Celtic’s run of 27 games unbeaten in domestic football came to an end yesterday as Kilmarnock surprised even their own fans, who bought fewer tickets for the final than they did for the semi-final, perhaps anticipating a reversal.
The bedrock of that magnificent run has been incredibly strong defensive performances; even when Aberdeen scored to take a point earlier this month, their goal benefited from an enormous deflection and the interaction of two debutant defenders.
Kilmarnock’s goal yesterday benefited from no such fortune. Ki didn’t match the forward run of Lee Johnson and Kelvin Wilson didn’t attack the cross. It was, however, a good goal, exploiting the expansive Hampden pitch with some fine passing and excellent movement.
Cammy Bell deservedly won Man of the Match but none of his many saves were spectacular. It could be argued that the stop from Gary Hooper five minutes in turned the match but it was a gift to Bell’s highlights DVD.
Celtic looked like a team who have run out of steam. Profligacy in front of goal and a momentary lapse in defence was all Kilmarnock needed to secure the cup.
I didn’t get a good view of the Anthony Stokes penalty incident at the game, it was Hampden after all, but on the radio going home I heard the evidence clearly confirmed it was not a penalty, which Neil Lennon would realise after he calmed down a bit, despite his initial reaction on seeing a replay.
Television evidence could not be clearer. Michael Nelson went to ground to tackle Stokes and didn’t come within 2 feet of the ball but clipped the Celtic player’s ankle while he was in the process of controlling a fast moving ball.
There was no dispute that Stokes ankle was clipped. No claims were made that Nelson played the ball, or even got close to playing the ball. The incident was an indisputable foul.
When you are running at speed the contact required to force you to lose to lose control of the ball is slight, more than enough contact was made on Stokes to hugely reduce his chances of scoring. Nelson made a rash and ill-timed challenge which should have resulted in an injury-time penalty.
Our sincerest condolences to the Liam Kelly, his family, Kenny Shiels and the Kilmarnock players on the death of Liam’s father Jack in the minutes after full time.
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5 Live mostly about the encouraging news re Muamba so far…back to Glasgow until 9pm. Oh joy!
T4
Emerald Bee
he is biased in a different fashion then
Biased all the same
All we should expect is parity
Sparkleghirl
http://www.radiofeeds.co.uk/indiv.asp
100% legal btw.
sparkleghirl and others
I think Alex was simply saying that these reports will be forthcoming. I do not believe they are being broadcast this evening. C4 News is on as I type.
JJ
Bankiebhoy
my heart is still broken
Could have recovered by Sunday afternoon :-))
Paul67 et al
Sounds like a bit of a Rangers love-in!
Only 20% of the audience (of about 200) believe Rangers face liquidation.
PF
:))))
re Sunday, very worried by that fixture. Not for the usual reasons either.
Their mob will be berserking worse than ever…….and the….errr….authorities will be as effective as ever………..
I agree that Wilson had a poor cup final, reminiscent of his first couple of games for us where he looked nervous and uncomfortable. But I’ve also thought for some time that our wide defenders are not good enough at stopping crosses coming in. Sometimes we get away with it, yesterday we didn’t
bloody hell 5live,what an impartial panel,not
Celtic Mac
The deluded fools …. Naive idiots
Judgement day will be all the harder for them to bear
ASonOfDan on 19 March, 2012 at 15:40 said:
quonno & coorslad
You sure, you are on the right site?
Jesus wept, everyone else recognises this is a young team that will go on to dominate for years. You two are moaning like a couple of huns…
share
A bit tardy in catching up.
The Kelly Kids were a young team going exactly nowhere until a bit of proven experience ij the form of Auld, McBride and Wallace transformed them into the Lisbon Lions
Paul67 et al
Wee Pat on now! “There is hope now, there is excitement now!” Dear oh dear!
Cowpat talking about HMRC only getting a percentage of what is owed….what a moral guardian this colossus of a man is!
T4
quonno,glad your back,I can take my tinhat off again.lol
JungleJim, yes, thanks. He says soon, not imminently.
Bankiebhoy
berserkers the lot
A real get it up timmy day
With brother Murray in charge I’m sure the game will be administered in such fashion as to please the home support
His wee glad handing exercise with the Huns at half time in the last derby match disclosed more than enough for me
PF Ayr
Delusion rains! Still, with Mark, Andy, Roddy, wee Pat and Keith Jackson on the panel, what should we really expect?
Basically, the argument is, if we do not pay our bills and debts, and do not face any sanctions from the SFA and the SPL, the future is bright, the future is….
Glendalystonsils likes a mr whippy with his lime green jelly on 19 March, 2012 at 19:22 said:
But I’ve also thought for some time that our wide defenders are not good enough at stopping crosses coming in. Sometimes we get away with it, yesterday we didn’t
———————————————————————————-
Nothing to do with our wide defender – it was Ki who didn’t track his man and therefore was not close enough to stop the cross.
Also, since we don’t conceded many goals, defensively we must be doing something right. Clean sheets galore in our unbeaten run.
I think it was Keith Jackson who was just uttered total mince on 5live , the liquidation will really hurt these morons …… Dignity fan just asked how they get rid of CW …. Duff & Phelps has guaranteed this ….. Not sure how much of this I can take!
something on them coming up on Jeff Randal Sky News Channel 501
PF
I think they’ll be even more unhinged than usual.
I’d postpone it.
They don’t do humiliation.
On and Off the park there will be trouble, and more than the usual variety.
Win Lose or Draw, the Bhoys will cop for this one.
Finally got R5 to work but feeling it wasn’t worth it. Is there anyone on this panel worth listening to?
…..Keith Jackson……….????
can’t believe he’s stll on the radar……
Bankie – sorry don’t agree with that. They are at their worst when they’re winning and they get in our faces looking to provoke a reaction, which usually ends up with our fans in hospital.
Think back to our 3-0 win at Mordor when Lubo scored twice, they were streaming out of the ground with 15/20 minutes to go. Climbing back under the rocks they crawled out from.
The only person I’ll be worrying about on Sunday is Neil Francis Lennon.
T4
Who was that Mad Man on R5 and why was he allowed to talk such nonsense ?
Seville67
Fellow Celts
Ian Davidson (MP) now on! No wonder the Tories are in power. “People who want to see Rangers go under are bad people”
It may well be THEIR last hurrah.
Ibrox will be a good place to avoid on Sunday.
In all that has been said and written about THEM over the last few weeks, does anyone recall the question being asked if Scottish society as a whole would be a better place without THEM.
miki67, 19:07
junglejim
He’s in Glasgow today and tomorrow filming. What he finds determines when it goes out
Shimmies,
totally agree with you regarding Gary Hooper. Missed a great chance early BUT his link up play was great, first touch was good, plenty of running, chasing and harrying.
Didnt get any great service but thats not his fault.
3 moments stick out of the top of my head. A lovely backheel into 6 yard box which nobody anticipated. A hook over his shoulder in to dangerous area in box that again nobody read. And superb pass for Joe Ledley.
He was not the worst player we had and does not deserve all the criticism he is getting IMO
SffS
Big tax case a red herring.
OK that’s fine move on – nothing to see here.
This is a total joke of a program. Wecome to Govan capital of Northern Serbia.
Seville67
TTTT
I hope you are right chum.
I think these are very different circumstances from the norm tho’……even the most challenged neanderthal knows this is different and I fear they will get their retaliation in first.
As I say, I hope you are right, but we will get no protection from their excesses on or off the park.
HH
Gene’s a Bhoys, 19:31
Ignore Randal, he’s a Hun
Wild horses couldn’t drag me into that midden on Sunday
Collum is a cowardly little runt who goes out of his way to referee unfairly against us in order to avoid confrontation with the stinkin’ huns who level the “Catholic school teacher” label on him. It;s happened too many times to be incompetence. It’s borne out of fear. Regardless of why he does it, it still makes it cheating.
I can accept losing yesterday, and a big part of me is gladdened that Mr Kelly saw his son win a cup medal.
Yes we made mistakes. Did Lenny get it right? Did our players play well? No, however we deserved a penalty.The opinions that we somehow didn’t deserve the penalty because we didn’t play brilliantly is absurd. A penalty is a penalty whether it’s 0-0 or 7-1.
It is ironic that Collum booked Stokes for cheating, and I think Celtic need to appeal that yellow card. Someone should be brought to book for cheating right enough, but he wasn’t wearing a green shirt.
OG
I know but it’s interesting
Sadly, the vast majority in England are from the whitabootery camp. Two sides of one coin, and all that bollox.
Bottom line is, they don’t care. Scotland is another country, when it suits, just like Ireland.
People in England are not likely to apply a forensic analysis of what is going on in Scottish football.
Ken Bates is chairman of Leeds United.
Hopefully the two people he had lunch with will have provided enough information to move this story on