Hibernian 0 Celtic 3

Gary Hooper hit two first-half goals for the SPL champions before Joe Ledley finished the game off in the 79th-minute.

It was all Neil Lennon's men deserved as they controlled the game from start to finish - with Hibs unable to really trouble Fraser Forster in the Hoops goal.

Leigh Griffiths was unable to finish his Hibs career on a high as he was starved of any real service all afternoon.

But it was man of the match Anthony Stokes who made the biggest impression after assisting the first two and having a hand in the third goal.

The inclusion of the Irishman in the Celtic starting eleven was a surprise but it paid off for Lennon, who left Georgios Samaras and Efe Ambrose on the bench.

Hibs were rocked by the news that James McPake would not be fit to take any part in the game and Pat Fenlon retained 19-year-old defender Jordon Forster at centre-back.

Fellow youth graduate Ross Caldwell failed to make the first eleven as Eoin Doyle was preferred up-front alongside Griffiths.

And Hibs, who were thrashed 5-1 by Edinburgh rivals Hearts in last year’s final, were unlucky to see Celtic take the lead after starting well.

Just a minute after Doyle drew a smart save from Forster, Celtic broke up the park through Mikael Lustig.

The Swede’s low cross was cleared by Alan Maybury, but it wasn’t far enough and Stokes was able to pounce on the ball before delivering a fine in-swinging cross which Hooper made no mistake in finishing at the back post.

Settled by the goal, Celtic then took control of the game.

Ledley almost added a second from a fine Kris Commons through ball but he was denied by the legs of Williams in the Hibs goal.

However, Celtic did add a second moments later. With Stokes and Hooper again combining, the former found space on the left before whipping a fine cross to the back post and the latter was there to head across goal and into the net.

Hibs looked deflated as they surveyed the task ahead.

They did have a chance to pull one back through Leigh Griffiths in the 37th minute when the on-loan striker broke the offside trap, however, his touch narrowed the angle and he was unable to squeeze the ball into the net before Celtic cleared.

The leaders began the second-half in the same way they ended the first and it was Stokes who was next to threaten when his shot from the left fizzed past the back post.

Amid an early second-half surge from Hibs, Celtic skipper Scott Brown and Hibees midfielder Jorge Claros were both booked for a spat that had several players from both sides excited.

The Hoops showed little urgency thereafter, but always retained enough of a threat to suggest another goal was at their fingertips.

Hibs looked powerless to do anything about their plight.

Danny Handling replaced Doyle, Ross Caldwell came on for Thomson and Georgios Samaras took over from Commons by which time the game was petering out.

Stokes then showed sublime skill in midfield to free Lustig down the right and, although Hooper couldn’t connect with his cross, the ball fell to Ledley inside the box and the Welshman finished high into the top corner from 14 yards.

That sealed the double for Celtic and their fans, leaving Hibs to contemplate another failed attempt in the end of season showpiece.