Hearts 1 - 2 Celtic

A return to the national stadium to face Dundee United on May 28 was secured by goals from Chris Sutton and Craig Bellamy, the game's outstanding player, as Hearts failed to recreate the form which earned a 2-0 win at Parkhead eight days previously.

That result inflicted potentially grievous damage to Celtic's hopes of retaining the title and led some within Tynecastle, including Paul Hartley, to later suggest there was now little to fear from O'Neill's squad.

The Northern Irishman may not adhere to the old cliché of pinning newspaper clippings to dressing-room noticeboards, but the words had been noted. Providing additional motivation to a wounded Old Firm side is rarely a sage move.

"It was a wee incentive for us," admitted Neil Lennon, who helped establish midfield dominance for Celtic. "It was a semi-final, so of course you want to win it anyway, but there was also what happened last week and their reaction to the game. We're seen as a big scalp and that's understandable but, for me, they seemed to be going in a bit too over-confident."

The first half had seen a number of peevish tussles but any bad blood has been let. "I think there was probably a bit of a carry-over from last week," said Lennon. "But you could see the camaraderie and respect between the players at the end."

Hearts, a section of whose supporters marred a minute's silence for Pope John Paul II, staged something of a late rally after Deividas Cesnauskis lobbed past David Marshall with 30 minutes remaining, but the majority of possession and scoring opportunity was always against them. The 1988 final was the last contested by Celtic and United and few would wager against a similar positive outcome for the Parkhead club.

"If it's anything like the game at Tannadice, it should be a cracker," said Lennon, in reference to Celtic's 3-2 victory last month. "They've got good players so sometimes you wonder why they are in trouble in the league."

Talks over a new contract for the 33-year-old midfielder have progressed with the speed of an arthritic sloth but Lennon isn't dwelling on the possibility of a Hampden farewell to Celtic.

"I'd prefer to win the league probably. It's all ifs and buts and we're still relatively early in the talks. Hopefully, my agent will be up next week and we can see where my future is going to lie."

Hearts took a long time to recover from the concussion of the blow Sutton inflicted after just three minutes. Alan Thompson and Stilian Petrov worked a short corner which the English midfielder whipped to the near edge of the six-yard box. Steven Pressley and Andy Webster were bystanders as Sutton surged forward, reaching the ball before a flailing Craig Gordon and bulleting a header into the net.

It was the perfect marker of Sutton's importance to Celtic, having returned to the side following a hamstring injury. He may be a utility player in terms of adaptability, but such a dowdy term does not reflect his quality and influence.

The remainder of the first half was an endurance test as the football plumbed dismal depths. Hearts were unable to establish any midfield pattern and, when they tried a direct approach, Mark Burchill and Lee Miller were bounced around by the brutes of the Parkhead defence.

Celtic did manage, however, to produce a few moments of cabaret-style light relief for the Tynecastle support. O'Neill tripped over water bottles in his technical area, John Hartson had a marvellous fresh-air swipe and Petrov hit one of the worst free-kicks this old stadium has ever seen. All brought bigger cheers from the maroon-clad than anything mustered by their team in the first half.

Three minutes into the second half Celtic doubled their advantage. Hartson, who is still not moving freely, knocked on a punt from Stanislav Varga and the ball cannoned clumsily off Hartley inside the penalty area. Bellamy pounced hungrily on the loose ball, wheeling to send a shot past Gordon at his near post. It seemed a dire error from goalkeeper but he offered an excuse afterwards. "The ball took a deflection off Webster's studs and that took it over my hand," he said.

Almost from nowhere, Hearts were filled with hope by Cesnauskis. The Lithuanian, who replaced Robbie Neilson at half-time, ran between Lennon and Varga in the inside-right channel to loft an angled right-foot effort beyond Marshall. The game opened as Hearts pressed for a replay but their one real chance fell to the wrong player.

With 13 minutes left, a low cross from Cesnauskis found Webster in space 12 yards from goal. The centre-back deferred from shooting, however, and laid the ball to Burchill, who had marginal room and was blocked by Jackie McNamara.

Bellamy almost claimed the second goal his vapour-trail movement deserved, but Gordon finger-tipped brilliantly away from his feet as Celtic threatened more on the break.

Taken from the Herald