| Match Pictures | Matches: 1972 – 1973 | 1972-73 Pictures |
Trivia
- In further discussions to combat football hooliganism the hoary chestnut of the Irish flag at Celtic Park yet again raised it's sectarian head. Celtic stuck firmly to their guns saying that the flag would not come down and yet again giving the reasons why the flag was flown. It appears to have been entirely missed by the press that the flag was only an issue to one portion of the Scottish football attending public.
- Back in came the players that had missed the opening games for one reason or another. Davie Hay came in for Bobby Murdoch and up front Bobby Lennox returned with Macari also out injured.
- Kenny Dalglish completes a hat-trick of goals against East Fife over two legs of the tie. Jimmy Johnstone was injured.
- Celtic fans cheer at full time when it's announced that second division St Mirren have thrashed Rangers 4-1 at Ibrox.
- On the previous night Celtic defeated Dumbarton 4-0 in a Reserve League match at Celtic Park. The Celtic team was Carr, J. Davidson, Watt, McNamara, McDonald, McCluskey, McLaughlin, Franchetti, Wilson, V. Davidson, White. Sub Prentice. The Celtic scorers were White 3 and Franchetti.
- On the following night Celtic defeated Ayr Utd 3-2 in a Reserve League Cup match at Somerset Park. The Celtic team was Williams, J. Davidson, Watt, McNamara, McDonald, McCluskey, McLaughlin, Franchetti, Wilson, V. Davidson, White. Sub Balmer. The Celtic scorers were McNamara, V. Davidson and Balmer.
Review
After Lennox and Dalglish had put the Bhoys 3-0 up Celtic relaxed and allowed Kevin Hegarty, East Fife's start striker in to score twice before the end and make what had looked a certain win for Celtic far less comfortable. Celtic had looked composed and comfortable playing good football but they fell asleep at the end and had to hang on to hold the win.
Stirling Albion 2 – 1 Arbroath
| Team | P | W | D | L | F | A | Pts |
| Celtic | 4 | 3 | 1 | 0 | 12 | 3 | 7 |
| Stirling Albion | 4 | 2 | 1 | 1 | 4 | 5 | 5 |
| Stirling Albion | 4 | 1 | 2 | 1 | 5 | 5 | 4 |
| Arbroath | 4 | 0 | 0 | 4 | 3 | 11 | 0 |
Teams
East Fife:
Gorman, Duncan, McQuade, Borthwick (Dailey), Martis, Clarke, Hegarty, Hughes, Green, Hamilton, McPhee
Goals: Hegarty 2 (79, 85)
Celtic:
Connaghan, McGrain, Quinn, Hay, McNeill, Connelly, Hood, Dalglish, Deans, Callaghan (McCluskey), Lennox.
Goals: Lennox (43), Dalglish 2 (55, 65)
Referee:
Attendance:9,152
Articles
- Match Report(see below)
Pictures
Articles
The Scotsman, Thursday, 24 August, 1972
Hegarty hits late double
East Fife 2, Celtic 3
Young Kevin Hegarty — the man who shocked Celtic last week—almost did it again last night. As the champions coasted along with a three-goal lead, the East Fife winger snatched a double in the last ten minutes to give the match a grandstand finish.
Celtic had a Lennox counter, scored in 41 minutes, as in interval lead. And when Kenny Dalglish headed home in the 65th minute and followed it up with a crashing 30-yard drive in the 75th minute, it looked all over for the Fifers.
But former Hearts player Hegarty changed these thoughts. He collected a loose ball with 11 minutes left and slid it past Connaghan. Then in 85 minutes he cashed in on a Celtic blunder to score a second—his sixth against the Parkhead team in four games.
But it was just too late, and Celtic held out in a frantic finish which gave the 9000 crowd their money's worth.
