BBC SPORT | Football | Scottish Cups (original) (raw)

Neil Lennon lifts the cup for Celtic

Gordon Strachan won his first trophy as a manager as Celtic brushed Dunfermline aside to lift the CIS Insurance Cup.

Celtic were gifted the opening goal on the stroke of half-time when Maciej Zurawski tapped in after goalkeeper Allan McGregor fumbled the ball.

The Pars posed no threat and it was a surprise that Celtic took until the 77th minute for Shaun Maloney to curl in a great free-kick from 20 yards.

Dion Dublin added a deft finish in the second minute of time added on.

There was to be no repeat of the 8-1 hammering at East End Park last month but Celtic did completely dominate the match and should have won by a greater margin.

Strachan's side, all wearing the number seven on their shorts in memory of the late Jimmy Johnstone, gained the upper hand immediately and had Dunfermline pinned back for long spells.

But Celtic's slow, studied approach made it all the easier for their opponents to pack men in defence.

Shunsuke Nakamura's crossing was causing the Pars problems, and his early corner struck a defender and came back off the underside of the crossbar from five yards.

Left-back Ross Wallace made a bright start and did well to burst into the penalty area but fired low at McGregor.

Dunfermline's Greg Shields then prevented Maloney from testing McGregor by heading the midfielder's stinging shot wide.

Celtic 'keeper Artur Boruc finally had the ball in his hands in the 36th minute, but it was a comfortable save to stop a weak shot from Greg Ross.

Roy Keane connected with another great delivery from Nakamura but his header from eight yards was well saved by McGregor.

Zurawski broke the deadlock for Celtic

The goalkeeper, on loan from Rangers, was at fault when Celtic eventually made the breakthrough on 43 minutes.

He failed to gather a clipped pass from Maloney and crashed into defender Aaron Labonte, spilling the ball at the feet of Zurawski, who stroked the ball into an unguarded net.

Celtic opened up Dunfermline early in the second half but McGregor blocked a low strike from Zurawski with his feet.

Dublin, on for the injured Keane, then knocked the ball wide from just a few yards after Maloney had set up a golden chance with a fine low cross.

A deflected strike from Stilian Petrov hit the side-netting before Celtic doubled their lead with 13 minutes remaining.

Nakamura was obstructed on the edge of the penalty box and Maloney curled in a wonderful free-kick to settle the match.

McGregor got down smartly to deny Maloney a second goal in a minute and did well to kick away the loose ball, with Dublin closing in.

The busy Pars 'keeper failed to hold a shot from Nakamura but recovered to again thwart Dublin, with some help from Shields, who used his head from a prone position to stop the ball crossing the goalline.

But Dublin had the last laugh when he slotted in a last-minute goal from a Paul Telfer cross.

Dunfermline: McGregor, Shields, Scott Wilson, Ross (Donnelly 77), Andy Campbell (Derek Young 62), Mason, Thomson, Daquin (Tarachulski 84), Labonte, Makel, Burchill. Subs Not Used: Halliwell, Tod.

Booked: Mason, Makel, Daquin.

Celtic: Boruc, Telfer, Balde, McManus, Wallace, Nakamura, Keane (Dublin 61), Lennon, Maloney, Zurawski, Petrov. Subs Not Used: Marshall, Thompson, Pearson, Varga.

Goals: Zurawski 43, Maloney 76, Dublin 90.

Att: 50,090

Ref: S Dougal

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