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Hibs v Celtic - Scottish Cup Final; 26/05/13
Topic Started: May 25 2013, 10:34 AM (314 Views)
Jinty
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Manager looking forward to Hampden showdown

24 May, 2013

THAT cold and wet Scottish Cup final at the end of the 2010/11 season still lives strong in Neil Lennon´s memory. It was the afternoon he won his first trophy as Celtic manager and even the weather couldn’t dampen his spirits as his Hoops side beat Motherwell 3-0.

Now he wants the Bhoys to now take their impressive league form into this Sunday's Scottish Cup final against Hibernian and make new Hampden memories for everyone at the club to cherish.

"We´ve had a terrific season so it would be a nice way to finish it off," he said, speaking at the pre-match press conference. "The last two games the team has looked powerful and they´ve looked really in the mood.

"They´ve played at a great intensity and a great quality, and I hope they take that into Sunday.

"We beat St Johnstone, who have qualified for Europe. We beat them comprehensively and then we went to Tannadice last week where everyone thought the boys would take their foot off the pedal, but we won that one 4-0 as well.

"Our last two games have been fantastic. They players have looked really hungry, but then we looked like that going into the semi-final against St Mirren. There´s no complacency here. We´ve had our fingers burnt before and we´ve prepared the players as well as we possibly can for this game.

"We´ll go through a few things tomorrow and they´ll be ready for Sunday. The backroom staff have all the bases covered and it´s up to the players to concentrate on the football now."

A place in the Scottish Cup final is a fitting way to close such a successful season, but the manager knows that Hibernian aren’t there just to make up the numbers.

"The pressure is on both teams," he said. "It´s a cup final and there´s a trophy to play for. I suppose we´re the heavy favourites going into the game but it´s all on the day, as we´ve seen in the past.

"We´ve won the league, and progressed fantastically well in the Champions League, and this is a nice bonus for us at the end of the season. But I don’t want to tempt fate, have anyone point the finger at me, or sound blase.

"We have a game to play and we respect Hibs. Pat Fenlon´s done a really good job. It's their second cup final in a row so they´ve proved it is no fluke.

"And they´ll have their own incentives off the back of last season, I´m sure they´ve learnt a lot from that experience. You´ll have two highly-motivated teams going into the final."

It´s been a difficult road to the final for the Hoops, who have seen off Arbroath, Raith Rovers, St Mirren and Dundee United in a series of dramatic matches. But the manager is delighted to have got there in the end and doesn’t expect his players to be overawed by the occasion in any way.

"They´re experienced enough now, it´s not like they haven’t played in cup finals before," he said. "It´ll be a full house and a tremendous atmosphere but what they can´t do is get carried away with the crowd. They´ve got to concentrate on the game and blank the crowd out.

"They´ve worked on that in Champions League games before and you sometimes use the support of your own crowd to galvanise you.

"Every time we go into the competition our aim is to get to the final, as it is with every other club. I´m very pleased with the progress made. We´ve had some difficult games along the way and with cup games you’re always on a knife edge.

"It´s all on the day but we´ve made seven semi-finals in a row and four finals now so our consistency in the cup is very good."

Meanwhile, Adam Matthews has been ruled out of the match due to injury. James Forrest and Charlie Mulgrew are doubts and will be assessed tomorrow (Saturday).


Link


C'mon bhoys....do us all proud and give us the double! :scarf: :ynwa:

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Caesar
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Swapped shifts with one of the lads at work :yay: so a,ll be kitted out in front of BBC Tuechter :scarf:

To put on ma 1990s scarred for life head on then Hibs must win the Cup eventually :nervous:

We,ve played well past couple of games but we don't seem to perform at Hampden .... am hoping we don't start off in a sluggish manner but we pin Hibs back with quick movement

The obvious fear is the East Coast Gareth Bale ....... so lets not be giving Griffiths any opportunity to hurt us

Vic will be a big loss but I,m hopefull Scott Brown will run the show with Sammi tortemting them and Hooper finishing his Celtic career with a goal or two
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Caesar
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Pat Nevin the Hibs fanatic on BBC corrects himself when talking about our manager - " Lennon ... Neil Lennon "

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Caesar
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I,d like Hooper partnered by Stokes

If fit I,d like Mulgrew partnering Wilson in defence

I,d like Brown & Ledley to dominate the middle

FF to have sweet FA to do except break Griffiths' heart with some unbelievable saves

Commons to shoot on sight

Sammi to be unplayable

Me .... to have a flat stomach and a fool head of hair
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Caesar
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Celtic side to face Hibs in the Scottish Cup final:


Forster; Lustig, Wilson, Mulgrew, Izaguirre; Commons, Brown, Ledley, Forrest; Stokes, Hooper

Subs: Zaluksa, Ambrose, Samaras, Rogic, McCourt

:ynwa:
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Jinty
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The team....

Forster
Lustig
Wilson
Mulgrew
Izaguirre
Brown
Ledley
Forrest
Stokes
Hooper

Subs: Zaluksa, Ambrose, Samaras, Rogic, McCourt


great team :ynwa: ...have to say I'm relieved to see ambrose on the bench! :angel:

sammy as super sub! :cool:

'mon the hoops!!! :scarf:

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Caesar
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I suppose we,ll be in all black and Hibs will be in yellow or some such shite :angry:


Right then Celtic lets not have a repeat of Ross County , St Mirren , Kilmarnock

:scarf: + :ynwa:
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Caesar
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2nd half .... they,ve identified Lustig as a weakness and attacking our right side


Brown is superb
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pye266
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Just home now, Had fab day in Glasgow, Brill performance from the Lads, Went back to Parkhead as well to see the players bringing home the Scottish Cup, Got to meet Charlie Mulgrew & Tony Stokes, Made my weekend. Just need to catch up on some serious sleep now... :D
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desachi
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Thought the entire side was magnificent from start to finish, the tactics were spot on as well, isolating their forwards and playing with great movement ourselves. :clap:

Great end to a fine season, with some lows (to be expected with league readjustments etc), but plenty of highs and some excellent performances in the league when they were required.

Contribution from Stokes was really good throughout, he loves playing against his old side it seems, two really fantastic crosses for Hooper (great finishes as well) and good involvement in the build up for the third as well. The only person who ran him close for man of the match in my book was Scott Brown who I thought was immense in the middle of the park, growling around that pitch and winning every battle as should be the remit of a Celtic midfield captain. :thumb up: I have been critical of him in the past but I have to say the last few games he has put out performances well worthy of not only his place in the side but the armband as well.

Hope they can keep the team together for the next few seasons, will be difficult but it will be hard to replicate winning a double like this and the European nights anywhere else.

Well done Celtic, well played Lennon, and what a good end to a double winning season. :huddle: :ynwa: :scarf: :clap: :yay:
In the nation of the blind the one eyed man is king.

All that is necessary for evil to succeed is that good men do nothing

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Buena Vista Celtic Club, Keeping the Green Flag Flying High
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Caesar
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Look up the word " gallus " in any dictionary and you,ll find a picture of Scott Brown :cool:

He had Thomson in his back pocket and the rest of the Hibs midfield in the palm of his hand

" Oh Hampden in the sun " :scarf:

Griffiths didn't look match fit but I suppose when he,s yer only creative/goal scoring threat then needs must :rolleyes:

Pat Fenlon was gracious in defeat :clap:

BBC - Billy Dodds , Pat Nevin :wallbash:
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Wiggy
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pye266
May 27 2013, 05:58 PM
Just home now, Had fab day in Glasgow, Brill performance from the Lads, Went back to Parkhead as well to see the players bringing home the Scottish Cup, Got to meet Charlie Mulgrew & Tony Stokes, Made my weekend. Just need to catch up on some serious sleep now... :D

Did you manage to get a ticket for the game, Pye ? :thumb up:
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pye266
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Wiggy
May 28 2013, 06:07 PM
pye266
May 27 2013, 05:58 PM
Just home now, Had fab day in Glasgow, Brill performance from the Lads, Went back to Parkhead as well to see the players bringing home the Scottish Cup, Got to meet Charlie Mulgrew & Tony Stokes, Made my weekend. Just need to catch up on some serious sleep now... :D

Did you manage to get a ticket for the game, Pye ? :thumb up:
Yeah wiggy, Had to pay over the odds. But well worth it..... :thumb up:

Also went back to Parkhead to see the team coming back with the trophy, Got to meet Mulgrew & Stokes, Also got a nice pic of Ambrose, Made my week-end..... :ynwa:
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