KEVIN CLANCY will be in charge of Celtic’s Scottish Cup quarter-final encounter against Hearts at Tynecastle on Saturday afternoon.
The whistler was also the match official for the tie against Morton at the competition’s kick-off at Parkhead on January 21.
Ange Postecoglou’s men were awarded a VAR-assisted penalty-kick when former defender Efe Ambrose was adjudged to have handled a Liel Abada drive. Clancy missed the incident, but was instructed to view it again on the trackside monitor.
As so often happens, the ref returned to the pitch, pointed to the spot and Aaron Mooy tucked an effort into the Championship side’s net for the early breakthrough goal in a 5-0 stroll.
VAR AND PEACE…Kevin Clancy goes to check an incident on the TV trackside monitor – a sight we do NOT want to see at Tynecastle on Saturday.
In truth, it was a harsh decision, but Ambrose got away with one in the second-half when he handled again when a low ball from the Israeli winger came in from the right. Clancy waved play on and, on this occasion, the technology team saw no infringement. To most observers, it was more of a spot-kick than the one that had been given.
The previous occasion the champions played Robbie Neilson’s side in the capital was on October 22 when the Hoops were introduced to the new system.
The game descended into VAR chaos when the hosts were awarded two spot-kicks and a clear hand ball from defender Michael Smith was ignored by onfield referee Nick Walsh and missed by his technical assistant Steven McLean.
Greg Taylor claimed the winner in a dramatic seven-goal confrontation.
Willie Collum will be the man sitting in front of the multi screens in the Glasgow office and it must be hoped we are all talking about the actual football after this latest chapter in the first season of new technology.
