1921-03-05: Celtic 1-2 Heart of Midlothian, Scottish Cup

Shaw, Livingstone, McStay, Gilchrist, Murphy, McMaster, McAtee, Gallacher , McInally, Cassidy, McLean.

Scorer: Gallacher

Referee:T. Dougray (Bellshill)

[…] Close on 40,000 spectators were present at the match at Parkhead, Glasgow, despite the wretched weather. The gate drawings, exclusive of tax, came to £1388. McNair and Cringan were absent from the Celtic side. It was a tremendously hard game on a heavy, treacherous ground, and if the Celtic played the better football, and had good reason to complain of ill-fortune, the Hearts, who came through the tie succesfully, took no little credit out of the contest. The defence they put up against a clever and tenacious attack was exceedingly good, and while it was the forwards that the goals came, it was really the defence that won the game, or made the victory possible. In that defence no one did better service than Preston, who fought throughout with great determination, and no little skill. Birrell was another who excelled. Against the smartest wing in the field, McAtee and Gallagher, he played with marked success, and it was well for the Hearts that he was in his best form, for, in front of him, Porter found the Celtic pair too good for him. At the beginning of the second half the Hearts' half could not hold them. In a lesser degree Grossan and Ramage were very good. Kane did a lot of fine saving. But with all the good work done, it was amazing how the Celtic failed to score, not once, but often, in the first twenty minutes of the second half. At that time the forwards played delightful football, and the Hearts' goal had some marvellous escapes, the crossbar saving them repeatedly. Gradually, however, the Hearts found matters getting easier for them, and for the last twenty minutes they were just as good as their opponents. And not only that, but they did what their opponents could not do – namely, score. Lochehad was the goal-getter. He got his chance through a bungle between the Celtic backs and goalkeeper, the former leaving the ball to Shaw when Shaw seemed to think one of them would deal with it. The Hearts centre dashed in, and practically kicked the ball out of Shaw's hands, with the result that it rolled just over the line by a foot or so. It was a lucky turn for the Hearts, who lasted out a hard game to the end. Each side got a goal in the first half, which was, on the whole, evenly contested. Gallacher scored for the Celtic, after McInally had made and opening for him, and less than three minutes later, Wilson deflected a shot from Preston well out of Shaw's reach. The Hearts were able to snap at their chances, and they had few in comparison with the Celtic, but it could not be said they were the better side. The Celtic forwards were good, and well ahead of the Hearts' five.

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The Glasgow Herald – Mar 7, 1921
CELTIC’S DEFEAT
The element of sensation in the Scottish Cup competition rarely continues beyond the third round of the ties. The weaker have gone to the wall, and by the time the fourth stage of the competition is reached clubs of equal calibre, or at least equal status, compose the contestants, and the dismissal of a competitor is incapable of causing a sensation. Interest in or enjoyment of, the game is not thereby destroyed or even lessened; on the contrary the standard of football is invariably higher when two clubs of a class battle for success than in cases where a provincial or minor club, by an excess of exertion and some fortuitous circumstance snatches a sensational victory at the expense of a rival of higher repute. The fourth round of the Scottish Cup competition on Saturday supported that contention. Four ties were played, and in all of them, notwithstanding unfavourable conditions of ground and weather, the play was of a superior quality, and at least one of the ties was responsible for the best display of football witnessed in Scotland this season. The game referred to was that in which Celtic and Heart of Mid-Lothian engaged at Celtic Park. The meeting of these two old rivals of high standing was awaited with keen anticipation by enthusiasts, and it was regrettable that the weather and ground conditions were so unfavourable. Those who braved the elemental and other discomforts were rewarded with an exhibition of football that will be long remembered. The players triumphed over the apparent handicaps and gave a display of endurance and football skill that was amazing in the circumstances. Heart of Mid-Lothian eventually won by 2 to 1, the winning goal, scored late in the second half of the game, being largely the outcome of a misunderstanding in Celtic defence. It was a severe punishment for the one flaw in an otherwise excellent display by the Glasgow club, whose forwards in particular revealed skill of the highest order. On the balance of play Celtic had the advantage, and there was a period of twenty minutes when they were not only superior to, but quite overplayed their opponents from the East – yet no tangible reward accrued. The fact can only be attributed to luck, a factor that is always present in football. The victors showed themselves a typical team of Cup-tie order, possessed of physique, speed, coolness, and an average sufficiency of skill – qualities that justify enthusiasts now placing the premier club of the East in favour for the Cup. Celtic in their brilliant career presumably have on occasion had their fair turn of luck, and on that account will accept the triumph of their old rivals from Edinburgh with equanimity, but it remains to be said that in their fairly long history they never met with a reverse less deserved than that which marked their exit from this season’s Scottish Cup competition.