1997-02-17: Hibernian 1-1 Celtic, Scottish Cup 4th Rd

Match Pictures | Matches: 19961997 | 1996-1997 Pictures

Trivia

  • The Portugese FA wanted Cadete for a game against Greece in Athens two days later. Celtic tried to get them to allow Cadete to play in the Cup tie and then join the Portugese party but to no avail.
  • This tie was screened live on television hence the switch to Monday night which ultimately compromised Cadete’s appearance.
  • Jackie McNamara was missing from the side having picked up a hamstring injury on duty for Scotland. Hibs were without Pat McGinlay and Willie Miller who were both suspended.
  • The serious disagreement over the registration of Jorge Cadete was taken to a new level when in reply to Celtic’s letter to the SFA, Bill Dickie the SFA President said that he thought that Celtic had accepted an explanation of the Cadete problem offered at the time. This took Fergus to another level of indignation. Legal proceedings looked likely to follow. It was times like this that you were glad he was OUR chairman.
  • Davie Hay was out scouting again and the latest player pulled into the eye line was Bradford City’s England U21 Des Hamilton who was instrumental in knocking Everton out of the FA Cup. Tommy Burns was also alleged to be making a bid for John Hartson.
  • The Interim Financial Report had been published and showed a pre-tax profit of £2million. Average Home attendance was 48,335. Turnover increased by 46% to £12.47 million and operating profit rose by 114% to £3.68 million
  • The Daily Record were forced to issue an apology for stating that Enrico Annoni had been smuggled into Celtic Park to conduct his transfer negotiations.
  • Wolverhampton Wanderers made an enquiry as to the availability of Peter Grant. Burns stated that Grant had exactly the same chances of everyone else of playing in the first team and that he was still part of the squad.

Review

Another tight game with the team barely holding on after O'Donnell's early opener. The team really missed Cadete.

Teams

Hibernian:
Leighton; Renwick, McQuilken, Grant, Dennis, Hunter, C Jackson (Miller, 77), Charnley, Harper, D Jackson , Elliot (Wright, 68).
Non Used Subs: Cameron
Scorer: D Jackson (83 pen)

Celtic:
Kerr; Boyd, McKinlay, Stubbs, MacKay, O'Donnell, Di Canio, McStay, Van Hooijdonk, Thom (Hay, 68), Hannah.
Subs: McLaughlin, Grant,
Scorer: O’Donnell (16)
Bookings: Boyd ,Stubbs ,Van Hooijdonk (Celtic)

Referee: W Young (Clarkston)
Attendance: 16,000

Articles

  • Match Report (see below)

Pictures

Stats

Hibernian Celtic
Bookings 0 3
Fouls 12 14
Shots on Target 4 7
Corners 7 3
Offside 1 11

Jackson earns replay against shaky Celtic

The Scotsman 18/02/1997

Hibernian1 Jackson (83, pen)
Celtic1 O'Donnell (16 )

DARREN Jackson was last night instrumental in setting up a Scottish Cup, fourth-round replay by passing a test of his nerve and scoring with a belated penalty kick.
The Glasgow side generally negotiated the match with all the ease of men pushing a piano uphill. Celtic struggled in spite of scoring an early goal and defensive frailty always left the outcome of the game in doubt.
Those who have been made anxious over Hibs' gradual slide down the Premier Division table may take consolation from the fact that Jim Duffy's side show a level of resolution in the cup which runs contrary to their championship form.
The most commendable results of Duffy's time in charge at Easter Road have come in the Scottish Cup ties against Aberdeen and Celtic.
It is the examination of Celtic's credentials which will now be covered from every angle, though, and a performance more convincing than last night's stuttering display will be needed by a team who could not use the dreadful, climatic conditions to absolve them from blame.
Easter Road only just survived a pitch inspection which was held 90 minutes before kick-off. However, the cynics who said Mr Young's decision to put the game on had much to do with live television coverage were being unfair. The playing surface was glutinous, but acceptable.
It was evident that the ball was running true when Celtic took the lead after 16 minutes through a well-worked goal from Phil O'Donnell.
Pierre van Hooijdonk and Andreas Thom had cleverly constructed a series of passes to move them from Celtic's half of the field into Hibs' penalty area.
The ball was eventually lost, and then retrieved, by the Dutchman and his pass saw O'Donnell hold off the attentions of Hibs' defence before directing a low, angular shot beyond Jim Leighton.
The pressure was on Van Hooijdonk to show more determination than had been apparent in recent games, particularly since Jorge Cadete was missing due to international commitments.
Celtic's invention gave them an assertive look and Leighton had to look alert when saving with his feet from Paulo Di Canio. There was, though, an insecurity in defence which only went unpunished because Hibs' attacks invariably broke down as a result of misjudgments over the final pass. Alan Stubbs and Malcolm Mackay were plagued by errors but the flicker of inspiration asked for from Darren Jackson stubbornly refused to materialise.
It was the Scotland internationalist's return to the side after missing the two Premier Division games which followed Hibs' elimination of Aberdeen from the third round of the Cup at Pittodrie.
Jackson was not fully fit but, for as long as the lead Celtic had was a slender one, his presence was a persistent reminder of the Glasgow side's susceptibility,
A job that was only half done had the potential for collapsing in front of Celtic's eyes through inattention to detail.
The plentiful opportunities of the first half were rationed after the resumption and Celtic's ineffectual state encouraged Jackson to have his first, genuine attempt at goal only to find that his elevation was as high as his ambition. Stubbs, in fact, came closer to scoring for Hibs when he misdirected a header which beat Stewart Kerr but landed on the top of the goalkeeper's neck.
With seven minutes of the game remaining, it was Jackson's refusal to give up which led to a belated equaliser. Inevitably, Mackay and Stubbs looked vulnerable as Hibs rallied late in the match and a tackle by the former on Jackson saw the referee have no hesitation in awarding a penalty kick. Jackson took responsibility for keeping his club in the competition and confidently struck the ball to Kerr's right hand side.

  • Manager Interview

Tommy Burns, post match:
"All credit to Hibs. We had a lucky escape. Now we just have to put things right in the replay.
"Beforehand we knew it was going to be difficult just looking at the terrible weather and a pitch that wasn't the best. We were proved right.
"However, I am taking nothing away from Hibs, who had most of the pressure in the second half and looked more likely to win.
"We had better composure in the first 45, and a lot of our mistakes were due to the pitch.
"However I don't think the wind was as bad in the second 45 and everyone knows that Hibs do play better down the slope."

"The wind was a factor and the ball did get caught in it for the penalty and a real scramble ensued.
"Kerr came out when he should have stayed back and the centre halves got caught underneath him, and Hibs got the award.
"We know we can play a lot better than that and I am sure we will do so next week.
"Jackie McNamara has had a problem with his hamstring for a few weeks and we weren't going to put any pressure on him to play. We won't do that with our young players."