Summary

  • Scottish Cup Sportscene - BBC Scotland (1915)

  1. Celtic's remarkable run in the cupspublished at 14:50 Greenwich Mean Time 1 March 2020

    St Johnstone v Celtic (15:00)

    With Celtic gunning for a fourth successive domestic treble, it means no one else has had a look in for a wee while now.

    With their long-awaited 2016 Scottish Cup victory, Hibs were the last team not called Celtic to win a major trophy.

    Celtic's incredible domestic cup run now stands at 33 wins on the bounce and they've been averaging just over three goals a game for good measure.

    You can take a more detailed look at the numbers here.

    Celtic beat Clyde 3-0 in the last round of the Scottish CupImage source, SNS
    Image caption,

    Celtic beat Clyde 3-0 in the last round of the Scottish Cup

  2. A day for the mudlarkspublished at 14:46 Greenwich Mean Time 1 March 2020

    St Johnstone v Celtic (15:00)

    That goalmouth is not looking too clever. We could be in for a few old fashioned scrambles in there if the ball sticks in the mud.

    McDiarmid ParkImage source, SNS
    Image caption,

    McDiarmid Park has cut up badly with all of the recent rain

  3. Wright looks for more cup 'magic'published at 14:42 Greenwich Mean Time 1 March 2020

    St Johnstone v Celtic (15:00)

    This is got to be one of the best Scottish Cup photos of recent times...

    Gaffer Tommy Wright was not for letting go when St Johnstone won it for the first time in 2014.

    "We are all in the game to win things and grab that piece of glory," he said this week. "Cup competitions give you that chance. It's a famous trophy, a famous cup competition, so it adds that bit of nostalgia and magic.

    "When you win it, it is special. I know from experience that you are always reminded of it. The number of people who tell you that was the best day of their lives in terms of St Johnstone supporters."

    One final, one win for the Perth club.

    Celtic have been in 57 finals, with 39 success stories.

    Tommy Wright with the Scottish Cup in 2014Image source, SNS
    Image caption,

    Tommy Wright with the Scottish Cup in 2014

  4. Will Lennon lift the trophy once more?published at 14:39 Greenwich Mean Time 1 March 2020

    St Johnstone v Celtic (15:00)

    Neil Lennon was offered a permanent contract to stay on as Celtic boss for the second time in the dressing room shower at Hampden after winning last year's Scottish Cup final to secure a third successive treble for the club.

    Lennon lifted the trophy four times as a player and will equal that number as a manager if he gets his hands on it again at the end of the season.

    Celtic boss Neil LennonImage source, SNS
    Image caption,

    Neil Lennon has lots of good Scottish Cup memories

  5. 30-0, not a tennis scorepublished at 14:35 Greenwich Mean Time 1 March 2020

    St Johnstone v Celtic (15:00)

    Celtic were the last team to beat St Johnstone, blitzing the Perth side with three goals inside the opening 26 minutes in Perth at the end of January.

    Olivier Ntcham, James Forrest and Leigh Griffiths were on target that evening, with manager Neil Lennon hailing a "breathtaking" first-half display.

    Ntcham and Griffiths also scored against the Saints on the opening day of the league campaign, while Ryan Christie grabbed a hat-trick in a 7-0 success at Celtic Park.

    In the nine meetings since St Johnstone managed a 1-1 draw in Glasgow in August 2017, the aggregate score is 30-0...

    Leigh Griffiths has scored twice against St Johnstone this seasonImage source, SNS
    Image caption,

    Leigh Griffiths has scored twice against St Johnstone this season

  6. May making hay for Saintspublished at 14:32 Greenwich Mean Time 1 March 2020

    St Johnstone v Celtic (15:00)

    St Johnstone have been ticking along quite nicely, unbeaten in their last six outings (three wins, three draws).

    Last Sunday, they scored early and late to hold Rangers at McDiarmid Park.

    Stevie May levelled the game on 80 minutes, taking his tally to four goals in that six-game sequence.

    Stevie May celebrates his equaliser against Rangers last SundayImage source, SNS
    Image caption,

    Stevie May celebrates his equaliser against Rangers last Sunday

  7. 'I hope they are angry' - Lennonpublished at 14:27 Greenwich Mean Time 1 March 2020

    St Johnstone v Celtic (15:00)

    Celtic suffered their first defeat of 2020 on Thursday evening, losing their heads to concede two late goals as Copenhagen left Glasgow with a 3-1 victory and a place in the last 16 of the Europa League.

    How will the players recover from blowing such a good opportunity to progress?

    "I hope they are angry and if they play angry they can be very good," said manager Neil Lennon, looking ahead after the 4-2 aggregate loss to the Danes.

    Celtic lost at home to Copenhagen after earning a 1-1 draw in the Danish capitalImage source, SNS
    Image caption,

    Celtic lost at home to Copenhagen after earning a 1-1 draw in the Danish capital

  8. Life's a beachpublished at 14:23 Greenwich Mean Time 1 March 2020

    St Johnstone v Celtic (15:00)

    Is that green sand being shovelled on to the sodden pitch?

    The St Johnstone ground staff have been hard at workImage source, SNS
    Image caption,

    The St Johnstone ground staff have been hard at work

  9. Celtic return to two up toppublished at 14:20 Greenwich Mean Time 1 March 2020

    St Johnstone v Celtic (15:00)

    Ryan Christie is back from suspension as Celtic make three changes from the midweek loss to Copenhagen but Olivier Ntcham remains out with a calf problem.

    Leigh Griffiths is back up front with Odsonne Edouard and there's a rare start for Nir Bitton as Jozo Simunovic and Mohamed Elyounoussi drop out altogether and Tom Rogic takes a place on the bench.

    Hatem Elhamed is also among the subs, having been out injured since early November.

  10. Tanser & Gordon in for Saintspublished at 14:16 Greenwich Mean Time 1 March 2020

    St Johnstone v Celtic (15:00)

    Celtic loanee Anthony Ralston can’t play against his parent club, while Jason Holt is available after missing the draw with Rangers for the same reason.

    Holt must make do with a spot on the bench this afternoon, as Scott Tanser and Liam Gordon come in.

    Callum Booth drops to the bench.

  11. 'Today's rain is tomorrow's whisky'published at 14:13 Greenwich Mean Time 1 March 2020

    St Johnstone v Celtic (15:00)

    Pat Bonner
    Former Celtic goalkeeper on BBC Sportsound

    Quote Message

    I was out last night, and heard the phrase, 'in Scotland today's rain is tomorrow's whisky'. I think that's very apt today in Perthshire. I think there'll be a lot of Scotch made given the rain we've got here.

  12. Wet and windy - again...published at 14:10 Greenwich Mean Time 1 March 2020

    St Johnstone v Celtic (15:00)

    The weather is filthy once again, with the rain tumbling and wind howling. I make that four foul weekends in a row.

    It's been a real test for even the diehards, with some funny kick-off times thrown in too, and crowds at the other quarter-finals were disappointingly low.

    This section of the McDiarmid Park looks particularly soggy but there's no suggestion of a call-off.

    McDiarmid ParkImage source, SNS
  13. LINE-UPS from McDiarmid Parkpublished at 14:06 Greenwich Mean Time 1 March 2020

    St Johnstone v Celtic (15:00)

    St Johnstone: Clark, Gordon, Kerr, McCart, Wright, Butcher, McCann, Wotherspoon, Tanser, May, Hendry.

    Substitutes: Parish, Kane, Swanson, O'Halloran, Holt, Booth, Craig.

    Celtic: Forster, Bitton, Jullien, Ajer, Forrest, Brown, McGregor, Taylor, Christie, Griffiths, Edouard.

    Substitutes: Bain, Elhamed, Frimpong, Hayes, Rogic, Bayo, Klimala.

  14. Three down, one to gopublished at 14:04 Greenwich Mean Time 1 March 2020

    St Johnstone v Celtic (15:00)

    Okay, Hibernian, Hearts and Aberdeen have booked their places in the Scottish Cup semi-finals, so who's going to join them?

    Holders Celtic are at in Perth to take on St Johnstone this afternoon looking to continue their stranglehold on domestic silverware.

    We have the action from McDiarmid Park covered with BBC Radio Scotland commentary and text updates and don't forget the draw will be coming up shortly after full time.

    Scottish CupImage source, SNS
    Image caption,

    Who will lift the Scottish Cup at Hampden on 9 May?