s old institutions and all that, someone will still have to offer a little bit more before this club can stagger out of trouble via a CVA.
And, of course, before that can happen Murray, Ng or Miller will have to be granted preferred bidder status and although joint administrator Paul Clark told the Sunday papers that Duff and Phelps believed they were “nearly there last week”, the process was slowed again.
Clark also pointed out that all of the bidders attached conditions to their offers.
More significant perhaps, although it was delivered as an aside, was the line that one of the bidders had raised an issue over payment of the exclusivity fee, which is standard practice.
Clark refused point blank to reveal the identity of the bidder but it’s my understanding that Murray had the opportunity to put forward a non-refundable deposit which would have led to the Blue Knights becoming preferred bidders and therefore favourites to get the club.
They’d certainly have been in pole position to take over and start the process of rehabilitating Rangers.
But it didn’t happen even though Murray’s group includes motor tycoon Douglas Park, London-based fund manager John Bennett and property expert Scott Murdoch. They do not have the money or are not prepared to risk it.
A posse of others are also willing to buy into the Blue Knights’ rescue package with Ticketus.
The finance firm, who entered into that now infamous deal which was the start of Craig Whyte’s downfall, are still a main player.
Fearful of losing all of their money, Ticketus are apparently willing to accept only £10m of the £27m they claim they are now due from Rangers because of Whyte’s folly.
Also, they’d be willing to let Rangers pay back the £10m on an interest-free basis over nine years.
Murray, of course, has stressed all along that Rangers must not go into liquidation and his agreement with Ticketus, although bizarrely yet to be signed and sealed, would ease the club’s burden of creditors even though some legal experts continue to insist the London firm’s season-ticket deal would be dismissed by a Scottish court.
However, Murray is anxious to avoid any lengthy and costly action and is now genuinely concerned that each day without positive movement is slowly killing Rangers. Yet, his group could have been well on their way to becoming preferred bidders if they’d put up the exclusivity fee, which I believe is around £500,000.
He will have his reasons but one might be that it’s a lot of money to put up and then find at the end of the exclusivity period a deal can’t be done. Then again, Ticketus might have influenced the decision themselves not to pay the fee.
It’s a lot of money to gamble on a club in as much trouble as this one but it is a risk someone will have to take, although I strongly suspect the administrators would accept a smaller payment, maybe even £250,000 who cares how much just find it and pay it.
If Murray and his rivals really do want to rescue Rangers through a CVA then perhaps a different view is required. Maybe they have to ask if a quarter-of-a-million, even half-a-mill, is actually a small price to pay and even if they can afford it.
Surely it would be if it made the difference between CVA and liquidation and stop the counter theories that Paul Murray is just wanting publicity.
Haven’t logged in for 3 or 4 days, tend to leave the days prior to and post match CQN free.
The post is frankly too long but I need this off my chest.
Haven’t read any posts other than those on this particular page so although I can imagine what they are like here are my thoughts un-influenced by by others.
We…
1. Continue to hamper ourselves tinkering too much with personnel and player positions.
2. Continue to hamper ourselves with players selected who MIGHT come good on the day.
3. Continue to hamper ourselves by having a midfield lacking cohesion. Strange since this really is the area of the team with the most quality.
4. Continue to hamper ourselves by being uncertain and inhibited in the final third.
5. Continue to hamper ourselves by failing to construct a formidable centre-back pairing. (Though injury has hindered this).
I cast no particular aspersions in anyone’s direction about these but merely describe the difference between a reasonably good Chmpionship winning outfit and a very fine Treble winning one.
The penalty was outrageous (anyone at the 1970 Final against Aberdeen must have been reminded of RH Davidson sticking one onto Bobby Murdoch in a similar way & RHD WAS a scumbag cheat). HOWEVER I’ve seen them given and not only against Celtic. It was rank bad referring. In fact I’m not sure he saw the ball strike JL. If you watch him he takes a crouched position in an attempt to see the route of the ball. This might explain why he awarded the pen against VW – though that is even worse!
Anyone seeing the Chelsea Spurs game saw possibly the worst ‘goal’ decision ever. The ref was 10 feet away – how is it possible he saw that as over the line?
Because a contentious decision is against us it does not AUTOMATICALLY follow that it is a ‘cheat’. I am as raw as anyone about how we have been treated by match officials over the years but this one is as nothing compared to what we’ve so often been subjected to on other occassions. To lash out in disappointment is understandable, to claim bias everytime something goes against us is IMO counter-productive.
As for Neil, a man I have grown to respect and admire (I was not usually a fan of his as a player nor greatly enthused by his appointment as manager) he really needs to consider his manner going forward.
Am I too harsh in saying he needs to be more dignified as manager of Celtic? He is within his rights to infer when officials have been poor (or worse) but does his style add value to our grievence or deflect from the worth of our position. I believe the latter.
It is time for Neil to sit down with the managers of the club and sort this out primarily because Neil is taking the weight of ALL the issues at the Club on himself. Celtic has an extensive Executive Management and part of the club burden is their responsibility. Neil has enough on his plate without him being the one standing the ‘fair-play’ corner.
In future ALL refereee statements should be made by the club and Neil & coaching staff should refuse to answer ANY questions relating to referreeing decisions or answer only in a banal fashion.
This does not mean we surrender the fight against potential cheating but rather use our powerful Executive arm to fight the good fight and let Neil get on with the main job at hand, building a powerful Celtic pool forthe good timesahead in the next 5 years.
The Club v SFA seems a more even match than Neil v SFA.