[Lord Snooty]

2-0 to Caley Thistle at half time. Job's nearly done. 45 minutes off the Final.

Big thanks to VAR for the first one though.

[Lord Snooty]

3-0. Hampden here we come.

[ritchiebaby]

ICT won because they were much more clinical in front of goal. Most chances that Falkirk had came from ICT individual errors, which should have been punished. I was most impressed with the ICT pressing when Falkirk had much of thier possession, which kept the Bairns at bay, especially in the first half.

[ritchiebaby]

Much as expected the Scottish Cup Final is Inverness CT against Celtic, which will be played on Saturday 3 June at Hampden Park.

Today Rangers were much the same as Falkirk yesterday - not enough fire in their bellies and not good enough in the final third.

A word of warning to ICT fans, though. Regarding the perfectly correct VAR decision for your penalty, don't expect the same decision for the same offence by Celtic! 

[Lord Snooty]

I said that at the time. Ain't no way that's a penalty against Celtic or Rangers.

[0762]

Any player whose arm is hit by a football from close range when his back is actually turned away from play, and he has no idea where the ball is directed, is exceptionally unlucky to have a pk called against him TBF!! Indeed, the unintentional nature of this kinda offence really deems such a pk award as farcical. IMO the rule and interpretation covering this type of pk offence should be reviewed by FIFA and simplified to cut out the ambiguity covering said pk offence esp after observing countless farcical pk awards like this one (not just in Scottish footie btw) in the past 12 months or more.

[ritchiebaby]

To be fair to the officials, my understanding is that if the defending player has his arm/hand away from his body and the ball strikes his arm/hand then it is a penalty. That way there is no ambiguity as to whether he meant it or not.

Otherwise all a defender has to do is to turn his back and move his arms/hands slightly away from his body and claim he didn't deliberately do it.

All I would ask for is consistency in the application of the rule.

[0762]

I would just add to that comment that there are lots of instances where one can see that players didn't deliberately handle the football and the giveaway is the genuine expression of concern re being penalised - i.e. there was no intention to handle the ball whatsoever and in many of these incidents one can see the unseeing position of a player where his natural body movement has rendered him vulnerable to close hard hit passes or crosses on goal. Exceptions must be applied and this is where the inconsistency arises time n time again where ref common sense doesn't prevail. IMO changing the original rule re hand ball pks has "opened up a can of worms" and made the situation worse rather than better and improved. The idea that a player can move in a reasonably natural position and get hit on the arm because he didn't "tuck his arms in enough" - tough! It's a pk anyway!!??? Ludicrous and unfair!! But everyone to their own opinion! I've played hundreds n hundreds of competitive footie matches in my youth and twenties and, from a practical point of view, I must say I sympathise greatly with players inadvertently "caught out" by this revised rule covering that particular offence. Also referees deserve some sympathy in having to apply these rules in a live highly competitive and fast-moving situation.

[0762]

https://www.heraldscotland.com/sport/234...me-change/

So the traditional Saturday 3.00pm KO time for the Scottish Cup final is delayed in favour of the English FA Cup final??????? I'm not surprised Celtic FC is officially "disappointed"!!! And I'm sure ICT officials will view this in the same way when one considers the logistics for any highland jags' fans heading south to Glasgow. This sudden move is clearly driven by the needs of the tv broadcasting companies and we are observing Scottish footie being relegated in favour of the Manchester derby with the SFA happy to accede!!??? Should they have drawn lots to follow this process objectively?????? I think it should've been done in this way!!

[Lord Snooty]

Caley fans are not happy at all. Neither are the club. Last train to Inverness leaves at seven.