Match Reports - Celtic v Hibernian (Scottish Cup Final) 17 may 08

Hibs Ladies:- Now For The Title

With two trophies already in their possession this season, the bad news for the rest of the Scottish Women’s Premier League is that Hibernian Ladies are not finished yet! With four games remaining Hibs know that the destination of the title is very much in their own hands. On Sunday they added to the Premier League Cup they won earlier in the season by defeating Celtic to lift the 2008 Scottish Cup but Hibs were made to fight all the way by the Glasgow side.

In the seventh minute of extra time Joelle Murray gave Hibernian the lead with a stunning volley as Celtic’s defensive resolve was finally broken. The Scotland Internationalist’s strike proved to be a pivotal point in the match and from then on there was only ever going to be one winner. Joelle provided a clinical finish to an excellent team move but even she was surprised to see it hit the back of the net.

”The goal is a bit of a blur. Kirsty had the ball out on the left wing; she crossed it in and Granty missing it - I saw it coming to the back post so I held back. I chested it down and remember thinking this is a good chance for a strike. I hit it and straight away knew I got a good connection but even then I thought the keeper would get her hand to it. I was delighted to see it hit the back of the net – as you could tell by my celebration!

Joelle received a nasty knock on her ankle after chasing down a lost cause but there was no way she was going to let an injury ruin her Scottish Cup dreams. Murray commented: ”I could see the goalkeeper coming out for the ball but I thought I could nip in before her. I hurt my ankle but knew that I would have to carry on regardless as our squad is so small. I ran it off and although it was still sore I managed to carry on for the rest of the game. There was no way I was coming off at such a crucial point in a Scottish Cup final.”

While the first half was fairly even, the second half saw Hibernian Ladies create, and also pass up, chance after chance. When you fail to kill off an opponent there is always the chance that you could be made to pay for your slackness but Joelle never feared Celtic would punish Hibs, instead believing that if her team-mates continued to play as they were, they would emerge winners.

The goal hero said: ”I knew deep down that we had the quality and experience to win the game. We had a lot of chances throughout and knew that if we took just one it would give us the lift we needed. I think the whole squad is feeling the effects of such a long and hard season as we have played a lot of games in the last few weeks. However, we have such a great team spirit and everyone battles for each other, which I think, gets us through tough games.”

There were a number of fine performances in the Hibernian side but one player stood head and shoulder above everyone else. Mandy Burns was inspirational in the middle of the park, pulling all the strings to orchestrate yet another cup success for her side. Joelle was quick to praise her team-mate and to thank her for providing the motivation during an energy sapping final encounter.

”Mandy Burns was outstanding, she covered every blade of grass. She's such an experienced player to have in your squad and for me personally, she played a huge part in our success. There were times where I wasn't in the game and not getting much of the play but she constantly gave me encouragement and the drive to keep going. She controlled the middle of the park and allowed other to play around her.”

Watching her former team-mates clinch the Scottish Cup was Kim Little, the Scotland Internationalist joined Arsenal Ladies at the turn of the year but her contribution to Hibs success this season was not forgotten. While it would have been easy for the Hibernian players to get caught up in the moment, thinking of their own achievement, the girls brought Little down from the McDiarmid Park Main Stand to join them in their celebrations – with Kim even collecting a medal.

Joelle explained: ”Kim played a major part in two-thirds of our season - she was one of our best and most consistent players in nearly every game. It was sad to see her leave for Arsenal Ladies but, all the girls knew she would be able hold her own in the woman's game down south. She qualified for a medal as she played the majority of the games in the cup run in. We had agreed beforehand that we wanted Kim to come down to collect her medal and be part of the team on such a special day for everyone involved with Hibernian Ladies. She will always be a Hibee!”

Most weeks Hibernian are only able to name one substitute because the size of their squad is so small and that makes their achievements all the more remarkable. Joelle commented: ”Given the fact we have had such a small squad for the majority of the season, it makes our success even more enjoyable. We have not had the luxuries of being able to make two or three subs a game. Regardless of slight knocks and injuries everyone has battled on and continued to give 100% for Hibernian Ladies.”

With two trophies in the bag, the girls are now determined to make one final push and claim the biggest prize of them all – the league title. Currently Hibernian trail rivals Glasgow City but with the pair set to face each other next weekend, Hibs know that should they win all four of their remaining fixtures, they will be champions for the third season in a row. Murray said; “We are confident in our ability but we also know the threat City possess. They are a strong team, with quality players all over the park and it will depend on who plays better on the day.

“City are and have been our main rivals for a few seasons now, every game we play against them is very competitive and close to call. Knowing that we will win the treble if we win all our remaining games gives us an even greater incentive and makes us even more determined to come away from the City game with three points. The City game is a huge one for everyone involved at Hibernian Ladies, we have already won the Premier League and Scottish Cup’s but this game is going to be the biggest game of our season.”