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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Kayal33 on 19 March, 2012 at 12:43:
Yes, noticed that.
If it had gone to extra time we would have been playing with 10 men.
I think Hoops got “done” near the end as well.
BOBBY MURDOCH’S CURLED-UP WINKLEPICKERS on 19 March, 2012 at 12:42 said:
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Would that be sand from – Sandy lane ?
Oh, a forgot, he canny even be bothered to bring himself over, never mind sand/pearls :¬)
The thing is…The Big Hoose wull stay open
where as, the even BIGGER Hoose will EMPTY as a result!
Hail Hail
Thought it was an excellent game of football yesterday and the guys on Setanta Ireland, one of whom was English, were highly impressed with the standard of football. Kenny Shields is a good guy and no problem with a team starved of success for fifteen years winning a trophy.
Shocking news for Liam Kelly about his dad.
No doubt we were denied a definite penalty at the finish but in my experience watching sport of many codes down through the years refs tend to favour the underdog in these situations.
We have the title rapped up now we can go for the double.
ignore the hun
Awe_Naw_No_Annoni_Oan_Anaw_Noo on 19 March, 2012 at 12:29
“Since Valentines Day the hun has racked up at least 2 million pounds more in debt. Another month of administration and it will be another 2 million.”
I’m only an ‘expert’ on these matters by my reading of CQN & RTC but I thought Administrators were not allowed to run business losses as they would be personally(?) responsible for any accrued since date of administration.
Presumably creditors would be up in arms at debt increasing and could appeal to courts?
So Calum Murray is the ref for Sunday?
The man who stuck up for Bougherra at a disciplinary meeting after he had manhandled him twice?
Our discipline will have to be top notch on Sunday. He will book Celtic players first chance he gets
I’ll keep it short and to the point – KevJungle, youre an arse. The Dawn French Variety too.
The Lizard King on 19 March, 2012 at 12:45 said:
Are you saying that because our good play happened in the 93rd min when we were 0-1 down instead of 5-0 up, we shouldn’t be rewarded for it?
+++++
Nail on the heid…
With three minutes of injury time…****** looked dead and buried, despite a frantic effort during the final quarter of the match.
Extract from a match report yesterday?
Nope, May 26th 1999.
A goal, or a penalty, is as relevant in the 93rd minute as it is in the 30th.
In Neil Lennon we trust.
Kayal33
I see your reasoning but I think Lustig in particular would be too big a risk.
Gordon_J backing Neil Lennon – Yes, but even though they probably certainly know that you probably wouldn’t, they can’t certainly know that although you probably wouldn’t, there is no probability that you certainly would! (thumbsup)
KevJungle – “Lennons Lions Get Ready To ROAR!!!” on 19 March, 2012 at 12:21:
“Surely your not suggesting that we should need a penalty in the last min of a, cup final v’s Killie to draw level ?”
Interesting comment, but two questions spring to mind.
1 Is there a timescale on when a penalty should be awarded – regardless of the scoreline?
2 Does this only apply when Kilmarnock are the opposition or is it a case that you expected them to simply roll over?
Yes we did get a corner – which means Collum thought the Nelson touched the ball, which means he tackled Stokes directly from behind. Which means, as he was directly behind Stokes, he had to come through him to touch the ball. So it was a penalty.
They have won another battle, but won’t win the war (sorry for the hunnish militaristic analogy).
HH
TLK
^ for the record, Man Utd, scored another goal a minute later to win 2-1.
Perhaps Bayern have a case for winning the CL that year on account of, erm, something.
KevJungle
Are you for real??????
Is this a wind up?
Hail hail
KevJungle – the poor man’s Declan. (thumbsup)
kevjungle 1218
Rght enough,he didnae make any good saves at all.
Explain,then,why he got man of the match. If you can.
Once you’ve done that,just beat it. You add absolutely nothing-EVER- to a debate.
Christ,yer even worse than bontyboy.
miki67 on 19 March, 2012 at 12:48 said:
“you neglected Gollum! HH!”
Ogilvie said that he did not know who set up his EBT.
Gollum would say that he did not see who set his up.
Tin hat on…….
Still reflecting on the game yesterday and, result apart, and more particularly the tragedy affecting young Liam Kelly and his family, the thing that disappoints me most is not the actual scorleine, nor the performances of individuals in the team.
These are all variable and depending on attitude, the performance of the opponents, the ref, and a wee bit of luck going one way or the other, you end up on a winning or losing side.This is the nature of competition and the reason we all love our teams, in our case Celtic winning silverware.
What is not , or should not be a variable, is good manners.
I think Neil let us all down big time in his after match interview. I have seldom seen a more graceless losing interview; made all the worse in that before and after the game, Kenny Sheils spoke of Celtic in nothing other than the warmest and most professional way. To be honest it game ammunition to all the non –Celtic supporting Lennon-haters such was its crassness.
Killie got the break on the day both in the way they played, we opposed and at the final minute when the ref’s decision did not go the way we would have wanted it. Was it a pen? I honestly don’t think it was but agree there is room for debate. I believe Stokesy should have got his shot off a step earlier but Collum took another step up the Scottish refereeing rung by ensuring no added time anyway by making the award. The booking for Stokes was ridiculous as the ref has to be 100% sure it was a dive as he also has to be 100% sure it was a legit pen. There is no way I can see how he can be certain Stokes dived, especially looking at where he was positioned.
Anyway, moans aside this all pales into insignificance when you think of the heartache the Kelly family must be enduring right now. May God bless them all and comfort them at this wretched time.
neveralone on 19 March, 2012 at 12:52 said:
They cost 1m a month AT LEAST
The accruing interest and penalties on the 15m tax bill is 1m a month at least.
If they are in on this scam as I believe they are then their own fees are inconsequential along with ANY money they own to the tax man.
Hail Hail
KevJungle – “Lennons Lions Get Ready To ROAR!!!” on 19 March, 2012 at 12:21:
“Surely your not suggesting that we should need a penalty in the last min of a, cup final v’s Killie to draw level ?”
+++++
Perhaps another way to look at it is:
Surely your (sic) not suggesting that teams should be able to foul us to prevent a clear scoring opportunity in the last minute of a cup final.
Paul67 et al
Stokes had a great chance to score, before there was any kind of challenge, he didn’t take it, didn’t put the ball in the net, didn’t get the penalty either!
The Lizard King on 19 March, 2012 at 12:45 said:
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I say, your clutching at straws. It wizny a penalty. IMO.
Looking at the big picture, cronyism, is leading to the wrong team being selected. IMO.
For example, why was Sammi not playing ?
When was the last time Joe Ledley did ANYTHING ? When Kayal was playing ?
Why take off Rogne when, KW was playing like Stephen McManus ?
I could go on but, this is making me sore inside my head.
Away oot a walk.
laters…
Where is Donegal Danny these days?
Willie Collum
Craig Thompson
Calum Mc Murray
Kenny Clark
Stuart Dougal
are way down the list they get their benefits via the SFA the Newspaper and Media editors that I have already mentioned.
Hail HAil
completely off topic.
Coming through Edinburgh Airport last week and as you come out there is a billboard with an advert for a Whisky.
It has a bottle, and a pair of boots.
tag liune says something like
“one thing for your husbands enjoyment, and the other is a pair of boots”
anyone know this advert ?
got a wee link to the image ?
anyone help.
One word IMO summed up Celtics display,ATTITUDE.BTW Collum is a cheat.
Macclesfield Town are known as “The Silkmen”.
Motherwell are “The Steelmen”.
Does that mean Rangers (in administration) should be known as “The Skintmen” ? (thumbsup)
I noticed that quite a few hundits have been removed from the media firing line recently. Normally these guys are desperate for exposure and publicity. Neil Mc Cann is the only one from that era who I have seen recently and I am sure he tore Chris Kamara a new one when he was asked if he had an EBT.
Hail Hail
Awe_Naw_No_Annoni_Oan_Anaw_Noo on 19 March, 2012 at 12:57
neveralone on 19 March, 2012 at 12:52:
What are youse playing at with all this talk about the Huns – don’t youse know it’s all about sticking the boot into Celtic today?
Get with the program…
Phil….
The (Lonesome) Boatmen?
A bad workman never blames his tools but here we go:
Pitch cut up like the Somme battlefield and looked heavy going (same as last year so free flowing football impossible) so well done to the SFA and groundsman again on creating a sh1tty pitch knowing it would hamper our game (2nd year in a row)
Hooper et al have switched off since they got docked 10 points and SPL essentially wrapped up.
I wouldn’t have fancied us in Extra time and Pens anyway as we looked leggy and Hooper/Forrest were off/crocked anyway.
The bottom line is we once again choked when it came to the BIG ask and the chance to win medals against a mediocre but well disciplined and organized Killie team so fair play to Shiels Snr and Jnr as they called it right in the pre-match interview. We had an off day due to complacency/their goalkeeper on fire and if Hooper had scored we would probably have won 3-0 at a stroll. Such is life.
The Huns season is now complete and they call it karma for all our gloating in recent weeks. Onto the double it is then and carrying coffins up to Mordor next weekend all in our black suits.
Steinreignedsupreme – Where is Donegal Danny these days?
You know, I was just thinking about Donegal Danny and his sockpuppets there…
I assume they are on holiday at Centre Parcs with their social worker and Owen Coyle’s granny.
He wouldn’t be sad enough to be creeping around the blog under other pseudonyms, would he? (thumbsup)
bankiebhoy1 – The (Lonesome) Boatmen?
Charon FC. (thumbsup)
The Lizard King on 19 March, 2012 at 12:54 said:
Yes we did get a corner – which means Collum thought the Nelson touched the ball, which means he tackled Stokes directly from behind. Which means, as he was directly behind Stokes, he had to come through him to touch the ball. So it was a penalty.
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100%
kevjungle : look at this picture. http://i42.tinypic.com/2nh3w5z.jpg
still not a penalty ?
Lads Collum is one to watch, last year against Hamilton he cost us and I heard a lot of boys come out the stadium say Stokes should’ve shot but he was fouled and rules are rules.
Brother willie hold yer head in shame you are a cheat.
Our boys didn’t play well but when Ki came on I thought we started to get on top.
Brother Willie was out the picture and then he sneaked back up the ladder.
ANyone have any info on the League 1 rumour I heard about today?
I found this – http://www.twohundredpercent.net/?p=17945
Though I have no idea what or who 200% is.
Some of my rangers supporting friends reverting to type, evidenced by the texts I’ve received since just after the final whistle yesterday.
KEVJUNGLE 1244
How in the name of f..k are you expecting anyone to believe that yer pal was allowed to place a bet which includes the huns getting away with minimal damage from HMRC?
Bookies tend to require a wee bit more than that. You know,like something specific.
Tell him to nip in to the same bookie and put some money on the grand national to be won by…..
A horse.
Jee-zo……….
Phil…..
Wot?
Multiple-monikered habitual-hunterlopers……..
What will those blighters think of next!