Super subs Fitzharris and Twardzik win the cup for Celtic

A wondergoal from Sean Fitzharris swung the SFA Youth Cup Final Celtic's way as the young hoops sealed the u-19 double.

After a less than memorable first half the second half turned out to be much more lively with substitutes Fitzharris and Filip Twardzik turning the game Celtic's way.

Goalkeeper Danielle Giordano played a massive part in the win with a point blank save from Archie Campbell just four minutes before Fitzharris's opener.

"We felt that if we played as we can we would win," coach Stevie Frail explained afterwards. "But in cup finals, especially an Old Firm match, it's about who can handle the occassion, who has the bottle and mental strength.

"In the second half we showed exactly what we've had all season. You need determination and desire to succeed, it's not only about silky soccer and we tell the players that.

"We should have played better tonight on a good surface but nerves and the way cup finals go had an impact.

"Winning trophies helps players to develop. If we finish in mid-table at u-19s and don't win a cup then I don't think that we're going to have many players good enough to get a first team chance.

"We want to be successful by playing in the right way. Without being blase a lot of the stuff that we've played this season has been excellent."

Despite having the balance of possession in the first half Celtic failed to carve out any meaningful chances.

Greig Spence cut an isolated figure up front with only some bursts from James Forrest down the left flank causing Rangers any concern.

Spence forced a good save out of Grant Adams four minutes into the second half but the game really livened up in the 54th minute when Giordano pulled off a fantastic instinctive save from Campbell.

"I think that was the turning point in the game," Frail added. 
"Their striker hit it well but it was a reaction save and we went up the park and scored.

"Strikers and scorers get the praise and headlines, rightly so because it's difficult putting the ball in the net but Danielle had a fantastic save tonight."

Shortly after that save Fitzharris replaced the injured Darren McCauley with the substitute making an incredible impact within two minutes of coming on.

Coming in off the left flank with little in the way of options the substitute let rip with a fierce dipping shot that flew across Adams into the far corner of the net.

"Jordan Lowden wanted me to pass the ball and was ready to shout at me but it was great to find the net," the goalscorer explained.

"I'm not going to lie, I was devastated to be on the bench tonight. From the bench I had a desire to get on and do something but to score a goal like that was amazing.

"There was a bit of luck involved in it but it was a great feeling to find the net.

"As soon as I got on the park I forgot about being dropped and concentrated on playing my game.

"You can't argue with the manager's decisions. We've got quality throughout the whole squad, myself and Filip came on and scored the two goals."

Even by their own high standards the noise coming from the Green Brigade increased after Fitzharris's goal with Celtic starting to play with an extra level of confidence.

In the 68th minute Spence went off suffering from cramp with substitute Twardzik waiting three minutes before nodding home an inswinging free-kick from James Keatings.

Rangers never really looked like getting back into the match but they were given no encouragement from the Celtic defence marshalled by skipper Matty Hughes and Deccy Gallagher in front of the impressive Giordano.

After the presentations and celebrations had died down a little Frail explained the decision to bench Fitzharris despite the key role that he had played in securing the title.

The hoops coach added: "Players worry about themselves, I have to worry and think about the squad. We know that Sean can play, it was a hard decision to leave him out because he did very well against Rangers at Murray Park a few weeks ago.

"I could see on Tuesday that he was dissapointed, I would expect nothing else. We picked the team, he was part of the squad, he took it on board and didn't sit and sulk.

"He was around the team and when we asked him to go and do it he delivered. It was a fantastic goal and he was brought down for the free-kick that led to the second goal."

On Friday Celtic complete their domestic campaign away to Hearts in the SPL.

CELTIC: Giordano; Towell, Hughes, G Gallagher (S O'Donnell 89), Lowdon; Bagshaw, G Gallagher, McCauley (Fitzharris 56); Keatings, Spence (F Twardzik 68), Forrest. SUBS Kennedy, McGregor

RANGERS: Adams; Durie (McCausland 77), Cole (Wiktorski 83), Scott, Wylde; Ness (Dick 63), McGeouch, Hutton, McCabe; Campbell, Naismith SUBS Weir, Wright.

Some great pictures from the match

Totally mental celebration picture! 

Youths throw away two points to Hamilton

Two goals in the last eight minutes from Hamilton Accies denied Celtic's youth side a winning return to league business.

Last weekend it was Stebie Frail's side that came from behind to win 5-4 away to Dundee United but slack defending allowed Hamilton to salvage a point from a game that was no showcase for youth football.

There was a frantic pace to the game from the first whistle with both side's testing the patience of the inexperienced young referee with Celtic's Filip Twardzik coming in for some especially rough treatment.

Frail made two changes to the side that started against Dundee United with Connor Frailey replacing Andy Kennedy in goals and supersub Sean Fitzharris starting in place of James Forrest. Fitzharris played on the left wing with James Keatings switched over to the right with Greig Spence alone through the centre.

Celtic forced a couple of early corners but there was no real pattern or purpose to their play with Hamilton competing strongly throughout the park

In the 18th minute Celtic went in front with a goal created and scored by Fitzharris. After beating his man to the bye-line his cross deep into the box was returned goalwards by Grant Gallagher, Keatings fired the ball goalwards with Fitzharris popping up to net from close range with the Hamilton defence claiming for offside.

Four minutes into the second half Spence was replaced by Bahrudin Atajic, a 16-year-old striker signed last month from Malmo in Sweden.

The points looked to be secured in the 67th minute when Darren McCauley netted his first goal after signing on loan from Derry City. McCauley's amateur status at Derry apparently entitles the club to compensation despite the financial problems that the club has had.

With a sizeable group of supporters, led by his elder sister Lorraine over from his boys club Top of the Hill Celtic, McCauley received a pass from Fitzharris 15 yards from goal and turned impressively before angling in a right footed shot beyond Accies keeper Gary Inglis.

McCauley is noticably bigger and stronger than most of his team-mates and became more involved as the game developed although he did look short on fitness which is understadable since he hasn't played regularly since October.

With ten minutes left Curtis Jones, who joined up alongside Josh Thompson and Michael Ordish from Stockport County, replaced McCauley with the points looking secure

Two minutes later Hamilton pulled a goal back when substitute Euan Lindsay took advantage of shoddy defending to net past Fairley from close range before Kevin Komer scored direct from a corner with two minutes left to play.

CELTIC: Fairley, G Gallagher, Hughes, D Gallagher, Lowden; McCauley, Towell, Twardzik; Keatings, Spence, Fitzharris

SUBS: Kennedy, P Twardzik, Marsden, Jones (McCauley 80min), Ordish, Atajic (Spence 49min), McGregor.

Full match report: Dundee United 4-5 Celtic- Twardzik is the goal hero

by Joe McHugh Celtic's u-19 side showed great character to recover from being 4-1 down to beat Dundee United 5-4 to book a place in the semi final's of the SFA Youth Cup.

Filip Twardzik was the 88th minute hero to clinch the tie with Greg Spence, substitute Sean Fitzharris and two goal James Forrest also on the scoresheet.

Stevie Frail's side looked dead and buried when the homeside went 4-1 up early in the second-half but inspired by Fitzharris and Forrest switching to the left wing Celtic refused to give up and were rewarded in the end.

Even allowing for the fact that they hadn't played a competitive game in two months it was a below par first-half performance from Celtic that United capitalised on to go in front.

Frail admitted: "We just didn't turn up for the first half and that was a real disappointment. We started sloppily then scored the first goal, lost an equaliser and that set us back.

"To be 3-1 down at half-time was a real sickener but it was all that we deserved. We had to rally them at half-time and told them that the next goal was all important!

"It was important because after going 4-1 down we could have gone one way or the other. Thankfully they dug in to win, I'm really pleased with them and proud of their performance."

There were wholesale changes to the defence with only Declan Gallacher playing in his usual role in the centre alongside captain Matt Hughes returning from injury.

Grant Gallacher moved over to right-back with Jordon Lowden replacing Kieron Brennan at left back in front of Andy Kennedy who took over in goals from Danielle Giordano.

Richie Towell moved from right back to centre midfield alongside former Derry City man Darren McCauley who was making his competitive debut. Twardzik started in front of the midfield with the usual forward selection of Forrest on the right, James Keatings on the left and Greg Spence through the centre.

In the eighteenth minute Celtic created their first chance of the day when Forrest and Twardzik opened up the home defence but Forrest's cross from the left was just too high for Spence in the six yard box.

Three minutes later Celtic went in front when United keeper Marc McCallum failed to hold a low drive from Lowdon with Spence perfectly placed to tuck away the rebound.

Unfortunately the lead only lasted two minutes with Kennedy at fault as Ross Smith outjumped him to a header in the six yard box following a cross from the left.

Within ten minutes Celtic managed to lose two more goals with Scott Allen powering in a great shot from 18 yards out before Dale Hilson shook off the Celtic defence before firing his low shot past Kennedy at the keeper's near post.

Celtic did come back into the match as the half closed with Keatings heading wide from six yards out following a cross from Declan Gallacher after the home side had failed to clear a corner from Forrest on the left.

For the second half Celtic made one change with Fitzharris replacing Lowden. Fitzharris moved into right midfield with Forrest swapping over to the left and Twardzik dropping to left-back.

It looked to be all over in the 52nd minute when Michael Lee chipped Kennedy from 25 yards but two minutes later Fitzharris pulled a goal back when he netted on the half volley after Declan Gallacher nodded down a long throw from Towell.

Celtic were back in the game now with a fighting chance with the time wasting of the home side galvanising Frail's side with Fitzharris's direct running upsetting the United back four.

Fitzharris was at the heart of the action in the 64th minute when his shot was parried by McCallum with Forrest happy to net from the rebound.

United captain Smith was substituted suffering from cramp while Celtic sent on striker Johny Marsden to replace McCauley as they chased an equaliser.

Twardzik failed to make the most of a couple of inswinging free kicks from the right delivered with his left foot but he was to make ammends for that spectacularly before the end!

United coach Stevie Campbell was getting increasingly anxious as his side dropped deeper and deeper with his fears realised in the 86th minute when Forrest netted from a loose ball in the box although Spence was hovering around and attempting to put in a claim for the goal.

The homeside could have been back in front in the 87th minute but Kennedy produced a good block as the United bench screamed for a penalty which required the intervention of the referee before the corner could be taken.

Celtic broke quickly from the corner with Forrest releasing the ball to Twardzik as four Celtic players raced across the halfway line. Twardzik teed up Marsden for a shot at goal but when the keeper blocked the substitute's shot Twardzik kept his cool to drill the ball low into the net before being mobbed by celebrating team-mates.

After recent events it was a relief to see Celtic hold out through five minutes of additional time with Frail delighted by the attitude shown by his players.

He said: "We know that we have got good footballers but when you come to tough places like this you have to battle and scratch.

"When you wear a Celtic jersey, whatever level it is at, teams want to beat you. A lot of our players are aware of that having come through the system at the club from an early age.

"At 4-1 they rolled their sleeves up, got the second goal, and although there was still a long way to go they came back to win 5-4 and I was very pleased for them."

CELTIC: Kennedy, G Gallacher, Hughes, D Gallacher, Lowdon; Forrest, Towell, McCauley, Twardzik; Forrest, Spence, Keatings SUBS Fitzharris (Lowdon 46) Marsden (McAuley69)

Goals: Spence 21, Fitzharris 54, Forrest 64 & 86, Twardzik 88