| Matches: 1889 1890 | 1887-1900 | Forum |
Celtic Games 1889 – Cambuslang
Trivia
- Glasgow Cup Semi-Final tie played at Celtic Park.
Review
Saturday was a day of cup ties, and probably the meeting of the Celtic and the Cambuslang at Parkhead in the semi-final for the Glasgow Cup attracted as much attention as any other event.
The Celts had their full team with the exception of McCallum, who was given a rest in view of the final. Cambuslang had not their full team, but for all that they gave their opponents a hard game, especially in the first half.
In the second half, however, the Celts offered a strong defence, and won somewhat easily by four goals to one. As the Celts now meet the Queen’s Park in the final on the 14th, it is just possible that the first of the home and home fixtures between the Queen’s and the Celtic down for Saturday first may not come off.
Teams
Celtic:-
McLaughlin, McKeown, Reynolds, Gallagher, Kelly, McLaren, Madden, Dowds, Groves, Coleman, Dunbar.
Goals:- Dowds 31, Dowds 55, Coleman 70, Groves.
Cambuslang:-
Chalmers, Ramsey, Smith, Jackson, Robertson, Buchanan, Stott, Gourlay, G Smith, Brown, Gow.
Goal:- Stott 26.
Articles
- Match Report (See Below)
- Official Site
Pictures
- Match Pictures
From newspaper report from the time.
Report 1
The Scotsman – Monday, 2nd December 1889, page 5
Celtic v Cambuslang – The semi-final tie in the Glasgow cup competition was decided at Celtic Park. The game was of an exceedingly fast nature, and productive of some brilliant passages of play. Groves almost scored after twenty minutes’ play. Cambuslang played with the greatest determination, and Stott scored with a grand shot. The Celts responded, and after ten minutes hard work Dowds equalised. At half-time the scores were equal. From a corner kick Dowds gave the home team the lead, amid tremendous cheering. Chalmers had next to fist away two hard shots from Groves, For the Celts Coleman registered the third goal. Undaunted, the Cambuslang tried their best to improve their position, but in the end had to retire beaten by four goals to one.
Report 2
These teams met on Celtic Park to decide which would have the honour of endeavouring to wrest the Glasgow Cup from its present holders. There was the usual large attendance.
The visitors kicked off, and some play took place on their ground. A foul from Reynolds, however, gave Cambuslang a look in, and for some time the ball hovered in the vicinity of the Celtic goal, but without becoming really dangerous.
The game soon assumed a very exciting character, and the struggle was even. Eventually Dowds and Madden got possession, and the ball was wrought over to the centre in front of the Cambuslang goal, where an exciting scene took place. Two corners fell to the home team, and it looked as if the Cambuslang goal must succumb, but at last the ball went by.
For a time the ex-cup holders were hard pressed. Buchanan got the better of McLaren, and Stott and Gourlay made tracks up the wing, but the visit was a brief one. A free kick came to their aid, but they made nothing of it, and the Celtic front rank, by a most beautiful bit of passing, carried the ball to the other end, where matters again looked very bad for the visitors.
The Celts were now having greatly the best of it, but, do what they would, they could not get within shooting distance. A welcome relief came when after 15 minutes Cambuslang transferred the play, and a long shot from the right went past the post.
A great surprise followed. The ball had not left the home territory when Stott got on the run and sent in a flying shot which went straight through amid great cheering.
They did not keep their advantage long, for five minutes later Dowds equalised. For the rest of the first half the play was very even. During the last few minutes the Celts kept the visitors pretty well hemmed in, but the teams crossed over equal – one goal each.
On resuming the home team at once began to press. Cambuslang made several efforts to get away, but the Celts always returned. Kelly initiates a smart attack, and the visitors had hard work in defending. They got clear, however, and Stott made a good run, which enabled them to slightly turn the tables.
In a short time the Celts again returned, and, after about ten minutes’ play, Dowds put on a second point. After this the home team continued to keep the upper hand, and play was confined for a long time to Cambuslang territory. Stott and Gourlay made occasional breaks away, but Reynolds and Gallagher always stopped progress. By and by matters took a turn in their favour, but the tide soon changed again, and after 25 minutes’ play, Coleman scored a third goal.
Two goals down, with only twenty minutes to play looked bad enough, but the Cambuslang have a reputation for putting on a score in the last minutes of a game. They wrought very hard, but the Celtic half-backs were playing a grand game, and it seemed hardly possible to get past them. McLaughlin had once to handle the leather, but there was nobody near him at the time.
The Celts, on the other hand, had several tries at goal, and five minutes from the finish, a fourth point was added.
The result – Celtic, 4 goals; Cambuslang, 1 goal.