ROSS COUNTY and Inverness Caledonian Thistle have followed each alternative closely since fasten the comparison ranks in 1994 but until yesterday, County did not have a impulse to compare Caleys implausible Scottish Cup win at Celtic Park a decade ago.
They equalled, and maybe surpassed, it in a little character here by inflicting some-more misery on Celtic in this tournament. Surpassed since there is a last to come subsequent month opposite the winners of todays compare in between Dundee United and Raith Rovers, and a genuine awaiting of receiving the prize at the back of to the Highlands.
This was something Derek Adams, their 34-year-old manager, concurred matter-of-factly as though he had only over a slight First Division fixture. People had created us off beforehand, pronounced Adams. Thats a sharp pointer to everybody, pundits and ex-players, who pronounced Celtic were going to Hampden. We merit respect. Its a large outcome for Scottish football and the a pretentious day for the football club. The players were supposed to be in precision tomorrow, but I have since them the day off.
While one immature managers star rose spectacularly here, anothers plummeted. Neil Lennon had stressed previously that his prospects of the keeping the Celtic pursuit on a permanent basement did not hinge on one match, but he was fooling nobody. It is harsh, though, that he has been let down by a group that is not his own the same one that was often sealed by Tony Mowbray and additionally unsuccessful him.
Related LinksDefeat would lift questions about my future, says Lennon Keane gives fans renewed hopeScott aiming to gleam on the big stageCeltic proposed lazily in the midday sun, thereafter panicked when they realised the enormity of the shock maturation around them. Compared to County, they were cowards and Lennon, with cold fury, pronounced as most afterwards.
Roy MacGregor, Ross Countys former chairman, laid on breakfast at Hampden for 800 of the clubs fans who work for his organisation and Celtic additionally offering the Highlanders liberality on the pitch. Perhaps with the object out and temperatures up, the likes of Landry NGuemo and Georgios Samaras thought the World Cup had already started, nonetheless their lifeless performances scarcely referred to they should be participants in South Africa.
NGuemo is personification what used to be Lennons position, so can design his new manager to scrutinize him with an consultant eye. Three mins prior to half-time, Lennon had seen enough. The key of Marc Crosas was not so most a transformation as a open chagrin for the Cameroon international, whose flitting was again awkward and careless.
As the teams sparred and sussed each alternative out in the initial half, the conviction contingency have grown for Adams and his side that they could win this match. They poked somewhat hesitantly at Celtic until the break, as though not desiring how really bad their opponents were playing. Yet this phoney fight ended emphatically 10 mins after the restart when Steven Craig, son of Joe Craig, the former Celtic striker, seized on a tardy header by Darren ODea and took off past the labouring Josh Thompson prior to pushing the ball forcefully home when he entered Celtics box.
That lead competence have been fast lengthened had Michael Gardynes deflected cross not arrived with as well most gait and spin for Martin Scott to tame it or direct it toward the net. Celtics main chances fell to Marc-Antoine Fortune and Samaras when Lennon contingency have wished instead Robbie Keane had been offering them, but the on-loan Spurs striker lacked await throughout, a tactical error. He was additionally well-policed by Scott Boyd and Alex Keddie, Countys centre-backs.
Mowbray lavished 3.8m on Fortune last summer, but he has never assured as a finisher. This unwell was again clear when he transient Scott Morrison following Lee Naylors free flog from the left but could not guide the turn beyond the plunging figure of Michael McGovern, who similar to Gardyne was a discarded product of Celtics girl complement with a point to prove.
Boyd thereafter got a critical hold on a Scott Brown cranky to take it afar from Celtics in-rushing strikers whilst Lennon collapsed theatrically in frustration in Celtics technical area. Then came Celtics most appropriate chance. Paddy McCourt swept an considerable first-time pass out to Aiden McGeady on the right wing. Keane and, inevitably, Boyd converged on the indirect cranky but the turn went over them both to the at the back of post. Samaras took counsel aim with his left feet nonetheless his shot took the faintest scrape off Gary Miller, Countys right-back, thereafter strike the post. Keane thereafter eventually found a millimetre or dual of space in the box, but couldnt put a header on target.
Despite these moments, County were frequency pinned in their own half. Richard Brittain drew a resist from Lukasz Zaluska after a move that was plotted carefully by County, with the crafty Gardyne again prominent. Then came the goal that finished Celtics season, certainly ushering in a summer of change, and deservedly took County to the final. Scott came on one last detonate from midfield, played the turn to the fervent Andrew Barrowman down the right and then carried on in to the box at the back of the preoccupied Thompson to spin the return in to the net. As Countys dilemma of the track erupted, the territory of a half-full Hampden that had been populated by Celtic supporters streamed away. The apologies of Lennon and his players thereafter were as dull as the stands they left behind.
Star man: Martin Scott (Ross County)
Yellow cards: Celtic: ODea Ross County: Miller, Scott
Referee: W Collum Attendance: 24,535
Cup shocks
1967 BERWICK 1 RANGERS 0 Rangers finished the deteriorate in the European Cup Winners Cup final, but exited the Scottish Cup in the initial turn 1987 RANGERS 0 HAMILTON 1 Adrian Sprott scored the idea that repelled Graeme Sounesss side in the third turn 2000 CELTIC 1 INVERNESS CT 3 An dissapoint that saw the finish of John Barnes managerial power and the origination of that title 2006 CLYDE 2 CELTIC 1 Roy Keanes Celtic entrance finished in a degrading defeat by the Division One side
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