Falkirk played some good football at Hampden this afternoon and looked competitive with the bottom half if the Scottish Premier League, but Celtic scored three, hit the woodwork three times and had a good goal incorrectly disallowed for offside, emphasising how comfortable a day’s work it was for the SPL, Scottish Cup and League Cup favourites.
James Forrest reached the goal line and cut back to Scott Brown, whose shot was deflected onto the post before rebounding to Gary Hooper who made no mistake. The nearside linesman did nothing for the reputation of Scotland’s officials by raising his flag despite a second defender being inside the six yard box while the Celtic striker was 8 yards out.
Six minutes later Thomas Rogne got his head onto a Forrest corner but saw the effort rebound from the crossbar. Falkirk maintained parity for 27 minutes before conceding cheaply. Darren Dods, aware of Rogne’s potency at set pieces, hauled the Celtic defender to the ground inside the box from a Mulgrew corner. Scott Brown converted the resultant penalty.
Stokes could have made Celtic comfortable six minutes from half time when he connected with Hooper’s cutback but his shot was blocked. A minute later Falkirk were level. Victor Wanyama misplaced a cross-field pass to Cha in the middle of the field, Emilio Izaguirre had pushed forward while no one dropped back to cover.
Cha and Wanyama both had chances to get tight on breaking Falkirk players but Higgingbotham feigned a shot and rolled the ball into the path of 17-year-old Jay Fulton, who finished clinically.
Within a minute of the break Rogne had a chance to put Celtic ahead again but mistimed his header before Gary Hooper set James Forrest through with Falkirk keeper McGovern to beat but the winger was denied.
Falkirk’s best chance to win the tie arrived six minutes after then break when Fulton drifted in unattended at Celtic’s left but his half-volley from 7 yards flew over.
Thomas Rogne hit the cross bar for the second time with a deflected shot after another Mulgrew corner. A minute later Anthony Stokes put one foot in the final when he lifted a free kick over the Falkirk wall and into the side of the net. It wasn’t the hardest struck free kick but he caught McGovern mid-jump on his line, so the keeper was slow to move to his right.
Falkirk pushed forward whenever they could and Duffy got the better of Joe Ledley to setup Alston but the substitute couldn’t convert. 12 minutes from the end Fraser Forster made an impressive double save after a corner. He stopped the first from Darren Dods and then saved from Stuart Murdoch.
Ledley saw a shot from a Matthews cross deflected over before the Celtic full back cleared at the other end when Weatherston got behind Wanyama to cross.
Gary Hooper secured the win for Celtic when he collected outside the box after 85 minutes, turned his defender and headed for the bye-line. His cross was converted by Stokes with Ledley waiting if needed.
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This transfer window looks well for Celtic.
I’m also happy how Polish guys and their agents worked for the deals. Fojut said that nobody knew about negotiations until he signed. I did not see Brozek and his agent speaking to the media. If my memory serves me well the same happened when Celtic signed Zurawski and Boruc.
Also, good work from Celtic.
I can’t help thinking that a yes vote for independence would be like voting yourself into a 1960s-70s Stormont style regime
with Ian Paisley as First Minister and David Trimble as deputy.
My old man always said that as soon as the SNP got independence they would go back to the attacks on Catholic schools etc and it would be “no irish need apply” all over again. I have not yet seen anything that will convince me otherwise.
ggh
Paddy Gallagher says:
29 January, 2012 at 21:21
I can confirm Attila is a nice guy n has good craic with us CQN bhoys
HH
Mone said in a recent TV interview that her company saves absolute fortunes on marketing by keeping he name in the papers.
Sounds like she is at it again.
Lubo.
Wee John the Boatman was hired to ferry Orange Wullie across the boyne
Delirious with the honour, wee John panted up at Wullie “Well, your majesty, will we win today?”
“Win or lose” said Wullie “you’ll still be John the Boatman”
Anybody relying on politicians of any flavour to make a difference needs to point me to a name in the last 40 years that has done so, for me or you – regardless of where borders are drawn.
You make the difference amigos, no some lawyer who happened on a constituency
Ernie and CB
Have belief.
Scotland can change for the better.
Or are you going to accept what we have now.
Thats young Lewis Toshney off on loan to Kilmarnock
for the rest of the season, it will be good experience for the boy.
Good luck Lewis
TET
A great pity paddy could not make it with us, i liked his style of play, as for glenda i think he is out of contract in the summer.
HH
Mike
Bundoran Bhoy – KANO 1000 says:
29 January, 2012 at 21:23
Paddy Gallagher says:
29 January, 2012 at 21:21
I can confirm Attila is a nice guy n has good craic with us CQN bhoys
Thanks amigo :-))
The Honest Cover-up, they’re not selling him because he’s a donkey, they’re selling him as the alternative is worse.
It’s the alternative I’m keen to see.
Kojo, if you mean the Roman numerals, I’m OK with them. A wee touch of the classics does us no harm. If your meaning the Arabic numerals, they seem a tad obvious now but your talkin’ to someone who used to put £19.67 petrol in his car, just to hear, “19 67 please”.
It’s the little things…
Zbyszek, the Slask coach is a fine judge of character.
Celtic Mac says:
29 January, 2012 at 21:22
Eloquently put buddy. You explained it far better than me. Fluidity
HH
The danger of using you tube to judge a player
TT
Kojo
You are right, Sir.
He will stay with Slask and that serves well for all parties of that game.
Paddy Gallagher says:
29 January, 2012 at 21:28
Pleasure mate, pass on my wishes to Attila
HH
Gordon64 says:
29 January, 2012 at 21:27
‘Ernie and CB
Have belief.
Scotland can change for the better.
Or are you going to accept what we have now.’
That’s inane drivel.
Now for the alternative you tube view of Pawel Brozeck
TT
Evening folks! Great win today!!
You will never guess who dropped in for tea and to visit wee Oscar this afternoon.
None other than Big Bad John himself!!!!
http://oscarknox.blogspot.com/2012/01/not-your-typical-sunday-afternoon.html
The man really is a Legend and Gentleman.
Unbelieveable day!!!!! :-)
garygillespieshamstring
I’m not a big fan of the big smarm Salmond, but he’s no Paisley (or Mugabe as Paxman suggested). I suspect too that most of the anti-Catholic bigots in Scotland will be vehemently supporting the union. Strange bedfellows.
Ernie
Maybe so but when it comes the time to vote
think of my words.
Will you vote for the Union. ?
My dear,dear,dear,friend .. Davythelotion
Pal..
Ye goat me there..
We Won.. Falkirk Loast..
Sure, that is irre..Irre… Nae Argument!
Howevhhhhh..
Ah, Kojo, like tae see Celtic play tae their Full Ability.. and
No.. as they did the Day…Sorry, that Ah canny Speak ,fur
You,in that Respect..
But, in Today’s game…
Generally speaking,in Judging the OVER -ALL
Performances o’ Maist
of oor Players..
Maist …Were a
DISGRACE tae the JOISEY!
We shoulda Wracked up a Cricket Score, aginst Falkirk..
And. widd did we dae, Instead?
Why..We Huffed and we Puffed…we Dillied and Dallied.. we Wur at Sixes and sevens..
nae Cohesion aboot oor Play..
Why… we wur.. whit is the woid Ah am searchin’ fur??
it is oan the Tip o’ Ma Tongue..
Ah goat it..
Celtic’s Over all Play…the Day, wiz.. whit we call in
the Trade..
TORPID!
Yep. that’s the woid…
Kojo
yer pal.. who likes ye , already.
knoxy2000 says:
29 January, 2012 at 21:32
Still saying prayers for Oscar and you all, gonna give blood this week (eventually)
BBJ a true gent n tim
HH
knoxy2000 says:
29 January, 2012 at 21:32
Best result of the day buddy, I salute your courage mate.
Paul,
Agree regarding JellyLegs, I REALLY hope he stays. As you linked a couple of posts ago he has form when it comes to being in the ‘huff’. Ideally he doesn’t go south, he takes the hump and performs accordingly, Poundland FC start to REALLY struggle financially and we TOTALLY forget about them and get on about our own business. The most important part of my rant is that we forget about them! IF we do our own business we will win the league!
And Hail Hail Scot Brown today – a brilliant captain’s performance.
Gordon64 says:
29 January, 2012 at 21:34
‘Ernie
Maybe so but when it comes the time to vote
think of my words.
Will you vote for the Union. ?’
Of course I will.
Are you thick?
Tiny Tim
Hail fellow
Where you been amigo?
U
So let me get this right.
Michelle Moan (sic) has offered to leave the Country for ever and all I have to do is tick a box?
Like a box of Thornton’s……..It’s tempting!
HH
Kojo says:
29 January, 2012 at 21:35
_________________________________________
Sometimes you watch paint dry….
And it comes up lovely!
Liking you an’all!
TinyTim says:
29 January, 2012 at 21:32
Now for the alternative you tube view of Pawel Brozeck
I could make 50 vids of Henriks misses, does not make him a bad player, it shows he get in the right positions to score
HH
Mike
Sir Paui..
O.K. , kiddo..
Ah bow tae yer Ineluctable Logic…
Ye hiv convinced me.. that
It is O.K. tae Use.. Numerals in wan’s Pseudonym..
Ah withdraw Ma Objections.
Bhoy..,
Gled, that’s bin Settled.
Kojo
Been away for a few days and reading back.
T.McL/GCT don’t know you but get well soon.
HH
On Moans
Think Kojo is right, we were poor today. On the bright side, that means most players have got a poor game out the system at the one time.
HH
Ernie
No need to be sarcastic.
Why ?
Seriously i would like to know.
TinyTim at 21:32
I don’t know why you posted that but would like to knoe if you check what are the years of these games Brozek played in? That’s is important question.
My dear,dear,dear,friend.. Davythelotion
Pal..
Ah sense that ye are a relative Newcomer..
and …if .. My .. Sense o’ Sense.. is…Woikin’,
like it Should..
then..Ye ur ..a Newbie..
so.. in that case…
Let me tell ye a wee bit aboot.. this Fella ..
Kojo.
Well, sometimes..
Kojo..
Feels like a Nut.. and Sometimes.. He ..well.. Disnae..
noo.
He leaves it Entirely.. up tae the Reader..
to
Figger oot.. Kojo’s…Present… Mood au Jour..
Noo, ye know..
Kojo
yer pal.who likes ye aloater.
Gordon64 says:
29 January, 2012 at 21:42
‘Ernie
No need to be sarcastic.
Why ?
Seriously i would like to know.’
Because life in a separate Scotland would be nasty, intolerant, narrow minded and introverted.
It struck me today at the game when I noticed the Union Flag at the front of the Falkirk end.
What will all the huns do with their butcher’s aprons should independence become a reality?!
A note to the Celtic dissidents : Celtic are top of the league, Celtic are in the league Cup Final, Celtic are still in the Scottish Cup..
Celtic have just signed a new striker, a new midfield player and two defenders..
So just what is it you want from Our Team, Our Manager and Our Board…
SP
ernie lynch
Be serious. You think that already. It’s not as if having the Tory party at Westminster acts as a bulwark against narrow mindedness in Scotland, or have I missed all of those Westminster vetoes?
Hamiltontim
Keep it safe for their funeral march?
HH