Celtic 1 Hearts 0

By Chris Roberts, PA Sport

Celtic finally got their hands on the championship trophy - but it was the inspired substitution of Lubo Moravcik which produced the sparkle to cap the celebrations.

Hearts failed to gatecrash the title party, but manager Martin O'Neill again produced the Midas touch by introducing the Slovakian for Tommy Johnson in the 63rd minute.

It was the last throw of the dice, but within seven minutes Moravcik had made his mark to seal the perfect day for the Double winners as they were presented with the SPL trophy eight days after winning it against St Mirren.

The rain and the opposition had threatened to dampen the spirits and with Hearts eyeing a UEFA Cup place it ensured that this would be anything but a meaningless end-of-season kick about.

Celtic started confidently and Didier Agathe, in an usual left-wing position, sent a fierce right-foot drive crashing against the upright after four minutes to warn the visitors.

But that stunning effort would not have counted as the linesman had spotted an offside.

Jackie McNamara took up a role on the right and his centre in the ninth minute should have produced a better finish from Alan Thompson, who headed wide of the mark.

Johnson had his eyes on more goal glory in the 15th minute when he attempted an adventurous long-range effort which flew just wide of Antti Niemi's left post with the former Rangers man frantically scurrying across the face of his goal.

But Hearts almost silenced the home crowd a minute later when Celtic were caught up field.

Colin Cameron broke down the left flank before finding Gary Wales, who squared to Steven Boyack, but fortunately for the champions Joos Valgaeren made a saving block to deny him.

The home side continued to dominate possession, but were showing a rare lack of conviction in front of the Hearts goal.

Record-breaking Henrik Larsson almost bagged the opener in the 25th minute when he took Johnson's through-ball in his stride, but Niemi somehow managed to keep the ball out with his feet.

Larsson stood two goals away from Brian McClair's SPL 14-year record of 35 after breaking Charlie Nicholas' post-war club milestone, but this was not his day.

Moments later and Johnson connected cleanly with Thompson's in-swinging corner, but blazed his header just over the crossbar.

Hearts were hanging on by a thread and Niemi made a meal of Agathe's dipping right-foot shot in the 28th minute, but was fortunate his punch out was not picked up by a Celtic player.

Niemi, however, made amends by first saving another effort from Agathe before stopping Thompson's shot, which he should have done better with, after McNamara had hooked the ball across goal.

But as Celtic committed more men into attack they looked liable to make mistakes at the back and Wales gave them a scare in the 38th minute, but his lob flew over Robert Douglas' crossbar.

Celtic needed a sparkle to light up the match and it almost came through Colin Healy just seven minutes into the second half.

Lambert found McNamara down the right and he poked the ball through to the youngster, whose first time right-foot shot flew just past the upright.

O'Neill decided to switch Agathe back to his more accustomed role on the right wing and hoped he would produce something special to break the deadlock.

But Thompson, on the left, tried to produce something from nothing in the 62nd minute, but Niemi saved his long-range effort that looked destined for the corner.

O'Neill injected more life into the Celtic side by bringing on fans' favourite Lubo Moravcik for Healy in the 63rd minute while Hearts responded by replacing Andy Kirk with Juanjo.

The Slovakian had a spring in his step and within three minutes of being on he produced a dipping right-foot shot which flew just past the post.

Hearts, however, did not learn from that and in the 70th minute O'Neill's substitution proved a master stroke as he made the vital breakthrough.

Johnson found Larsson on the right and he centred for Moravcik to cooly slot the ball past Niemi and raise the noise in the stadium.

Hearts were stunned and moments later Steven Pressley took his frustration out on Larsson with a late tackle which warranted a booking.

The Swede almost got his revenge in the 70th minute which would have been his 50th goal of the season, but Scott Severin made a fantastic tackle to deny him a certain goal.

Moravcik came close to bagging his second in the 81st minute as he blasted Thompson's pass over the bar, but his introduction has surely changed the game.

The midfielder, however, was not finished and he did his best to get Larsson on the scoresheet when he played the Swede through on goal, but he shot straight at Niemi.

Larsson, however, will get other chances to break another record - but this was a moment for veteran Moravcik, the other players and the fans to savour.


Taken from sportinglife.com