War of words as Celtic go through

Dunfermline - 0 Celtic - 3: An astonishing row overshadowed a mundane Scottish Cup-tie that saw Celtic ease into the quarter-finals at the expense of an impoverished Dunfermline.

Before the game, Dunfermline's chairman John Yorkston lit the fuse on an altercation that will have further ramifications when he declared that Celtic's defender Bobo Balde has probably caused more injuries this season than his club's notorious plastic pitch.

That drew a withering after-match response from Celtic's manager Martin O'Neill, who demanded the Scottish Football Association take action against Yorkston.

It was a remarkable backdrop to a tie that was effectively won by 10 minutes past noon after goals from John Hartson and Chris Sutton.

The Welshman added a third just before half-time that rendered the second 45 minutes pointless, although the home team restored a degree of pride, albeit as they embarked on damage limitation.

Rab Douglas saved well from Andrius Skerla and Noel Hunt hit the bar but that was the sum of Dunfermline's threat whereas Celtic created any number of decent chances.

But the match took second place as the two clubs, who have been at loggerheads in the past, principally over Sutton's claims two years ago that Dunfermline laid down to Rangers on the last day of the season to hand the Ibrox club the title, engaged in a new row.

It was prompted initially by O'Neill's claim in midweek he would not risk his loan signing Craig Bellamy on the surface that is part of a continuing UEFA experiment. Yorkston's pre-match response in a radio interview was to insist medical records showed no increase in injuries on the synthetic surface and added: "Bobo Balde is probably responsible for more injuries this season than our surface."

Celtic were unaware of that comment until the tie was over but when informed O'Neill was furious.

"You could certainly say it was inflammatory and a crassly ignorant comment from someone who has made similar crassly ignorant comments in the past," he said. "The players don't know about it yet but I would imagine they will be horrified. I would want a big apology for that one, although I think he should also be up before the SFA because it is simply not true."

On the plastic pitch, O'Neill said: "As far as I am aware there is not a manager or a team in the country who want to play on it because it is not a surface conducive to football."

Yorkston was later asked for a further word on the issue and replied: "This was a tongue-in-cheek comment and anyone would take it that way. It was meant as a joke. If people take it any other way, then I regret it."

While Bellamy was missing, O'Neill did give another January-signing, Stephane Henchoz, his debut. He played in an unaccustomed full-back role, replacing Jackie McNamara.

Balde was booked for a foul on Hunt and there also yellow cards for Hartson, now banned for the next tie against opponents to be determined in tonight's draw, and Dunfermline's Greg Ross.