Scottish Cup quarter-finals: Celtic face Morton after draw malfunction

Celtic will host Greenock Morton in the Scottish Cup quarter-finals after a malfunction with the original draw saw them avoid a trip to Dundee United.

The Scottish champions were heading to Tannadice before one of the balls opened prematurely, forcing a re-draw.

Holders Inverness Caledonian Thistle face a tough away tie against Hearts or Hibs, while League Cup finalists Ross County will host Dundee United.

Rangers or Kilmarnock will play Dundee or Championship side Dumbarton.

Dundee, sixth in the Premiership, or Dumbarton originally had a home draw and were awaiting to discover their opponents when one of the balls split open.

Instead. the winner of next week's fifth-round replay will travel to either Ibrox or Kilmarnock's Rugby Park in the last eight.

Dundee defender Darren O'Dea met his side's 're-draw' with good humour

It is not the first time a cup draw has had to be amended in Scotland.

In 2007, the semi-finals of the League Cup also required a re-draw after Alex Fergusson, then the Scottish Parliament presiding officer, mixed up the numbers and miscalled the ties.

There will be at least one all-Premiership tie on the weekend of 5/6 March, with Highland outfit Ross County favourites to progress to a second domestic cup semi-final of the season against basement club Dundee United.

Celtic, who won the last of their 36 Scottish Cups in 2013, will be wary of a repeat upset against Morton, who beat them 1-0 at Parkhead in the League Cup the last time they met in September 2013.

Hoops striker Leigh Griffiths, who has scored 29 goals this season, said: "The players like Scott Brown, Charlie Mulgrew and James Forrest, who were involved in that squad just before I signed, will be telling everybody that regardless of the opposition we need to take care of them professionally."

Morton midfielder Joe McKee missed that 2013 triumph through injury but hopes to play a full part this time.

"I was in the stand watching, but the boys were magnificent that night and they pulled off a shock so these things happen," he said.

"We will go and try to give a good account of ourselves and see what happens."

Scottish Cup quarter-final draw (matches to take place on the weekend of 5/6 March):

Hearts/Hibernian v Inverness Caledonian Thistle

Celtic v Greenock Morton

Ross County v Dundee United

Rangers/Kilmarnock v Dundee/Dumbarton