| Match Pictures | Matches: 1996 – 1997 | 1996-1997 Pictures |
Trivia
- Davie Hay was again scouting in Italy, the latest being Stefano Eranio of AC Milan. The 30 year old midfielder had fallen out with the club and was seeking a move away.
- The draw had been made for the quarter finals of the cup and the winner of this game would go on to meet Rangers with home advantage.
- Pierre van Hooijdonk was away on international duty and Annoni was cup tied. Alan Stubbs was dropped to the bench. Hibs had McGinlay and David Elliot suspended for the game.
- Nottingham Forest made enquiries as tho the availability of van Hooijdonk.
- Celtic appointed Eddie Hunter, former manager of Queen’s Park as coach to the U15 and U16 sides.
Review
A full house to see the win and look forward to a home tie against Rangers. The Bhoys started slowly but gradually got into it. McStay took a knee knock but it proved to be not as bad as thought
Teams
Celtic:
Kerr; Boyd, McKinlay, McNamara, MacKay, Grant, Di Canio, McStay (McLaughlin, 36), Donnelly (Thom 65), O'Donnell, Cadete.
Non Used Subs: Stubbs,
Scorers: O’Donnell (35), Di Canio (54)
Bookings: Boyd ,Cadete ,Grant ,McKinlay (Celtic)
Hibernian:
Leighton, Renwick, W Miller, Grant (Cameron, 72), Dods, McCaffrey (G Miller, 86), C Jackson, Charnley, Harper, D Jackson, Wright.
Non Used Sub: Welsh.
Bookings: Jackson (Hibernian)
Referee: W Young (Clarkston).
Attendance: 46,424
Articles
- Match Report (see below)
Pictures
Stats
| Celtic | Hibernian | |
| Bookings | 4 | 1 |
| Fouls | 12 | 7 |
| Shots on Target | 11 | 2 |
| Corners | 11 | 4 |
| Offside | 0 | 6 |
Depleted Hibs bow out of cup
The Scotsman 27/02/1997
Celtic 2 O'Donnell (35), Di Canio (54)
Hibs 0
CELTIC defeated Hibs and won a Scottish Cup, quarter-final place against Rangers last night. They also survived a scare when Paul McStay, their inspirational captain who has only recently returned after a four-month absence, left the field with what looked like a serious injury at a crucial stage of the season.
"He got a bang on the knee which irritated a nerve and gave him a fright," said Tommy Burns, Celtic's manager, "But I would not think he's in any danger of missing what lies ahead".
The Old Firm meet at Celtic Park a week today for the benefit of satellite television and clash again at the same venue on 16 March for another televised match which could decide the destination of the Premier Division championship.
Hibs' elimination from the cup now leaves them free to concentrate on avoiding further trouble at the foot of the table.
The extent to which Hibs had been ravaged by injury and suspension was exemplified by Jim Duffy's need to give the 17-year-old Stuart McCaffrey his first-team debut.
Celtic were, by comparison, dripping in wealth, their substitutes' bench featuring two players, Andreas Thom and Alan Stubbs, who cost the club in excess of £5million.
Money was no substitute for skill once the game had started, and Hibs were the better side until Celtic took the lead. Chic Charnley, who is with Hibs on a pay-per-play basis and was signed on a free transfer, stroked the ball intelligently about the field, and Hibs moved with a sense of purpose that made them initially superior to Celtic. Stewart Kerr had to make saves from Keith Wright and Kevin Harper before the home crowd finally realised that their side lacked the opposition's urgency.
Early goals lost against Celtic had led to emphatic defeats for Hibs in the league this season, but there was only sporadic skirmishing in front of Jim Leighton's goal.
Paulo Di Canio warmed the goalkeeper's hands with a free kick from outside the penalty area, but during open play the Italian cut an eccentric figure.
The notion of playing Di Canio through the middle with Jorge Cadete carries a basic flaw in that he is an irregular goalscorer.
Celtic came to life in the 35th minute, however, and opened the scoring with a goal out of nothing. The pass which Cadete gave to Peter Grant wrong-footed Hibs' defence, and though the latter is not noted for the quality of his final ball, this one was inch perfect.
Phil O'Donnell complemented Grant's work by executing a finish which flew across Leighton's body and into the net at off his left-hand post.
The loss of McStay immediately after led to the introduction of Brian McLaughlin, but it was Grant who assumed the mantle of responsibility for keeping the midfield intact.
Another perfectly weighted pass from Grant to Cadete after the interval led to the Portuguese player going round Leighton, but he was driven wide of goal and the final shot went harmlessly over the bar.
Conclusive proof of a team having regrouped after the loss of their leader came in the 54th minute when Di Canio finally rid himself of his ineffectual ways to score a goal which any striker would have been proud of.
The original intention was to slip the ball to Cadete on the edge of the penalty box but it rebounded from his heel and landed back at Di Canio's feet.
He then decided to try for goal himself, and he beat Leighton from the 18-yard line with a shot which gained in height and strength from the moment it left his foot.
A goalkeeper of Leighton's stature is not easily beaten from that range so Di Canio's goal was made to look as impressive as it was valuable in terms of determining the outcome of the match.
- Manager Interview
"I am very happy with our committment to the game and the way we played.
"Hibs were well organised and caused us a few problems. We had to play well to upset them and in the second half especially we did just that and made a fair amount of changes.
"We should have scored more but I was pleased with te quality of the goals, O'Donnell's was fabulous and Paolo's sublime."