Celtic face Hibernian this afternoon in the Scottish Gas Scottish Cup Quarter Final. The Scottish Champions host David Gray’s in-form side, who are unbeaten in 15 games. Celtic will be looking to secure a return to Hampden as they look to secure a Treble while Hibs look to provide a giant killing of their own.
The teams met a few weeks ago at Easter Rd, which Hibs won 2-1, although, Celtic have a better history in the fixture that they’ll be looking to continue.
One of the earliest and most notable clashes occurred on 26 April 1902, when Hibernian faced Celtic in the Scottish Cup Final. The match, originally slated for Ibrox Park, was relocated to Celtic Park following the tragic first Ibrox disaster. Hibernian emerged victorious with a 1-0 win, securing their second Scottish Cup title. This triumph, however, stands as a rare highlight in an otherwise challenging series of fixtures at Celtic Park. 
The 1970s and 1980s saw Hibernian endure heavy defeats in the Scottish Cup at Celtic Park. On 6 May 1972, they suffered a 6-1 loss to Celtic in the final, a result that equalled the record for the highest margin in a Scottish Cup final. This match underscored the dominance of Celtic during that era and highlighted the challenges Hibernian faced when competing against them on such a significant stage. 
Further difficulties were evident on 12 April 1980, when Hibernian faced Celtic in a Scottish Cup semi-final at Hampden Park. Despite the neutral venue, the proximity to Celtic’s home ground and the overwhelming support for the Glasgow side contributed to a 5-0 defeat for Hibernian. This match exemplified the uphill battle Hibernian often faced in such high-stakes encounters against Celtic.
The trend continued on 16 April 1989, when Hibernian once again met Celtic in a Scottish Cup semi-final at Hampden Park. Despite a valiant effort, Hibernian succumbed to a 3-1 defeat, further cementing the narrative of their struggles against Celtic in the Scottish Cup during that period. 
In 2001, Martin O’Neill’s Celtic secured a Treble by beating Hibs at Hampden in the Scottish Cup Final. Likewise in 2013, when Neil Lennon’s side completed the Double with a Hampden win over Pat Fenlon’s Hibs.
Celtic have history firmly on their side but Hibs will be full of confidence. While they were lucky to win in the league meeting last month, Hibs set up to frustrate Celtic and the first half was perfectly executed by David Gray’s troops. They will be targeting a similar game plan this afternoon and it is up to Celtic to make things difficult for them. A place in the next round is at stake and for Celtic, the chance to continue the dominance of the Scottish game.
