Hibernian 0 Celtic 3: Homework takes hard work out of perfunctory final triumph

Michael Grant
Chief football writer
Monday 27 May 2013

OTHERS can blether all they like about voodoo, hexes, or gypsies' curses being possible factors in Hibernian's mournful Scottish Cup history, but Celtic did not approach the 2013 final relying on superstition to see them through.

The two goals which broke the back of Hibs' challenge were the product of homework and the suspicion that Hibs would not properly defend crosses to their back post. Gary Hooper got in there in the eighth and 30th minutes, both times on the end of deliveries from man of the match Anthony Stokes, and helped himself to two goals. There were 28 points and six places between these clubs in the final Clydesdale Bank Premier League table and in this low key, one-sided final it showed. Celtic were always in control, always comfortable and brought home their first league and cup double since 2007 with plenty to spare.

Joe Ledley added a late third but there was to be no repeat of last year's abject humiliation for Hibs, a fact recognised by the impressive resilience and appreciation shown by their vast support. Sure, a few headed for the aisles at Ledley's goal but there was no mass exodus this time. This was not another 5-1 capitulation against Hearts; rather an inevitable and unavoidable defeat to a clearly superior team. Their fans stayed to show loud gratitude to manager Pat Fenlon and his players, especially that one-man Hibee phenomenon, Leigh Griffiths.

This wasn't his day – no goal, only one real chance which squirted across the goalmouth and wide – and he waved to the stands afterwards like a man who knows he won't be back next season. Nor did Alex Harris give the shining performance they needed, the teenager unable to make an impression. Hibs could have won only if they'd had one or two outstanding individual performances. Instead Celtic quietly suffocated them.

Griffiths got in behind Charlie Mulgrew and touched the ball past Fraser Forster just before half-time with Celtic two-up. Agonisingly the ball ran away from him, leaving him too tight an angle to quite cut the ball between the posts rather than across them and wide. That was Hibs' defining moment. Otherwise Celtic's authority in midfield starved Griffiths of possession and without that Hibs withered.

Ledley, Brown and James Forrest, unusually quite central, played behind Kris Commons and the front two. All of them grafted hard. With Hooper's lethal finishing and Stokes's general strength and menace, Celtic won without having to go through the gears.

They have offered up some sorry performances at Hampden under Neil Lennon's management – this was only their sixth win in 11 visits under him – but they were sharp and focused throughout this one. Eoin Doyle put a header too close to Forster in the game's first chance but it stretches belief to contend that even a Hibs opener would have denied Celtic.

Hooper's goals were expertly finished, although both were more notable for the dreadful defending which allowed them. There were almost too many mistakes to list for the opener. Mikael Lustig was permitted far too much room to deliver a cross from the right wing and then Alan Maybury took a fresh air swipe which failed to clear it at the back post. Then – and let's call this phase two – when Stokes whipped the ball back across goal Ben Williams neither intercepted the cross nor protected his post. Paul Hanlon and Ryan McGivern allowed Hooper in between them to convert with an athletic, skilful finish.

It was so straightforward and rewarding for Celtic that they repeated it 22 minutes later, scoring again. Another Stokes cross to the back post and Hooper there again, between Hanlon and McGivern, again, to leap and connect with a lovely downward header into the net. Far too easy. Hibs were so vulnerable that Celtic tried to turn them simply by lobbing it over the top for runners from midfield. That should have yielded a goal for Ledley between Hooper's strikes but he struck a shot straight at Williams.

Hibs had been three-nil down at half-time in the semi-final, but Celtic are no Falkirk. Fenlon did his best to change things, first trying to shore up the midfield by pulling Doyle right in a 4-5-1, then taking him off and putting Ross Caldwell up with Griffiths to return to a 4-4-2. It didn't matter. They didn't have midfielders with the creativity or instinct to go for Celtic's throat. Hibs fans implored them to go forward but Kevin Thomson, Jorge Claros and Tom Taiwo saw no options and kept playing sideways.

Ledley's goal finished everything. Lustig delivered a cross from the right which might have fallen for Hooper or Georgios Samaras but instead came to Ledley, who rifled a shot into the top corner. By then the Celtic fans were happily singing about Tommy Burns, Henrik Larsson and Paddy McCourt. The latter then came on for looked to be a final Celtic appearance, the moment enhanced by him taking possession of the captain's armband.

Griffiths had already trudged off to an ovation from the fans packing the other end. They raised their arms to salute him, but there was only going to be one team lifting the cup.

Taken from the Herald