| Match Pictures | Matches: 1888 – 1889 | 1887-1900 | Forum |
Trivia
- These teams, the finalists in the Scottish Cup, met for the fourth time this season.
- The venue was Celtic Park.
- Witnessed by 10,000 spectators.
- The third were assisted by Watt (Kilbirnie),the welsh Internationalist, who played for Marshall.
- The Celtic were fully represented.
Review
On Saturday the weather was delightfully fine for outdoor sport. The atmosphere was mild and summerlike, there was little or no wind to interfere with play, and the fields were in the best condition. It was, therefore, fortunate that the friendly fixture between the 3rd LRV and the Celtic, whose meetings in the final for the Scottish Cup will long be remembered, came off under such advantageous circumstances.
The match was the most important one in the city, and a considerable time before the hour of starting, Celtic Park was crowded with spectators.
The Celtic played their strongest team which has done duty for them this season, and the Third had the assistance of watt, the Kilbirnie crack.
Teams
Celtic:-
Kelly, Dowling, McKeown, Gallagher, Kelly, McLaren, McCallum, Dunbar, Groves, Coleman, Naughton.
Goals:- Coleman 5, Groves 12, McCallum 35, Dunbar 44.
Third Lanark:-
Downie, Thomson, Rae, McFarlane, Auld, Lochhead, Watt (of Kilbirnie), Oswald Jnr, Oswald Snr, Johnstone, Hannah.
Goal:- Hannah 55.
Att:- 10,000.
Ref:- Mr Frank Watt (Edinburgh).
Articles
- Match Report (See Below)
- Official Site
Pictures
- Match Pictures
Stats
From newspaper reports from the time.
Report 1
Great interest was taken in the meeting of Third Lanark RV and the Celtic on Celtic Park. The weather was fine, and there were several thousands of spectators present. Some of the Volunteers had only returned the previous day from London, and were not in the best condition.
The Celtic Kicked off. Johnstone, of the Third at once started a good run, but McKeown came in the way, and transferred the ball to midfield. The Volunteers still continued their aggressive tactics, but ultimately the ball was sent past. The Celts, however, had now a look in, but after taking the ball the whole length of the field, Naughton shot wildly over the bar. It was now quite evident that the Celts were in very good condition. They passed beautifully, and forced their opponents to concede a corner. McCallum centred finely, and Coleman headed the ball past Downie very cleverly amidst tremendous cheering.
The game had only gone 5 minutes when this point was scored. The wakened up a bit, and pressed severely. they certainly looked like scoring, but John Kelly, who was playing to splendid form, came to the relief of his side. McLaren and James Kelly, the two Internationalists, were in fine form, and never missed a kick. Frank Watt was playing a good game for the Third, but was well watched by McKeown , who invariably proved too much for him.
After twelve minutes' play, Groves scored a second goal for the Celtic. It was quite evident that the Cathkin Park men were not in their usual form. they were undoubtedly fatigued, while on the other hand their opponents were in their very best condition, and fairly surprised their partisans. The play still continued in the Third's territory, McLaren and Kelly passing to their forwards in splendid style, and McKeown when he was called upon was always ready to intercept the opposing forwards. The Third, indeed seldom got away, and certainly never became dangerous until about half an hour's play, when they obtained a corner, which was badly placed by Watt, the ball going behind.
Shortly afterwards, however, another corner was granted the Third, but they could make nothing out of it, and once more Groves, by a fine run, transferred the ball to the other end, where Coleman, who was playing a most judicious game, almost scored, the ball just passing the post. After 35 minutes' play McCallum scored the third points for the Celtic with a good shot, and, soon added another goal.
At half-time the score stood:- Celtic, 4 goals; Third Lanark RV , 0.
On resuming, the Celtic again did the pressing, and McCallum, who was playing an exceedingly clever game, almost scored. McLaren who tried a swift shot, but failed, and Naughton shortly afterwards sent the ball over the bar. time after time the Celts experienced the hardest of lines in not scoring. Ultimately, by some fine passing the Third scored, Hannah sending the ball through smartly. Immediately following upon this the third again pressed, and McKeown by accident almost scored for his opponents.
The Celts now redoubled their energies, and Downie had to fist out a magnificently-centred ball by McLaren. The game was decidedly more interesting, the Third playing with greater vigour and with more combination, but, although they tried hard, they could not score. As the game progressed, the Third had as much of it as their opponents, and narrowly missed scoring- Oswald in the centre, and Hannah on the left, doing some clever things. After being hemmed in for some time the Celts broke away, and would have scored on two occasions had it not been for the smart goalkeeping of Downie.
length the Celts got a corner, but McCallum sent the ball past. Immediately afterwards, however, the Celts' right-winger had a good opening, but he sent the ball behind. After some stiff play on both sides, the Volunteers obtained a corner, which, however, came to nothing.
There was no more scoring, and the game ended:- Celtic, 4 goals; Third Lanark RV, 1 goal.
Report 2
The Irishmen played with the sun in their faces in the first half, but from the start it was evident from the start that all the members of the team had undergone careful and judicious training. On the other hand, the Volunteers looked fatigued, no doubt owing to their journey to London the previous week, and the hard game which they played when they and defeated the Corinthians.
At any rate, the Celts proved the superior team on Saturday. They fairly revelled in their work, and their neat, combined passing, enabled them to have no fewer than four goals to their credit before changing ends.
In the second half the Volunteers realised the situation, and playing with more dash and determination, not only held their own, but scored a point, the game thus resulting in favour of the home side by four goals to one.
The Celtic probably never played better than on Saturday, and had it not been for the clever goal-keeping of Downie they must in the end have had a larger score. Of the forwards Coleman was probably the best, although they all played well. McCallum, Naughton, and Groves doing some smart work. The play of the two International half-backs, Kelly and McLaren, fully came up to expectation. The full-backs, Dowling and McKeown, kicked and tackled in fine style, and never gave Kelly in goal much to do.
As we have said, the Third, if we except Oswald in the centre, who tried very hard to increase the score, and Watt, were completely out of form. And it was lucky for them that they succeeded in holding the Celts in check in the second portion of the game.
The overthrow of the Third, even taking into account their want of form on Saturday, will heighten the interest in the forthcoming Charity Cup ties. The Committee, we think, have wisely decided that only four clubs, the Queen’s Park, Renton, 3rd LRV, and Celtic, would take part in the competition. The first tie will be played between Renton and the Celts on Hampden Park next Saturday, and on the 11th the Queen’s Park and the Third will be pitted against each other, the final taking place on the 18th, should there be no drawn games.