MATCH 1924 - Saturday 3 June 2023

SEASON 2022/23

SCOTTISH CUP FINAL

Venue:  HAMPDEN PARK

CELTIC  3  INVERNESS CT  1

Scorers:  Kyogo, Abada, Jota;  Mackay

Celtic won their 41st Scottish Cup, completing the domestic treble for an eighth time.  Celtic had not previosly beaten a highland side at Hampden in three meetings with Inverness and Ross County however Inverness arrived at the final as a mid-table Championship side so were always unlikely to cause an upset.  Despite defending stoutly Kyogo scored his fifth cup final, in only his third final, to give Celtic the lead just before half time.  Abada made it two and although Mackay scored for ICT with a few minutes to go their were no dramas as Jota completed the scoring on 90 minutes.

Personal note:

• 4th time seeing this fixture in the Scottish Cup - 2 wins each, 2 at Celtic Park and 2 at Hampden
• My 19th Scottish Cup final - 18 including Celtic
• Last match for me this season - total games attended 47 - 38 Celtic, 1 Celtic-B and 8 non-Celtic

MATCH 1683 - Saturday 11 February 2017

SEASON - 2016/17 

SCOTTISH CUP 

5th Round

CELTIC  6  INVERNESS CT  0

Scorers: Lustig, Dembele(3), Tierney, Brown

Huge cup win over old cup foes.

Hat-trick hero.

MATCH 1669 - Saturday 5 November 2016

SEASON - 2016/17

SCOTTISH PREMIER LEAGUE 

 CELTIC  3   INVERNESS CT   0

 

Scorers: Sinclair, Griffiths, Rogic 

MATCH 1661 - Sunday 18 September 2016

SEASON - 2016/17

SCOTTISH PREMIER LEAGUE 

Caledonian Stadium

INVERNESS CT  2  CELTIC  2 

4th visit to the Caledonian Stadium.  Tickets in the Main Stand just two rows behind the Celtic dug-out and new manager, Brendan Rodgers.

MATCH 1638 - Saturday, 20 Febrauary 2016

SEASON:  2015/16
SCOTTISH PREMIER LEAGUE
Venue:  CELTIC PARK

The Celtic Way

CELTIC    3    INVERNESS  CT    0

Scorers: Mackay-Stevens, Griffiths(2)

More highland visitors at Celtic Park.  And more Green Brigade protests pre match against "the Bill".  They would be better off advising their members to stop using flares which attracts unwanted attention, due to the risk of serious injury to either themselves and other fans.

It was a miserable day around Celtic Park as heavy rain fell all day and the first half performance did little to improve the mood of the home fans still on a low from the League Cup exit.  The players left the field at half time to a chorus of boos.

Whatever was said in the dressing room at half time worked wonders as Celtic were transformed into a very different team.  A smashing second half performance lifted the gloom which had engulfed the club for three weeks.

All three goals were expertly taken by my man of the match, Gary Mackay-Steven and top scorer Griffiths, who took his tally for the season to 32.

With the win Celtic moved six points clear of Aberdeen are now well on course to making it five in a row.

Personal note:  25th meeting between these sides.

MATCH 1629 - Sunday, 29 November 2015

Season: 2015/16
SCOTTISH PREMIER LEAGUE
Venue: CALEDONIAN STADIUM (3)

Milestone:  *** 1400th CELTIC MATCH ***

INVERNESS CT    1    CELTIC    3

Scorers:  Storey;  McGregor, Griffiths, O.G.

A 350 mile round trip which included snow storms in the Cairngorms to watch a dour struggle.  The only real highlight came in the early stages of the match when McGregor scored another of this trademark goals, picking up the ball in midfield, running at the home defence then striking the ball into the bottom corner of the net.

Personnel note: 3rd visit to Inverness; 25th meeting between the sides; Overall 27 Inverness matches.

MATCH 1615 - Saturday, 15 August 2015

Season: 2015/16
SCOTTISH PREMIER LEAGUE
Venue:  CELTIC PARK

CELTIC    4    INVERNESS CT    2

Scorers: Lustig, Griffiths, Armstrong(2);  Christie, Lopez

My 24th fixture between these sides - 20 in the SPL.  A strong performance from Celtic until the 70th minute, then ICT gave their very small travelling support something to cheer about with two good goals.

Stuart Armstrong was the main man scoring two second half goals.


New signing from Hibs, Scott Allan was introduced to the crowd before the start of the match.

MATCH 1606 - Sunday, 24 May 2015

SEASON:  2014/15
SCOTTISH PREMIER LEAGUE
Venue:  CELTIC PARK

CELTIC    5    INVERNESS CT    0

Scorers: Scepovic(2), Johansen, Griffiths, Commons

My last game of the season and Celtic sign off in style with a five star performance as they are presented with the league trophy after the match. 

Personal note:  13th seasons now without missing a home Celtic match! (Last home match missed - Celtic 4 Juventus 3 Nov 2001)

Early action

Big crowd

Celts on Fire

MATCH 1602 - Sunday, 19 April 2015

SEASON: 2014/15
SCOTTISH CUP SEMI FINAL
Venue:  HAMPDEN PARK

CELTIC    2    INVERNESS CT    3

after extra time

Scorers: Van Dijk, Guidetti;  Tansey, Ofere, Raven

Celtic are knocked out of the Scottish Cup by a very good Inverness side and by the help of an incompetent SFA referee, McLean who joins a long list of SFA referees dating way back to Valentine in 1984 finals v Rangers & Aberdeen & Syme 1986 League Cup Final to name two others who have for some reason failed to fairly apply the rules of the game.  However the decision not to award a penalty on the stroke of half time ranks this as one the poorest refereeing performance in the history of Scottish Football.


Fans pay a lot of money to go to football matches.  They are entitled to see the rules applied fairly in the spirit of Fair Play. 

Personal note:  This was the first tie between the sides at Hampden & only my second Scottish Cup tie v Inverness (the other 2000 1-3);

MATCH 1589 - Saturday, 24 January 2015

SEASON:  2014/15
SCOTTISH PREMIER LEAGUE
Venue:  NEW DOUGLAS PARK (2)

HAMILTON    0    INVERNESS CT    2

Scorers:  O.G.,  Ross

The 10p game

The stunt by Hamilton to have a ridiculously low admission price certainly worked as the crowd was more than double the normal size for this particular fixture.

At half time though I wondered if the game was worth the admission price.  Despite a lively opening period from the home side no side came close to breaking the deadlock.

In the second however Inverness stepped up a level scored two and also brought out the best in the Accies keeper, McGovern.

Their second goal was worthy of the normal admission price. Great piece of football.

Personal note:

23rd time seeing both these teams

962nd SPL game overall of which only 6 have not involved Celtic

Pictures from away section.

MATCH 1581 - Saturday, 1 November 2014

Season: 2014/15
SCOTTISH PREMIER LEAGUE
Venue:  CELTIC PARK

CELTIC    1    INVERNESS CT    0

Scorer:  Guidetti

MATCH 1557 - Sunday, 27 April 2014

Season:  2013/14
SCOTTISH PREMIER LEAGUE
Venue:  CELTIC PARK

                               

CELTIC    6    INVERNESS CT    0

Scorers:  Stokes(3), Griffiths, Ambrose, Pukki

Goal fest at Celtic Park!

Hat trick for Anthony Stokes

Personal note:  20th match involving Inverness Caley Thistle.

42nd match of the season (32 Celtic matches).

MATCH 1551 - Sunday, 16 March 2014

Season: 2013/14
SCOTTISH LEAGUE CUP FINAL
Venue:  CELTIC PARK

                              

ABERDEEN    0    INVERNESS CT    0

after extra time

Aberdeen won 4-2 on penalities

Celtic Park was turned red for a day as over 40,000 Aberdeen fans gathered in hope of winning their first trophy since 1995.  Inverness the huge underdogs battled all the way and made the big Dons support wait and sweat for their triumph. Which eventually came as Aberdeen players held their nerve to convert all four penalty kicks in the shoot out after 120 goalless minutes.

It meant Aberdeen had gone through the competition without conceding a goal.

I went a long with my son and we sat in the Inverness end curious to see the final at Celtic Park and the large Aberdeen support.  Celtic Park was a great venue and helped create a wonderful atmosphere. 

MATCH 1549 - Saturday, 1 March 2014

Season:  2013/14
SCOTTISH PREMIER LEAGUE
Venue:  CELTIC PARK

                                 

CELTIC    5    INVERNESS CT    0

Scorers:  Griffiths(3), Mulgrew, Commons

Witnessed Leigh Griffiths score for the first time for Celtic, he grabbed his first Celtic goal at home then went onto net another two to secure his first hat-trick for the club. 

All Scottish score sheet - doesn't seem to happen often.

MATCH 1523 - Saturday, 24th August 2013

Season:  2013/14
SCOTTISH PREMIER LEAGUE
Venue:  CELTIC PARK

                           

 

CELTIC    2    INVERNESS CT    2

Scorers: Mulgrew, Matthews; Doran, Foran

 

Inverness came to Celtic Park as league leaders and took a two goal lead in the first half.  An under strength Celtic team pulled one back just before the break and eventually equalised with less than 10 minutes remaining.

MATCH 1513 - Sunday, 21st April 2013

Season:  2012/13
SCOTTISH PREMIER LEAGUE
Venue:  CELTIC PARK

            

    

CELTIC    4    INVERNESS CT    1

Scorer:  Hooper(2), Ledley, Samaras;  Doran

 

 

Celtic clinched their 44th Scottish Championship in impressive style in front of their own fans at Celtic Park.  Four second half goals gave them another convincing win and made up for the defeat to Inverness earlier in the season. 

 

Personal note: My 12th time witnessing Celtic clinch the Scottish Premier League championship, first time v St Mireen 1982.

Match 1489 - Saturday 24th November 2012

Season 2012/13
SCOTTISH PREMIER LEAGUE
Venue:  CELTIC PARK

                        

CELTIC    0   INVERNESS CT    1

Scorer:  McKay

Celtic's poor SPL home form continues as they lose there 2nd home game of the season. Another game where we could have played all day and not scored.  Best chances fell to Coomons and Lustig just before the break and it didn't get any better for Celts in second half. 
Watched the match from the North Stand rather than my usual seat in the South Front so I could see the small band of Caley fans even if I couldn't hear them although I'm sure they enjoyed it.
My normal seat went to my three year old daughter who attended her first match at Celtic Park with her mum and apparently became the youngest ever hooligan went she turn round and punched a wee boy on the nose.  Was the game really that bad?

Celtic

• 01 Forster 02 Matthews (Brown - 69' ) 04 Ambrose 21 Mulgrew 23 Lustig 15 Commons 33 Kayal 67 Wanyama 09 Samaras 32 Watt (McCourt - 65' ) 88 Hooper (Nouioui - 76' )

Inverness Caledonian Thistle

• 12 Reguero 02 Raven 03 Shinnie 05 Warren 14 Meekings 04 Tudur-Jones 10 Shinnie 07 McKay (Sutherland - 84' ) 09 Foran 17 Doran 23 Roberts Booked (Pepper - 90' )

Att: 44,379

Personal note:  This was only the Highlanders 2nd win and first in the SPL in the 16 matches I've seen them, all against Celtic.

Celtic  12 wins
Draws:   2
Inverness:  2 wins

SPL  13
LC  2
SC  1

Celtic Park   14
Caledonian Stadium  2

FLASH BACK - Match 1131 - 13th November 2004

Season: 2004/05
SCOTTISH PREMIER LEAGUE
Venue:  CELTIC PARK

                 

CELTIC    3    INVERNESS CT    0

Scorers: Sutton, Hartson(2)

Although Inverness CT inflicted the most infamous defeat of Celtic at Celtic Park in the Scottish Cup in 2000 I was delighted when they gained promotion into the top league as it meant a flesh SPL opponent.

In front of a 56,500 crowd at Celtc Park ICT were no match on this occasion as the formidable pairing of Sutton and Hartson scored the goals that eventually seen Celtic run out comfortable winners.  Although they were helped by Inverness missing a penalty.

Teams:

CELTIC:  Hedman, McNamara, Balde, Varga, Valgaeren, McGeady, Lennon, Sutton, Thompson, Hartson, Camara

INVERNESS:  Brown,  Tokely,  Golabek,  Dods,  McBain,  Wilson, Bayne,  Hart,  Juanjo,  Duncan

Personal note:  This was the first time I had seen Inverness in the SPL but the 3rd time overall having seen in them in the Scottish and League Cups all at Celtic Park.

Match 1451 - Saturday, 11th February 2012

SCOTTISH PREMIER LEAGUE
Venue - CELTIC PARK (806)

Celtic	Inverness CT
1	0
Team Lineup
Forster, Fraser Matthews, Adam Majstorovic, Daniel Wilson, Kelvin Mulgrew, Charlie Forrest, James Brown, Scott Wanyama, Victor Ledley, Joe Samaras, Georgios Hooper, Gary	1 Esson 7 Hayes 8 Tansey 9 Foran 11 Ross 18 Sutherland 19 Shinnie 22 Gillet 24 Williams 25 Gnakpa 26 Meekings
Scorers
Ledley, Joe (16)
Substitutions
Yueng, Ki Sung replaced Hooper, Gary Commons, Kris replaced Forrest, James	Jones replaced Sutherland Piermayr replaced Meekings

Match 1429 - Saturday, 24th September 2011

Scottish Premier League
Venue: CELTIC PARK (794)

Celtic	Inverness CT
2	0
Team Lineup
Forster, Fraser Matthews, Adam Majstorovic, Daniel Loovens, Glenn El Kaddouri, Badr Forrest, James Kayal, Beram Yueng, Ki Sung Ledley, Joe Stokes, Anthony Hooper, Gary	1 Esson 2 Piermayr 3 Tokely 8 Tansey 9 Foran 11 Ross 14 Proctor 15 Tade 19 Shinnie 20 Chippendale 25 Davis
Scorers
Ledley, Joe (28) Forrest, James (32)
Substitutions
Bangura, Mohamed replaced Hooper, Gary