YFS
Hibs won a hard-fought battle with Celtic on penalties, securing their spot at Hampden in the SYFA cup final.
The hosts were the first to threaten when Fraser Murray managed to bring out a powerful strike from the edge of the box which headed towards the bottom left corner, but the right hand from Ross Doohan was enough to deny an early lead in the second minute. Murray was unlucky once again not to put the team from the capital in front in the 3rd minute after Celtic captain Robbie Deas heroically threw himself in front of the wingers shot from close range.
Celtic got their first chance in the fourth minute when Michael Johnston showed his trickery down the right wing and sent a bullet of a cross in, which was unlucky not to be met by a teammate. Johnston was at it again in the 8th minute, this time from a free kick which went narrowly over the bar.
The end-to-end action continued at Easter road when Ryan Shanley made room for himself in the box but saw his finish sail over the bar in the 18th minute. The next chance for the hosts came in the 23rd minute when Adam Watson smartly found F. Murray at the edge of the box, who couldn't be anymore unlucky when his strike was deflected over Doohan and clipping the underside of the bar.
Celtic’s youngest ever scorer, Jack Aitchison was the next to threaten for Celtic in the 31st minute when he touched the ball down at the back post but saw his shot go wide of the target. The bar was struck again in the 34th minute, this time the Hibs bar, when Johnston found Ewan Henderson who had his powerful effort tipped onto the woodwork by keeper Maciej Dabrowski. Defender Stephen Welsh was then unfortunate to find his curling strike go just over from the resulting corner.
F. Murray was courageously denied once again by a Celtic defensive block when Stephen Welsh flung himself in front of the close ranged effort in the 36th minute. Hibs continued the pressure when a minute later Adam Watson had an attempt from range which was comfortably saved by Doohan. A long-range attempt from Hibees defender Callum Donaldson which cruised over the bar in the 40th minute, ended up being the climax of an action packed first half.
