Celtic 1 - 0 Aberdeen

Close on 48,000 spectators, who paid £1428 (all in), were at Parkhead, Glasgow, for this semi-final tie. McAteer for Loney, off with a broken wrist, was the only weakening in the teams. With the advantage of a strong breeze, Aberdeen cut out matters at the start, and the play of both sides was very good. Though the visitors did most of the pressing they were met at every turn by the Celtic halves and backs, who, as time passed, got the upper hand, and were able to feed their forwards. As a result, Johnstone shot, and King saved, but soon after Quinn scored from a centre by Kivlichan. The game ran on good lines thereafter, both goalkeepers doing fine work, Adams especially, though one blunder by him was only saved by McNair kicking from under the bar. By this time Johnstone had left the field, owing to an ankle injury, and though he returned he was not of much use to the Celtic, whose work to the interval consisted mainly of defence. Half-time:- Celtic, one goal; Aberdeen, nothing.
The second half was notable for the strivings of Aberdeen for the equaliser, and the sterling defence with which the Celtic met them. Playing practically with ten men, the home team held their own, and even put in good offensive work at times, but mainly they were content to hold the advantage they had. The closing stages were the best of the game, Lennie driving in a great shot, only to find Adams able to cope with it. Result:- Celtic, one goal; Aberdeen, nothing.

Source: The Scotsman, 13th March 1911

The Celtic beat Aberdeen in the Scottish Cup semi-final at Parkhead, Glasgow, on Saturday by 1 goal to 0 after a hard, but by no means brilliant game. The weather was favourable for the event, although the wind troubled the players at times. An immense crowd witnessed the game, fully 45,000 spectators being present. The gate money amounted to £1128, while the stands realised £300, the foregoing figures testifying the popularity of the event in Glasgow and district. The teams were:-

Celtic: Adams; McNair, Hay; Young, McAteer, Dodds; Kivlichan, McMenemy, Quinn, Johnstone, Hamilton.
Aberdeen: King; Colman, Hume; Wilson, Wyllie Millar; Soye, McIntosh, Nichol, Travers, Lennie.
Referee - T. Dougary, Nitshill.

Aberdeen won the toss, and played during the first half with the breeze in their favour. The Celtic, however, were the first to make ground, Quinn bursting away in the centre, but King had plenty of time to clear a long drive from the International centre. Gradually Aberdeen took the game in hand, a long pass from McIntosh going straight out to Lennie on the left. Young, however, stepped in and checked the progress of the Aberdeen left-winger, but the ball travelled only a short distance of the field. Forcing play by Wilson on the Aberdeen right enabled Soye to get round Dodds and finish with a high centre, but McAteer's height proved too much for the Aberdeen inside forwards, and the centre half headed away ere Soye's cross could be improved upon. Aberdeen were persistent in their pressure, and first travers and then Lennie were blocked near goal when they had fairly easy chances of scoring. McMenemy was by far the most prominent on the Celtic side, and he repeatedly slipped the ball ahead for Quinn to race through between the backs, but Coleman and Hume were at the top of their game, and seldom allowed the go-ahead Quinn to settle down. Adams, however, was rarely troubled in the Celtic goal, Aberdeen's finishing not being on a par with their outfield play. Latterly the Celts' goal had a narrow escape following upon a corner, well placed by Soye, but McAteer's head again got in the way of a high shot from the left.

THE CELTIC SCORE

Clearing with a strong punt, McAteer let his forwards away on the left, Hamilton beating Wilson near the half-way line, and then placing the ball ahead for Johnstone to run through and outpace Colman. Nearing goal, the inside left tested King with a fast, low drive, which the goalkeeper saved on the ground. This was the first really good shot and the game, which had now been in progress for 16 minutes. Pike came the eager Celts, and this time they succeeded in scoring. The movement began in midfield, where Dodds sent out a long pass to Kivlichan. The right winger got round Hume, and then crossed squarely in front of goal. For a moment the Aberdeen defenders appeared to waver, and Quinn had no difficulty in beating King with a fast, low shot. The success of the Celts' was the signal for a renewed attack on the Aberdeen goal. McAteer again led the way with some strong, effective tackling, and when he placed ahead to McMenemy, the latter just missed scoring with a drive from the penalty line. Aberdeen were hard pressed for a time, McMenemy is movements being a source of danger to Aberdeen's defence, although Kivlichan spoiled the Celts' chance of adding to their score through reckless finishing. Colman and Hume, however, were very safe in their kicking, and when the latter checked Quinn and then transfer the ball to Lennie on the left, Aberdeen applied pressure at the other end of the field. Sweeping along the ground in a body, the visiting forwards gave the Celtic defence more than they bargained for. Nicol fastened onto the ball, and forging ahead, he shook off McAteer and rounded McNair. We'll then the Pittodrie centre appeared to land himself in an impossible position to score, but he cutely wheeled round, and turned the ball goalwards with his left foot. Adams jumped up and cleared close to the crossbar. At this stage Johnstone, the Celtic inside left, got hot, and retired to the side of the field, but he received the attention of the trainer.
Aberdeen came very near equalising the game after 30 minutes play, and but for a timely clearance on the part of McNair the northern team would undoubtedly have squared matters. A slow, bouncing ball was sent goalwards, and Adams stepped out, quite leisurely to kick clear. But, to the amazement of players and spectators, he missed his kick, and just when the ball appeared almost certain to land in the net, McNair turned back sharply and cleared - a lucky skate for the Celts. The game preceded on fast lines, with Aberdeen doing the bulk of the pressing, but on the whole the Celts were the more finished side, especially forward. Close on the interval the Aberdeen goal was almost captured for a second time. Hamilton crossed the ball to Kivlichan, who rushed in on King, but the latter came out to meet a right winger. The goalkeeper managed to save Kivlichan's shot, but at the time he was a few yards out of his goal. Ere he had regained his position the ball went out to Quinn, who shot straight for the net, but Hume had previously raced back to the goalmouth, and cleared the ball not a moment too soon.

Restarting against the breeze, Aberdeen were the first to become dangerous. Lennie, well supported by travers and Millar, got right up to the Celts' goal line, but McNair bothered to left-winger, and the ball ultimately went behind. Still, Aberdeen could not be shaken off, and had Soye crossed the ball instead of allowing Hay to close in on him near the touch line, Aberdeen might possibly have gained the equaliser. The forcing play of the visitors browsed the Celts', who, with the wind in their favour, latterly gave the opposing defence for warm 10 minutes. McMenemy broke away, and beat player after player, until close on the goal line. A swift ground pass to Kivlichan should have been turned to good account by the right winger after he had beaten Hume in a close dribble, but the Celts' stumbled on the ball right in front of goal, and thus an easy chance of scoring was lost.
There was a distinct falling off in the forward play of the Celts' this half, due in some measure to the failure of the left wing, Johnstone being of no assistance to Hamilton. McIntosh and Soye got away occasionally on the Aberdeen right wing, but on almost every occasion the crosses from the outside right were carried backwards by the wind. Feeling crept into the game, and the referee had to warn players on both sides. McMenemy and Travers got into trouble, and matters might have become serious but for the timely intervention of the referee.

EXCITING INCIDENT

An exciting incident was witnessed at the Aberdeen end of the field when King failed to get back to his goal in time after clearing a shot from Kivlichan. The ball ultimately went out to Young, who took a random shot for goal, but the ball went sailing over the bar, with Hume acting as deputy for King. Aberdeen made repeated efforts to get on a level with the Celts'. Miller travers and McIntosh tried hard to force matters, and for a time the home defence had more to do and they could successfully accomplish. As a result, McAteer's had to fall back and assist McNair and Hay, while Dodds and Young also rendered useful assistance in defence. The rearrangement of the Celtic front rank resulted in Johnstone crossing over to outside right, with Kivlichan as his partner, while McMenemy took up the inside left position. The effect was a falling off in the forward play of the Celts', although at times McMenemy put in some really clever work. He was easily the best forward on the ground, but got poor support. Quinn tested King with several fast shots from far out, but the strong wind invariably carried the ball high over the bar. Time was wearing on, and latterly the Aberdeen men played up desperately hard for the equaliser. Nichol was specially prominent at this stage, but the Celts' kept a careful watch over the Aberdeen centre forwards movements. On one occasion, however, he managed to get the better of the backs. Racing ahead, Nichol appeared almost certain to score, when Adams rushed out and brought off a daring clearance. At the other end Kivlichan and Hamilton both missed easy chances of scoring, while later on King cleared splendidly in a crowd of players almost under the bar. This was followed by a great rush on the part of Nichol. He beat McAteer, McNair, and Hay up, but was badly fouled by the last-named, who, with his hands, literally pushed Nicol off the ball. The free-kick was cleared, but Aberdeen returned, but 2 minutes from the close Lennie sent in a terrific shot, which Adams caught near the upright, the whistle sounding time with a game standing:-Celtic, 1; Aberdeen, 0.

The game was fast and terribly keen throughout, but the quality of the play was very poor at times. The Celtic, with less of the game, were perhaps the more finished players, but altogether there was very little difference between the teams. Aberdeen were a disappointing side, and have played many better games. The defence, however, was extremely good; the half-backs fair at the start, but an improved line after the interval; while the forwards were good and indifferent by turns.

Source: Aberdeen Daily Journal, 13th March 1911