1995-04-11: Celtic 3-1 Hibernian. Scottish Cup semi-final replay

The Herald (Glasgow)
April12, 1995
Cup of cheer forCelticat Ibrox O'Donnell puts seal on famous victory

BYLINE:Ken Gallacher

CELTICpowered their way into to the Scottish Cup final with this replay victory overHibernianlast night at Ibrox. Now, they will face first division side Airdrie at Hampden on May 27.
And as their fans experienced the feeling of deja vu, with memories of the Coca -Cola Cup final and Raith Rovers' victory last November, manager Tommy Burns put their minds at rest.
For, afterCeltic's3-1 win, Burns immediately addressed these fears. "I know what will be said. Here we have Airdrie, another first division team, and back in November we lost to Raith Rovers in the final," he said. "But we have learned from that.

"Believe me, we have learned from the experience of losing in that game and we don't intend to let it happen again."This was a victory which pleased me. It was something the players deserved, and something that the support deserved for the way they have backed us."
Certainly, Burns and his team could not have asked for any better backing than they received last night.
From the beginning, the fans were with them, and they remained there throughout a match whichCelticdominated for all but a short period in the second half when Hibs scored their only goal of the game, but, by then, the tie should have been beyond their reach.
Celtichad taken the lead after 32 minutes when Paul McStay sent the ball through towards Willie Falconer just inside the Hibs penalty box. Falconer fired in an angled shot from the left which beat Jim Leighton and nestled in the back of the net.
That signalled a period of intenseCelticpressure in which Falconer could have scored twice more before the break.
Instead, it was left to John Collins to push the Parkhead men two goals in front.
Hibs' defence, so secure in the first match, crumbled when the ball was played into the goalmouth. Steven Tweed could only partially clear and the ball fell to John Collins. He had time to steady himself, look up, and then flight the ball into the net — the lob was so perfect that Leighton was left unable even to make an attempt to stop it.
Yet, before these goals, Hibs had had the best opening of the game in 26 minutes when centre-half Tweed sent the ball wide from a cross from Willie Miller.
Afterwards,Hibernianmanager Alex Miller said: "I think Steven had switched off. He thought that Michael O'Neill was going to get it.
"Steven somehow got the ball between his legs but sent his effort wide. If he had scored then things could have been different."
But, of course, they didn't and while Keith Wright did score after 63 minutes, it never looked like being enough to worryCeltic.
That goal arrived when Miller crossed from the right, and Pat McGinlay and Pat Bonner both went for the ball. It broke between them and Wright was there, unmarked, to strike the ball beyond Bonner and into the net.
It was around then thatCelticsuffered their only uneasy period in the game.
But, in 72 minutes, Andy Walker could have ended the nervousness which had begun to flow through the Ibrox stands. McStay carved out a glorious opening and the striker wasted it with a careless finish.
Eight minutes from time, however, Phil O'Donnell, who had replaced the injured Peter Grant in 56 minutes, struck the decisive third goal.
Rudi Vata crossed from the right and O'Donnell was at the far post to guide a header into the net, a strike that put the result beyond doubt.
Celtichad reached the final. But, more important, it also gave them the chance to end a five-year spell without a major trophy.
There were two bookings in the game, Darren Jackson for a late tackle on Brian McLaughlin midway through the first half, and then, just before full-time, Falconer for kicking the ball away after a decision had gone against him.

The Irish Times April12, 1995, CITY EDITION Celticcelebrate and get ready for another bite of the cherry CELTICare just 90 minutes away from ending their six-year trophy famine – thanks to a stunning Scottish Cup semi-final replay win overHibernianlast night. Goals from stand-in striker Willie Falconer, former Hibs star John Collins and second-half substitute Phil O'Donnell swept the Bhoys past the Edinburgh outfit at Ibrox.Celticare through to the May 27 final at Hampden where they will face first division underdogs Airdrie. Now theCelticmanager will be hopeful of capping his first season in charge at Parkhead with the club's first silverware since 1989, when they beat Rangers in the Scottish Cup final.Like Edinburgh rivals Hearts, who lost to Airdrie, Alex Miller's Hibs failed at the semi-final hurdle withCelticenjoying the majority of possession, particularly in the first lf. Falconer, in for injured Dutch striker Pierre Van Hooydonk, put them on the road to the final with a 31st-minute goal. And Collins, who has never collected a winners' medal atCelticin five years since moving from Hibs, scored his fourth goal this season against his old club in five meetings, with a delightful chip in the 45th minute. Falconer would not have featured if Van Hooydonk had recovered from a hamstring injury sustained in Friday's goalless draw. Simon Donnelly was on the bench. Andy Walker, whose penalty on Friday was saved by Jim Leighton to force tonight's replay, had a seventh-minute chance forCeltic. Brian McLaughlin set him up but Walker's shot slipped wide with Leighton beaten. Celticquickly took control and Darren Jackson's frustration led to a 21st-minute booking for a foul on the lively McLaughlin. Jackson's yellow card in the first match has already brought him a three-match suspension between now and the end of the season. Hibs missed a glorious chance after 26 minutes when central defender Steven Tweed stabbed the ball wide when found, unmarked, six yards out by Willie Miller's cross. Miller was booked for dissent five minutes later in the prelude to Falconer's goal and Falconer also later went in the book. He conceded a throw-in and, when McStay's pass cut through the Hibs defence, Falconer moved onto the ball to drill an angled shot past Leighton – the first goal the veteran keeper has conceded in the Cup this season. And it was 2-0 right on halftime thanks to a quite magnificent effort by Collins, who coolly chipped Leighton from 25 yards with a delightful left-foot effort as he collected possession after McLaughlin's run. Hibs grabbed a lifeline after 63 minutes when Wright netted from inside the box after the ball broke to him off Bonner as Pat McGinlay challenged. But, with eight minutes left it was all over as Phil O'Donnell, who had replaced Peter Grant, headed a third from a Vata free-kick. The Guardian (London) April12, 1995 SOCCER: O'DONNELL ENDS SEMI-JITTERS; Scottish Cup:Hibernian1,Celtic3 BYLINE:Patrick Glenn A PERFECTLY placed header by Phil O'Donnell from Rudi Vata's free-kick finally clinchedCeltic'splace in the Tennents Scottish Cup final on May 27, when they will meet Airdrieonians.Falconer's opening goal in the 32nd minute stemmed from a throw on the left that was so strongly disputed by Miller that he was cautioned.McKinlay threw the ball to Collins, who played it inside to McStay. TheCelticcaptain saw Falconer running diagonally towards the left side of the area and played a precise pass into his path. Meeting the ball on the run, Falconer beat Leighton with a left-footed drive.Collins putCeltictwo up a minute before the interval, the midfielder's left -foot shot from 20 yards curling inside Leighton's right-hand post. The sluggishness which then enteredCeltic'splay was punished in the 64th minute when Millen crossed from the right, McGinlay headed down and Bonner allowed the ball to break to Wright, who had only to push it into an empty net from 12 yards.