Quinn (3)
Match Information
Attendance: 70,000
Referee: unknown - to be confirmed
Matchday: Monday
Match Trivia
Two years in succession Celts and Rangers ushered in the holiday season with a soul-stirring struggle productive of no decisive result, but yesterday the Celts gave emphatic evidence of superiority over their traditional rivals from Ibrox Park, and incidentally avenged an earlier League defeat on their opponents’ ground, when they were forced to take the field without Quinn and McMenemy. What the presence of those brilliant forwards meant to the Celts was demonstrated in the latest struggle when the work of the two, when the game reached its climax, combined with the powerful tackling and superb placing of Loney, turned the scale after half an hour and swung the game in favour of the Celts. The astute Parkhead officials knew what they were about when they rested Quinn and Loney on Saturday at Airdrie, and kept them fresh for this greatest of club tests. All season the Rangers have been especially well served by their half-backs. The work of this division was outstanding in many of hard-won triumph, but the absence of that powerful half-back James Galt, yesterday, and the partial weakness through a recent mishap to the substitute Waddell, deprived the line of much of its vitality. Contrasting the two sides, the Celts were more masterful and forceful at half-back, and in the second half when they had the benefit of the wind, the game went almost entirely in their favour. The inspiration of Quinn’s first goal when half an hour had gone them a fresh lease of life, and against determined opponents these was the greater. Watching the early part of the game it seemed inconceivable that the Rangers would be beaten by three goals, so clever was their outfield work and so frequent was their raiding all along the Celtic lines, but the high pressure to which the team has been subjected for months found them less effective in a contest they were most anxious to win. Both sides played freely to their left wing to the neglect of the right, but the Celts moved more combinedly and were not so easily beaten when a concerted movement was originated. The understanding between McMenemy and Quinn was ideal, and this pair were not neglectful of the value of co-operation with a centre-half, who never failed them throughout the game. The pitch wore well, and the players could judge their passing to a nicety. The nippiness for which the Rangers forwards are famous was counteracted by the zest of the Celtic middle trio, each of whom touched his best form and kept it until the end. As the Rangers forwards fell off the Celts, encouraged to a great effort by the success that attended their efforts, extended themselves to the utmost. Quinn scored another great goal for them after 21 minutes, and then minutes later the centre would up with a third goal as cleverly taken, if not so spectacular. Both Reid and Quinn also struck the bar, the Rangers centre early in the game and the Celts in the second half. The game, however, abounded with exciting incidents, but the most deadly work of the rival goalkeepers fell to Herbert Lock, whose respect for Quinn is unbounded. With the loss of the third goal Waddell left the field. The game while wonderfully keen, was conducted on sporting lines, and the refereeing of Mr JB Stark was excellent. The winning side revealed its best play of the season, and not a man failed. Dodds, despite a compulsory acrobatic feat, when Hogg sent him over his back, was a great little man in defence, and took the ball often in the air when the odds were against him. Lacking the repose of his partner McNair, he was more dashing, both backs kicked well, and behind them Mulrooney proved his fitness, if only by a daring save near to the close, when he threw himself at the feet of Reid, and cleared. Any comparison of the half-backs is in favour of the Celtic, for none of Rangers trio, of whom Gordon was only the one approached the display of nay one of their rival three. Young gave his finest display of the season, and in all bar shooting Johnstone was brilliant again on a deadly wing. The Celts seemed to me to concentrate particular attention on Bowie and Bennett, and with these opportunists at opening out the play quickly thrown of their usual game, the line was deprived of its ordinary destructiveness. Alex Smith was the best of the five, although Hogg was dangerous on the ball if getting fewer passes than usual. The winning attack benefited by the introduction of Travers at inside left. Against the ex-Aberdeen man and Brown Campbell defended with customary energy and power and Richmond, against the more elusive McMenemy, did his part well. Lock had many clever clearances, and it was no blundering on his part that lost the match. The real strength of the inside game adopted by the Celts developed in the second half, and with Galt out of the way the task set Quinn and McMenemy was lessened. After the game the Rangers and Celtic officials fraternised in the broad room and an exchange of compliments was acknowledged by Messrs James Kelly and Wm Craig
