Celtic clinch Cup with Larsson treble

Celtic celebrate their latest Hampden triumph

CIS Insurance Cup final at Hampden Park

Celtic 3-0 Kilmarnock

Celtic triumphed in their CIS Cup final against Kilmarnock and fittingly it was striking sensation Henrik Larsson who capped their performance with a second-half hat-trick.

After a subdued but balanced first-half the match burst in to life two minutes after the break as Larsson struck Celtic's opener.

Martin O'Neill then watched as Chris Sutton was rightly ordered off by referee Hugh Dallas for a shocking challenge on Kilmarnock's Gary Holt.

But there was to be no holding back for even a ten man Celtic side as Larsson produced a man-of-the-match display as the hunt for a domestic treble continues.

Cup-tied

Sutton and winger Bobby Petta timed their returns from injury to regain their places in the Celtic line-up as young Colin Healy replaced the unfortunate Stilian Petrov whose leg break at Perth ended his season.

Rab Douglas and Didier Agathe were cup-tied and both Jackie McNamara and Alan Thompson suspended leaving Martin O'Neill short of options. Jonathan Gould replaced Douglas in goal.

For Kilmarnock Ian Durrant made a welcome midfield comeback while Ally McCoist was named on the bench along with Andy McLaren who has struggled with a virus.

Both teams wore change strips with Celtic in their yellow shirts and green shorts with Kilmarnock donning their dark blue.

In the early exchanges Celtic winger Petta was clattered by both Gus McPherson and Alan Mahood. Freddie Dindeleux was booked for pulling Henrik Larsson's shirt as the two tussled.

Balanced

Petta's game ended after a mere 10 minutes when he collapsed in agony after a challenge from Mahood, the Dutchman's groin injury flaring up again. He was replaced by Stephen Crainey.

Despite few early chances the game seemed evenly balanced. Celtic defender Joos Valgaeren showed skill by beating two men to reach the edge of the Kilmarnock box.

The Belgian was brought down by Chris McInnes and Lubo Moravcik's curled free-kick was collected by Gordon Marshall in the Killie goal.

Killie found Larsson too hot to handle

Cocard gave the ball away to Crainey who set up Moravcik via a Larsson dummy but the Slovak's shot was straight at Marshall.

Moravcik skipped past MacPherson and Dargo on the left wing to get in a low cross that Dindeleux hacked away for a corner at the near post.

Dindeleux was living dangerously when he hauled Larsson down and Marshall dropped the resulting free-kick with Dindeleux having to boot clear.

Celtic launched a lightning counter that saw Larsson go down in the box under Hay's sliding challenge and again it looked as though Killie had escaped.

Ian Durrant limped off in the 37th minute, replaced by Mark Reilly, and Dargo was booked for a foul on Colin Healy. Then Kevin McGowne was booked for upending Healy

Superb

Not long after the re-start Celtic assumed the lead. Healy forced Marshall into a save and from the corner Larsson opened the scoring.

Vega chested Moravcik's cross forward and the Swede hooked a superb effort past Marshall from close range for his 45th goal of the season.

Kilmarnock's Cocard hobbled off after a clash with Johan Mjallby and Andy McLaren came on. Then Paul Lambert was booked for chopping Dargo down as he made for the Celtic goal.

McLaren's free-kick had Gould at full stretch but it landed wide of the goalkeeper's right post.

There was controversy on the hour mark when Sutton was shown a straight red card after the Englishman's reckless challenge on Gary Holt.

Despite this setback Celtic doubled their advantage after 74 minutes, a Larsson attempt from 10 yards which was deflected by Innes and fortuitously spinned over the head of Marshall in to the net.

Seven minutes later Larsson capped a memorable performance with the pick of the bunch.

Racing clear from the Hampden half-way line he outpaced the Killie defence and dragging the ball beyong the onrushing Marshall passed it in to the empty net.

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Celtic: Gould, Lambert, Petta, Lennon, Valgaeren, Healy, Larsson, Moravcik, Sutton, Mjallby, Vega.

Subs: Boyd, Johnson, Smith, Crainey, Kharine.

Kilmarnock: Marshall, MacPherson, McGowne, Cocard, Holt, Durrant, Mahood, Dindeleux, Dargo, Innes, Hay.

Subs: Reilly, McCoist, McLaren, Canero, Meldrum.

Referee: H Dallas