Celtic 3 - 2 Aberdeen

Edited by NORMAN MacDONALD

THE St Mungo Cup remains in Glasgow. Two goals down in thirty-four minutes in the final against the Dons at Hampden last night. Celtic staged a magnificent fight back to win by 3-2.

PERSONALLY I thought the better team won, but the Aberdeen defenders will tell you that the winning goal in seventy-one minutes should never have been allowed to stand. They maintain that before Tully sent over the cross from which Walsh shot the winner, the ball was over the by-line.
I must admit that from the Press box the ball did appear to be over the line. Tackled by Emery, Tully lost control of the ball and it ran ahead. He raced after it and crossed. Martin succeeded in stopping the ball with his foot, but before he could clear Walsh sent into the net.
THE Pittodrie players made a strong appeal, but Mr Mowat, the referee, evidently decided it was unnecessary to consult the linesman. The Dons may have got a bad break in the matter of this goal, but after building a two goals lead they should never have permitted Celts to gain a winning position. The defence failed to inspire confidence, and the attack was only a shadow affair in the second half.
MARTIN, in goal, is certainly one Aberdeen defender who did nothing to damage his reputation. The 'keeper is tiill a live candidate for a cap. Emery did not have a happy experience against Tully. He completely failed to get a grip of the tricky and clever Celtic winger.
HARRIS shares the defensive honours with Martin. The right half put in a terrific ammount of work. It was no fault of his that the Dons were beaten.
ALTHOUGH full-back Fallon who again led the Parkhead attack had two goals, Thomson could not be written down as a failure at centre-half.
THE Pittodrie forwards had their brightest moments in the first half. After the interval they made the mistake of putting too much store on a defensive role. The result was that the willing Hamilton was left to wage one-man war. IT was Bogan?s match in the first half so far as the Aberdeen attackers were concerned, he was in his most daring and elusive mood and scored a glorious second goal. Yorston and Baird did not reveal enough initiative and Hather, on the left wing, had a poor game. The young Englishman will have to step up on this form if he to keep Pearson out.

THE Dons set the fashion in goal scoring. In twenty minutes Hamilton flicked the ball goalwards with his head from a Harris cross. Hunter the Celtic 'keeper, seemed to have the ball covered but was slow in gathering it and Yorston came in like a whirlwind to send home. Hunter received a head injury and was off for twelve minutes. During his absence, Evans deputised.
In thirty-four minutes, soon after Hunter's return, Aberdeen increased their lead. Yorston went into action on the left and put Baird in possession. The inside left in turn transferred to Bogan. The winger evaded Evans' tackle and swept into the middle to beat the Celtic 'keeper with a magnificent drive. Five minutes from half-time Aberdeen conceded a foolish goal. When Tully took a corner on the right the ball should have been cleared long before it reached Fallon. The Parkhead leader drove through a crowd of players into the net.
CELTS' equalising goal, within four minutes of the start of the second half, was a well taken affair. Walsh, a clever young forward, raced through from a slip from Fallon to find the net with a splendid shot.

Source: Evening Express, 2nd August, 1951

Archie Baird In Hospital Archie Baird is to-day "fairly comfortable" in Glasgow Victoria Infirmary where he is detained with a fractured jaw. Baird was taken to the hospital last night at the close of the St Mungo Cup final. For the second half of the match he bad played with a broken jaw after being injured in a collision with Celtic player, Bobby Evans. Hospital officials said today that Baird would have further examination today. They could not say when he would be moved. Source: Evening Express, 2nd August, 1951

When Tully Threw the Ball at Davie Shaw

THERE'S been a lot of talk about "the last time Celtic and Aberdeen met in a cup final in 1937." Actually it isn't quite correct. Celts and the Dons clashed in the final of the Festival of Britain St Mungo Cup tourney in 1951.

It took place on a beautiful summer's evening at Hampden. Aberdeen got off to a flying start with goals from Harry Yorston and Tommy Bogan. But they were worn down by terrific Celtic pressure in the second half.

Celts eventually won 3-2.

That was the game in which Charlie Tully got himself involved in a bit of a controversy. Taking a throw-in near the Dons' goal, he threw the ball against a surprised Davie Shaw and forced a corner, from which Celts got their opening goal.

Quite a lot of people thought he should have been penalised for un­gentlemanly conduct.

There was a bit of a stushie about the winner, too. Dons claimed un­successfully the ball had crossed the by-line before Tully crossed for Walsh to shoot home.

Celtic 'keeper George Hunter was off for quite a while having a head wound stitched. Bobby Evans deputised in goal with great aplomb.

Source: Sporting Post prior to April 1954 Cup Final.