| Match Pictures | Matches: 1968 – 1969 | 1968-69 Pictures |
Trivia
- Celtic signed Harry Hood from Clyde on the Monday. They were due to play Dundee away on the Wednesday night but this game was postponeded due to ice and snow in Dundee. Hood had been included in the party for that game. He was ineligible for this game having already played for Clyde in the Cup competition.
- Four Celtic players were selected to play for the Scottish League against the English League at Hampden on the 26th March. They were Tommy Gemmell, Bobby Murdoch, Willie Wallace and John Hughes.
- This was an unusual set of semi-finals as it was the first time that both games had been played simultaneously in Glasgow. Glasgow magistrates had asked the SFA to postpone one of the games or move it and the SFA had refused. This game went ahead at Hampden and the other semi between Rangers and Aberdeen was played at Celtic Park.
- Celtic fielded an unchanged side from the previous game against Partick Thistle. Both Morton's goalkeepers had been suffering from 'flu but one of them would be ready for the game.
- Celtic play in unusual change strip of all white with green trims.
- Celtic qualify for their fourth Scottish Cup Final in five years since the arrival of Jock Stein where they will face Rangers in the final.
- Game kicked off 13 minutes late due to congestion at turnstiles.
Review
Celtic eventually won after a scare on a crisp spring day. Morton won the toss and decided to play the first half against the wind.
Morton took the lead in two minutes with a splendid goal when Allan headed a Bartram cross high into the net.
With Johnstone in scintillating form Celtic fought back and only converted a percentage of the chances they had. Wallace headed an equaliser ten minutes after Morton's opener and they never looked like losing after that. Billy McNeill scored two minutes before the interval to send the Bhoys in at half time ahead.
In the second half Celtic made their greater team work and efficiency felt scoring another two goals from Chalmers and Jimmy Johnstone to set up a Scottish Cup Final against Rangers.
Bertie Auld was subbed by Tommy Callaghan in the 66th minute.
The last Glasgow derby final had been in the '65-'66 season when Rangers won the replay by the single goal.
Teams
Celtic:
Fallon, Craig, Gemmell, Murdoch, McNeill, Brogan, Johnstone, Wallace, Chalmers, Auld (Callaghan), Hughes.
Scorers: Wallace (12), McNeill (43), Chalmers (56), Johnstone (65)
Morton:
Neilsen, Ferguson, Rankin (Mason), Jensen, Gray, Strachan, Coakley, Allan, Harper, Sweeney, Bartram
Scorer: Allan (2)
Referee: J W Paterson (Bothwell)
Attendance: 48,394
Articles
Evening Times 22nd March 1969
Glasgow Herald 24th March 1969
- Match Report (see end of page below)
