Appearances & Goals To Date
Starting Lineup
| Youngest Player: | Ross Tokely (27 years 361 days) |
| Oldest Player: | Ian Black (2008 years 209 days) |
| Average Player Age: | 30 years 345 days |
| Domestic Players: | 10 (90.91 % of starting eleven) |
Matchday Squad
| Youngest Player: | Ross Tokely (27 years 361 days) |
| Oldest Player: | Ally Ridgers (2008 years 209 days) |
| Average Player Age: | 30 years 345 days |
| Domestic Players: | 15 (93.75 % of matchday squad) |
First Team Debuts
Milestones
| Grant Munro made his 200th competitive appearance for the Club. |
Leading 1-0 with just over two minutes to go things looked good for ICT. However Steven Pressley and Kenny Miller put paid to that with goals in 88 and 90 minutes to send ICT crashing out of the cup. Club Historian Ian Broadfoot supplies the official report from this game.
This was not just robbery – it was grand larceny! Just when it looked as if Caley Thistle were about to inflict a third Scottish Cup victory over Celtic – and a well deserved one – up popped Steven Pressley to head an equaliser two minutes from time. That was bad enough but Kenny Miller’s strike 50 seconds over time was devastating.
Charlie Christie: "It's an understatement to say I am gutted we are out of the cup... It's a real sore one to take, even a draw would have been sore enough". The home side matched Celtic in every department and their 18th minute lead was no real surprise. If Graham Bayne’s second goal in 28 minutes had not been ruled out for offside it would have been all over.
Not surprisingly there was a strong build up to this third Scottish Cup meeting of the sides with great debate as to whether lightning could strike for a third time. With ICT wins in 2000 and 2003 Celtic clearly were taking nothing for granted and they travelled up two days ahead of the game.
Celtic absentees were the injured Craig Beattie, Maceij Zarowski and Jan Vennegoor of Hesselink. In addition Mark Brown was cup tied. Caley Thistle were still missing the injured Craig Dargo and Dennis Wyness.
In a surprise move Charlie Christie played Barry Wilson up front with Graham Bayne and Ian Black was recalled to midfield at the expense of Rory McAllister.
Ian Black hit a long range effort well wide in the second minute then Kenny Miller had a run through but his final shot was blocked by Mike Fraser’s legs. This was to be Celtic’s best first half chance.
After half-chances at both ends the home side took an 18th minute lead after a fine move. Black strode through the centre, found Barry Wilson on the left wing and he slipped the ball cleverly past Steven Pressley before sending it low across goal – Graham Bayne was first to react and he touched it home virtually unchallenged from six yards.
A Nakamura 15 yard shot was pushed away by Fraser in 25 minutes then three minutes later it was nearly 2-0. A long range Black shot was deflected and Artur Boruc could not hold it – Bayne slid in to score but offside was called. TV pictures confirmed that Bayne was a couple of feet offside when Black shot.
Just before the break a Nakamura free kick from the right reached a well-positioned Jiri Jarosik but he miskicked badly.
Half Time: 1-0
Into the second half and more of the same – Caley Thistle keeping Celtic at bay, creating chances and not in the least bit overawed. Celtic had a great chance to equalise in 54 minutes but Nakamura’s angled strike from the left thundered off the bar.
The pattern continued until a dramatic last few minutes. Two minutes from the end of the regulation 90 a Nakamura corner from the left was headed goalwards by Stephen McManus from 6 yards and Steven Pressley finished the job by heading in from a yard out.
There was worse to come a minute into the two minutes of added time. Nakamura sent a through ball to Miller, he played a one-two with Cillian Sheridan and Miller hit a curling low shot from 24 yards into the bottom corner for an amazing winner. He was booked for celebrating with the crowd but it was all over and a stunned Caley Thistle were out of the cup.
Full Time: 1-2 unbelievable
There was disbelief all round and not a few tears😪 Sadly it has to be back to the league.
Match report written by Ian Broadfoot
