Hearts 1 Celtic 1

Teenage striker Aiden McGeady outshone Henrik Larsson with a debut goal at Tynecastle on Sunday to show there might be life for the Hoops after the Swede's departure.

The 18-year-old served notice of his ability to manager Martin O'Neill, who is exploring the possibility of spending millions on a new marksman to replace Larsson this summer, and his goal would have brought another three points but for Mark de Vries' equaliser.

With the Bank of Scotland Premier League title wrapped up, O'Neill used the trip to the capital to experiment in preparation for life after Larsson with five changes from the side which lost their unbeaten league record to Aberdeen.

Out went Momo Sylla, Paul Lambert, Jackie McNamara, Stephen McManus and Ross Wallace and in came McGeady, Bobo Balde, Liam Miller, Jamie Smith and Johan Mjallby.

Hearts manager Craig Levein also tinkered with his European-bound side, who drew at Parkhead recently, with recalls for Scott Severin, Phil Stamp and Paul Hartley with Christophe Berra, Steven Boyack and Neil MacFarlane making way.

McGeady showed some good early touches with little pressure on him with the home fans more interested in jeering Hearts chief executive Chris Robinson and Celtic midfielder Neil Lennon.

The visitors always looked dangerous and Hearts defender Andy Webster had to head the ball behind after Stanislav Varga got on the end of Stilian Petrov's cross.

Hearts took some time to settle down as Kevin McKenna fired over the top before heading Robbie Neilson's cross wide in the 16th minute.

But McGeady showed why Manchester United and Arsenal had been tracking him when he made an instant impact on the first team with a clinical strike in the 18th minute.

Petrov's cross skimmed off the head of Varga and the teenager calmly volleyed the ball in off the post from nine yards.

It was easy to forget that Celtic goalkeeper David Marshall was only a teenager as well and he had no problem in saving Phil Stamp's weak effort in the 32nd minute.

The midfielder hurt himself trying to shoot and was forced to leave the field moments later to be replaced by Joe Hamill.

That prompted the first protest from the Tynecastle crowd, who held up sheets of paper with messages against Robinson and their proposed move to Murrayfield next season.

But Andy Kirk should have given those fans an equaliser to celebrate in the 32nd minute after finding himself clean through on goal.

Marshall raced off his line to save his initial effort and the ball fell kindly to him but with all the goal to aim for he blazed the ball over the crossbar from 14 yards.

McGeady's low shot in the 35th minute was comfortably saved by Gordon.

At the other end Kirk should have done better from six yards in the 43rd minute but he failed to make a solid connection and Marshall made a comfortable save.

McGeady again produced an impressive piece of skill to leave Webster for dead but his attempted chip was easily held by Gordon.

Levein made a change in the 56th minute by bringing on top-scorer de Vries for Patrick Kisnorbo.

The Dutchman was presented with a good chance to draw his side level five minutes later but he was stretching as he fired wide from inside the area.

Webster was booked in the 67th minute to concede a free-kick and Larsson was inches away from getting on the end of Smith's cross.

McGeady was given a great reception from the travelling support and hugs from the manager and his backroom team as he came off to be replaced by Craig Beattie in the 68th minute.

Larsson went close again in the 70th minute when his glancing header, from Petrov's corner, flashed just wide.

But Celtic paid the price for that in the 73rd minute when de Vries capitalised on Mjallby's misjudgement to steer Severin's free-kick in off the post.

Hartley almost won the match for Hearts in the 85th minute - but Marshall produced some heroics of his own to dive to his left to tip Hartley's drive around the post.

The goalkeeper again saved the champions in the dying minutes with a superb stop from de Vries.

Teams

Hearts Gordon, Pressley, Webster, Severin, Neilson, Stamp (Hamill 26), Hartley, Kisnorbo (de Vries 56), Maybury, McKenna, Kirk (Weir 84).

Subs Not Used: Moilanen, MacFarlane.

Booked: Webster.

Goals: de Vries 74.

Celtic Marshall, Agathe, Varga, Balde, Mjallby, Miller, Lennon, Petrov, Smith, McGeady (Beattie 68), Larsson.

Subs Not Used: McGovern, Sylla, Lambert, McManus.

Goals: McGeady 17.

Att: 12,112

Ref: K Clark (Scotland).

Taken from sportinglife.com