After discovering that our bus to Perth wasn’t actually coming, I began to question whether tonight would just be one of those nights. Hastily arranging lifts, distributing tickets and double checking no-one had been missed, we set off in a mini fleet of cars heading for Perth.

My fears were enhanced when the carpark was full, leaving us to park beside a school’s playing fields. Despite the rain, despite the obstacles with our travel, we had made it to Perth. The team was strong, expected it after reading The Celtic Star earlier. However, the queues at the turnstiles gave rise to a new bout of anxiety as the tannoy welcomed the players.

Made it in, just. Perhaps my luck was looking up after all. Alas, this was short lived. Kris Ajer took the ball in his stride and began to gallop towards the St Johnstone box, yet collapsed after a recurring hamstring injury struck him down and he was replaced with Jack Hendry.

I’ll admit that I’m not Jack Hendry’s biggest fan, but I have defended him on the basis that if the manager backs him then there must be a footballer worthy to play for Celtic in there. On the whole, Hendry was confident and solid this evening; albeit, with a few lapses in concentration that have allowed the masses to form a negative opinion on him.

There’d been a lot of noise midweek about whether the squad was united and whether Brendan Rodgers was still the man to take us to 10IAR. The first half left a lot to be desired, but Celtic managed to grind out a well-deserved result after the break.

Callum McGregor and Leigh Griffiths both missed chances to give Celtic the lead but Griff finally came good with a finish in the closing stages of the match. A valuable goal with the added value of seeing Griffiths run to celebrate with the manager. Hopefully a beacon of light towards what awaits us this season. A former Rangers striker said there was a divide in the Celtic dressing room, insinuating that Rodgers had lost it, maybe would’ve wanted to eat his words.

Boyata’s madness had probably been coming, sadly. His frustrations towards the team’s form is admirable but he’s no good to the manager, the players, the fans or potential suitors if he is suspended. Albeit, a straight red card for dissent is rare. Beaton’s own frustrations shouldn’t be projected onto the Celtic player so if that is the case I’d expect a reprieve – else, I’d like to know what Boyata has said to spark a straight red card.

Don’t think that the Boyata / Beaton argument was restricted to the closing stages, the Celtic defender was busy telling the referee what he thought of his performance for a large part of the match. Boyata has clearly got the impression that the referee is perhaps not as impartial as he should be – how strange!

Speaking of madness, Scott Bain coming haring of his line to try catch a ball that he had a snowball’s chance in hell of claiming was up there with the maddest thing we saw tonight.

So it’s Hearts in the semi, probably Aberdeen or even long shots The Rangers in the final. Craig Levein has history of setting his team up to frustrate Brendan Rodgers’ Celtic so hopefully the big park at Hampden can allow us to carve them open. The other game can go to Murrayfield, Hearts v Celtic were first out of the hat and Celtic are the holders.

Lewis F

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