Inverness CT 1 - 0 Celtic

Scottish Cup - Quarter Finals
Sunday, March 23rd, 2003, 3:00 PM at Caledonian Stadium, Inverness
Attendance: 6,050
Referee: Alan Freeland
Inverness CT  Celtic

Goalscorers
Dennis Wyness (45)
None.

Team Managers
John Robertson Unknown.

Starting Eleven
Mark Brown
Ross Tokely
Grant Munro
Bobby Mann
Stuart Golabek
Stuart McCaffrey
Barry Robson
Roy McBain
Richie Hart
Dennis Wyness
Paul Ritchie
Broto
McNamara
Valgaeren
Larsson
Fernandez
Laursen
Lennon
Varga
Maloney
Smith
Guppy

Substitutes
Michael Fraser
Charlie Christie
Graeme Stewart
David Bagan
Liam Keogh
Hartson
Douglas
Balde
Healy
Miller

Substitutions
Liam Keogh for Paul Ritchie (80)
Charlie Christie for Barry Robson (85)
Hartson -> Maloney (62)

Bookings
Richie Hart (60)
Lennon
McNamara

Red Cards
None. None.
Appearances & Goals To Date
Mark Brown (GK) 37 apps -
Bobby Mann 164 apps14 goals
Ross Tokely 232 apps16 goals
Grant Munro 65 apps1 goal
Stuart Golabek 116 apps1 goal
Stuart McCaffrey 96 apps1 goal
Barry Robson 161 apps27 goals
Richie Hart 31 apps8 goals
Roy McBain 117 apps5 goals
Dennis Wyness 152 apps80 goals
Paul Ritchie 80 apps37 goals
Liam Keogh (sub) 26 apps -
Charlie Christie (sub) 302 apps33 goals

Starting Lineup
Youngest Player:Ross Tokely (24 years 21 days)
Oldest Player:Paul Ritchie (2004 years 234 days)
Average Player Age:24 years 21 days
Domestic Players:11 (100.00 % of starting eleven)

Matchday Squad
Youngest Player:Ross Tokely (24 years 21 days)
Oldest Player:Paul Ritchie (2004 years 234 days)
Average Player Age:30 years 194 days
Domestic Players:16 (100.00 % of matchday squad)

First Team Debuts

Milestones

This dramatic win opened up the road to Hampden and continued Caley Thistle’s 100% record in the Scottish Cup against Celtic. To repeat the victory of February 2000 on live Sky TV and on home turf were priceless bonuses. Celtic came in to this game on a high after beating Liverpool in the UEFA Cup but Martin O’Neill made eight changes. This was a decision he would soon regret. Caley Thistle started well and in three minutes a Richie Hart shot from 25 yards flew over the bar. Two minutes later a Barry Robson shot from 16 yards under great pressure was deflected for a corner. Celtic’s first real effort came from an eighth minute Shaun Maloney free kick but Mark Brown held well. In eleven minutes a Hart free kick went wide off the head of Paul Ritchie. A minute later Jackie McNamara broke towards Brown’s goal but the ‘keeper touched it over for a corner. In 14 minutes a Steve Guppy corner fell for Neil Lennon but he fired wide then a dangerous Jamie Smith ball from the right was sliced over the bar by Stuart Golabek. Mark Brown was having a confident match and in 22 minutes he came out to take the ball at the feet of Lennon. Brown saved the day on the half hour mark when he pushed over a Maloney free kick from just outside the box. Guppy shot over then a long ball from Hart whistled past the post. With half time looming Dennis Wyness scored the perfect goal at the perfect time. A fine pass from Grant Munro reached Hart in the inside left position – he cut the ball across goal and Dennis Wyness slid in to score his 80th and most important goal for Caley Thistle. The Celtic players clearly received words of wisdom at half time and they came out in determined mood. A Maloney free kick went well over then a timely Stuart McCaffrey tackle foiled Maloney in the box. Henrik Larsson looked to be well placed to equalise in 52 minutes when he created space but his 12 yard effort was saved brilliantly by Brown. A Caley Thistle free kick 22 yards out in 55 minutes eased the pressure - Bobby Mann’s kick came off the wall then a Hart shot from 30 yards was blocked by Varga. John Hartson’s introduction in 62 minutes restored Celtic’s usual strike force and he proved a major threat. Brown saved from Hartson in 64 minutes but the striker was offside. McCaffrey robbed Larsson in the box in 66 minutes then Hartson headed past. Ross Tokely made two terrific stops in 72 minutes from Smith and Larsson. At the other end a long Mann free kick was touched for a corner in 74 minutes then Broto held a Hart cross. Most of the pressure was on the home goal and Brown was again a hero in 78 minutes with a fine diving save to push away a Hartson header. To the home fans the last ten minutes seemed like an hour as Celtic pressed hard. Brown saved at Larsson’s feet, Smith hit over the bar, Stanislav Varga headed over, Valgaeren did the same, Varga hit high from 25 yards then it was into injury time. The three additional minutes prolonged the agony and there was real fear when Celtic were awarded a free kick just 20 yards out. To much home relief Larsson hit over the bar. Finally the whistle went and the ecstatic 4000 home fans could once again go ballistic. The semi-final draw took place straight after the game and Caley Thistle were drawn against the winners of the replay between Falkirk and Dundee. Inverness will be closed that day.

None.