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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I am no fan of Hibs, but I really hope they win the cup.
Hearts are a horrible mob, and judging by many of the flags and banners in their support they are perfectly placed to on RFC’s rancid mantle when the Huns finally bite the dust.
ulysses
Spot on. Respectful players, no matter the occasion, no matter the circumstance, would have remembered their three league medals and their three cup medals and not pandered to the support which dislike him due to the team he used to play for. Nae class the boy.
Robert Tressell,
Totally agree. We have a young team and a young manager.
We need a couple of potent strikers and a settled defence.
The League Championship will do for me.
Lubo.
Auld Neil Lennon heid on 15 April, 2012 at 16:43 said:
Reading comments I think the importance of scoring chances when they occur is seriously underestimated by some commentators assessing performances.
Goals do not only win games they improve performances. Players become more relaxed, passes more crisp as the fear of getting things wrong is lessened by being in front.
======================================
What is it with you people and your reasoned opinions based on experience of being involved in the game and watching it over many years?
It’s all someones fault. Fact. Personally I blame Willow Flood.
Exiled Tim, great post as per usual.
TJ
Mickeybhoy@ 16.13
I left Kilmarnock last week on the final whistle and did not get involved in the celebrations I am glad I did now because as far as I am concerned this years league title ,without the other two trophies ,is now worthless and I am afraid Mr Lennon is to blame and no one else
I know what you mean. I am gutted we won the league by a mile. Don’t think I can take the disappointment…
Key objective this year. Win the league. Job done.
That said I think the team let themselves down both in both cups.
Today we were cheated by MIB but also our players. I maintain my view re Ki … Might be a technically gifted player but no
Use in blood and snoter Scottish football. Brown not a leader. Kelvin Wilson hopeless and should be hoop less after summer.
I don’t know what options were own to Lenny today but I do question his team Selection at points.
Commons , Mulgrew, Loovens, Sammi, Dylan mcGeoch, take a bow…
Ledley Hooper sold themselves short today.
I have confidence that Lenny will demand better from players next year, that he will sling a few and hopefully press Lawwell for freedom
To sign a centre back and a midfield leader. Mulgrew should be captain next season IMO.
The big prize is in the bag but the team leave themselves open to accusations of bottling it..
Anthony Stokes @stoksey10 Reply Retweet Favorite · Open
Some ridiculous decisions today, it’s getting beyond a joke at this stage. And that’s not making excuses just saying it as it is
Make no mistake, we are witnessing revenge on Celtic FC and specifically our manager Neil Lennon for the events of October 2010.
Remember, Kenny Clark did say on national radio at the time that Neil Lennon was the reason for the referee’s strike. They still harbour a bitter resentment.
Whilst we were not great today we did not deserve to lose- and certainly not in the fashion that we did.
Last minute v Killie in LCF, last minute v Hearts in December, last minute today (x2). Big decisions- all went against us.
mickbhoy1888 on 15 April, 2012 at 16:36 said:
Crowd of 36,0000 odds at Hampden today about of which maybe 12,000 were Hearts supporters.
Where did our 20’000 other season ticket holders disappear too
I bet if we were fortunate enough to have negotiated our way to the final we would have the usual suspects on shouting about how we should have the lions share of the tickets
Poor showing from the stay at home supporters today
I will not give 1 penny to the SFA, not 1 pence….ever.
If you want to fund a corrupt organisation thats up to you.
Not something i would bump my gums about but each to there own.
Some would say poor show funding the organisation that has continually screwed our club.
Went out of their way twice to delay the signing of Cadete…
Appoint ex-hun after ex-hun to the highest posts….
Tried to assist the huns in 2008 by offering to move their own showpiece game to the midweek…
After the hun shame game the only guilty party in their eyes, Neil Lennon….
George Peat..just George Peat…
Campbell Ogilvy….
Gordon Smith…
Not a penny ever from me…
I prefer sitting at the front of the bus
Bryce Curdy on 15 April, 2012 at 16:45 said:
Stokesy tweets – ridiculous decisions, beyond a joke
————–
Oglach tweets – Anto your attempt at goal was ridiculous mo chara, my cat would have scored :-)
Having said yesterday that I think it’s good that our former players try their best against us, for reasons of sporting integrity, I agree with Richie and Uly that Craig Beattie’s antics were ridiculous.
He carried on like a piece of individual genius had won the World Cup for his team, instead of toe-ending down the middle a penalty-kick that a Hearts supporter awarded to Hearts in stoppage time in a Scottish Cup semi-final. I understand that he’s happy to be back in the game having lost his way in English football, but still. Perpective, Craig.
Glad that Stokes has tweeted that. Too often Neil has to state the obvious alone. It makes him even more of a target.
I really hope the club make an official statement. There is no way Man Utd, Barca, Real, etc would put up with these decisions in their leagues.
So why should we?
From previous thread
Something told me it would come down to penalty decisions today.
Been working out some ref stats over the weekend.
The SFA selected Collum and Norris for the semi-finals – so presumably not under-performing refs but their top guys.
Aggregating Collum’s penalty awards in SPL, Scottish Cup and League Cup games, he awards Celtic exactly his average of penalties, and awards our opponents the same: 3 pens for and 3 against in 20 games.
In his 22 Rangers games, he has awarded 12 penalties to Rangers (3.76 times his average) and 1 against (0.31 of average).
In combination, he is likely to make a pro-Rangers penalty award 3.75 times more frequently than a pro-Celtic one.
Norris has similar stats: 7 Celtic games, 3 pens for, 3 pens against (2.37 times average in both cases).
In 6 Rangers games he has awarded 5 penalties to Rangers (4.6 times average) and none against (0.0 of average).
Norris’s pro-Rangers penalty award factor works out at 2.7.
NWF
Ach well! Confused again………If it isnae players who are lacking,The establishment referees,Coaching staff or the Board that is the problem………………….Is it me?
Few more weeks until the big finale. Remember -We dont do sneakin away.
Teuchter
I blame the physio for today’s defeat.
Well, everyone else from the manager to the players, the fans and the board have been criticised today, so why leave him out?
This really does become a nasty place when we lose a game, whatever the circumstances.
notthebus on 15 April, 2012 at 16:38 said:
https://twitter.com/#!/RubyMayRidgeway/status/191549799282122752/photo/1
Joe Ledleys leg
—————————————————————————————————
What was most shocking about that challenge was that it was spotted by the officials yet they saw this as a yellow? Now no chance of retrospective review (not that it would have happened, of course)
The same guy is penalised for deliberate hand-ball and not booked.
I know it’s not ‘only in Scotland’, but in Scotland it’s ‘only against Celtic’
Yes the referee gave an extremely dodgy penalty decision against us. However this team is deservedly IMHO getting a reputation as bottlers on the big, one off occasion.
Best in Scotland? Definitely. Need significant strengthening? Definitely.
Kelvin Wilson, punted ASAP please, not Celtic class.
RobinBhoy
ItaliaBhoy on 15 April, 2012 at 16:45 said:
I am no fan of Hibs, but I really hope they win the cup.
=========================================
I suspect there are plenty like you.
I really hope they do it. Not just because of the Irish connection, not just because Hearts are hateful (I have suffered as much sectarian abuse from Jambos as I have from The Others in my time) but also because they are a club who fall within the Financial Fair Play criteria. A well run club who have been outstripped by their city rivals financial doping. Familiar eh?
So good luck Hibs. Should be a cracking final. Gutted we won’t be in it but it will be an event.
The policing aspect will be interesting. 40 plus thousand travelling through from Embra from both sides of the divide. Both with fairly serious Casual groups. I wonder will we have a summit after the game!!!
Stokes on twitter…he should keep his own counsel..missing from less than a yard
compare and contrast the bbc live commentary on the games today. Controversial incidents in each and look at the reporting:
Scotland:
1436:
PENALTY
Hearts win a penalty as Joe Ledley blocks a shot from Marius Zaliuskas with his arm.
1433:
GOAL – Celtic 1-1 Hearts (Hooper)
It’s been coming but it’s controversial as Gary Hooper knocks in a header from an offside position. Charlie Mulgrew was the architect with a beautiful curling cross.
Not the use of the word controversial at our goal but the simple description of their penalty….no use of the word controversial or harsh. Given that you couldnt tell in real time whether Gary Hooper was offside he has used the benefit of a replay to state our goal is controversial yet doesnt apply the same logic to the penalty.
Now look at the Man U commentary:
1609:
GOAL – Man Utd 1-0 Aston Villa – Wayne Rooney (pen, 7 mins)
Stand by for more controversy over Ashley Young and how he dives to win penalties. He checks inside Ciaran Clark inside the Villa box and dives over the defender’s leg. Yes, there is contact, but Young’s reaction is theatrical.
I’m amazed referee Mark Halsey gives a penalty, but he does. Wayne Rooney tucks it away and Manchester United lead.
Gordon_J backing Neil Lennon on 15 April, 2012 at 16:51 said:
Aye but it’s a ‘bhoys’ forum dontchaknow
Sunday, 13th May 2012.
We play Hearts and get the league trophy.
Lets have a party before and after the game.
During the game – lets settle some scores for today and lets do it big style.
Every single Hearts player will have only one opportunity to play in a Scottish Cup Final in their lives. This opportunity will come 6 days after they play us.
I want us to remember Craig Beattie`s celebrations, to remember Ian Black`s thuggish challenge and the resultant damage to Joe Ledley`s leg and to remember the wee baldy troglydyte in goals timewasting today when we play Hearts on 13th May.
Lets tank them on the park, knacker their morale, give them some of their own medicine as we do it, and if it means certain players don`t make the final, then so be it.
Tommy Joad
Just saying it like I see it mi amigo.
As some others have said, this is a nasty place when we don’t thrash all before us.
There’s not a hope in hell that Hibs will beat Hearts, know a few HIbbes and they all said the same they’d rather get beat against the sheep than face the minis in the final. They so wanted us to win, and of course we blew, though i’m sure they were hoping for us the final cos of our tendency to blow these things. Still it’s easy money these days.
ashley young is everything that is wrong with football worldwide…
Why are we playing our best centre half at left back and have brought Loovens back in at centre half while Eeeeeeemilio is on the bench?
I like Wilson, think he will settle into things next season after a few big game nerves this season but whats our plans for center halves? Looks like next season will be another of chop and change and not getting a settled partnership.
Said it before but two centre halves playing together week in week out makes a huge difference, cant remember the stats but Newcastle had the same back four for for a huge number of games in a row and had the best defence in the EPL earlier this season. As soon as one or two of them got injured their run of good form ended. The much maligned McManus/Caldwell axis had issues but the strength of the pairing brought many clean sheets including high intensity Champions League games. Our nerves were shattered during those games, they held their nerve, thats very rare for a modern Celtic defence.
Next year Id go for Muldini and Rogne, let the Polish fella try and force his way in, then theres Wilson. Loovens and Majstorovic are finished, too many centre halves wanting a game.
If as folk rightly say Chico Muldini is player of the season give him the respect of playing him in his best position, centre half. We have the best player in Scotland this season and we are moving him to accomodate Glen Loovens?
Mickeybhoy@ 16.13
I left Kilmarnock last week on the final whistle and did not get involved in the celebrations I am glad I did now because as far as I am concerned this years league title ,without the other two trophies ,is now worthless and I am afraid Mr Lennon is to blame and no one else
———————————————-
What a complete DICK you are
away back to FF and gie us awe peace.
HH
Mike
TET
I though the ref had missed it altogether and gave the yellow on the say so of the assistant but when I saw the replay I think it was a red that the ref would have given had he seen it.
I also think Celtic must ask for an explanation of the decision and to see how the referee supervisor marked it.
It is time Celtic took the gloves off on the refereeing. In a league over 38 games you can recover from bad ones but in cup games they massively have an affect. You know my views on making them more accountable andI hope Celtic use both Cup game decisions to force changes.
We need to start a campaign to get foreign refs in.
Perhaps if the SFA are shown to have colluded in the double contracts affair or indulged in any other dodgy business, we may get a chance to call for that change and get rid of these blatant cheats.
mickbhoy1888 on 15 April, 2012 at 16:13 said:
I left Kilmarnock last week on the final whistle and did not get involved in the celebrations I am glad I did now because as far as I am concerned this years league title ,without the other two trophies ,is now worthless and I am afraid Mr Lennon is to blame and no one else
I Think you just outed yourself ya Hun
Firstly let me agree with everyone who say it was never a penalty just as I believe the Stokes one was in the League cup final.However,we should never be in the situation that apenalty losses us a game( if we are winning comfortabely a penalty either way wouldnt matter) but against Kilmarnock and again today we were wastefull missing chances to kill the game.For me Ki is not the answer he doesnt hurt teams enough and the minute I saw Hearts bringing on Craig Beattie I knew we had a problem the pairing of Wilson and Loovens are a bomb scare there is a consistant panic there I still like big Beattie as he allways gives 100%.I dont understand why Lennie started with Stockes on the bench.I love Lennie to bits but it still worries me how easily beaten we are at times and all his talk about winnining the Champions league was a bit premature.The season is now meaningless for us now so we should try out our youngsters.I will be gracious and say well done Hearts but you idnt beat us in my opinion we beat ourselves.H.H.
mickbhoy1888 on 15 April, 2012 at 16:13 said:
======================
Annoying as it is not to be in the final I will just concentrate my efforts on enjoying the death of a thieving, cheating, corrupt and bigoted football club.
Lenny just tweeted
….Referee told players he thought Wanyama handled..
feel so sorry for players and fans….
…i think it is personal myself………..
HH
Mike
When you think a comment has been made by a hunfiltrator, I suggest you ignore it.
Attention is their life blood.
Mickbhoy1888,
Your dislike for our manager is palpable, so I’ll scroll past in future.
TJ
the glorious balance sheet
Spot on!
i’ll be at the game against hearts on the 13th May going to celtic games is quite rare for me. I hope we hammer them!
HH