A bundle of unconstrained nerves for 120 minutes the thought of putting Conor Hazard through the ordeal penalty shoot-out felt like an act of uninhumane cruelty. Redemption, when it came, was a blessed relief. Both for Celtic and for their rookie goalkeeper.
Had Scotland’s champions lost this Scottish Cup final after throwing away a 2-0 half-time lead the repercussions would have run for days. In truth they still might.
A close range strike from substitute Leigh Griffiths in the 105th minute should have finally finished off a dogged, never say die Hearts team.
Instead of managing the game the inexperience of Hazard in only his third start gifted Robbie Neilson’s team yet another lifeline within six minutes. Olly Lee’s free-kick was badly misjudged by the Parkhead rookie and when Stephen Kingsley headed back across goal Josh Gannelly secured the most improbable leveller to send the game to penalties.
Discarded by Celtic over the summer Craig Gordon looked likely to write his own headlines when he saved the first spot kick of the sudden death shoot-out from Ryan Christie. Suddenly Celtic were staring down the barrel of a humiliating defeat to Championship opponents.
Cometh the hour cometh the man. The pendulum swung back when Hazard threw himself down to save a poor effort from Kingsley then stopped the fourth spot kick from Aidy White as well. Kristoffer Ajer stepped forward to rammed to ram Celtic’s fifth penalty past Gordon and secure a 40th Scottish Cup.
History never did come easy. And for Celtic a quadruple treble only arrived after an afternoon of gut wrenching drama. To paint this as another glorious Celtic triumph would be presenting a false narrative. The overwhelming emotion when it finally ended was relief.
There was relief for the manager Neil Lennon as he became the first man in Scottish footballing history to win a domestic treble as both a player and manager. Relief for Hazard as he somehow managed to transformed an afternoon of excruciating anguish into an improbable act of sudden death heroism.
Cruising to victory after first half goals from Christie and an Odsonne Edouard penalty this looked every inch a meeting of two teams from different divisions. It was barely a contest. Yet, when Liam Bryce headed Hearts back into the game early in the second half something remarkable happened.
The last time any team recovered from 2-0 down in a Scottish Cup Final was 1910. Yet the intervention of goalline technology saw Stephen Kingsley – rightly - given the benefit io the doubt. With more composure from substitute extra-time goalscorer Ginnelly the Championship side could even have won it in normal time.
Eight minutes after his introduction Celtic sub Griffiths – a lifelong fan of Hearts’ city rivals Hibs – hammered the champions back into the lead when he turned Scott Brown’s netbound header in from close range after a Craig Gordon block. That, we assumed, was that. Not for the first time Hearts had other ideas.
Sixteen points behind Rangers Celtic’s failure to replace Fraser Forster – or Craig Gordon – has become a calamitous affair. Signed for £5million Greek international Vasilis Barkas can no longer be trusted in big games and, while this was a day which raised questions over Hazard’s first team credentials, other have far bigger questions to answer on the recruitment front.
Neil Lennon entered this game in a dangerous place. Under normal circumstances historic feats bestow heroism upon a man. Yet three weeks ago fans were gathered on on Celtic Way demanding the manager’s removal.
And, after a commanding first half display, a near catastrophic collapse will do little to silence the calls for change. After a quadruple treble and 12 consecutive trophies it’s hard to think of a more bizarre paradox anywhere in world football.
For Robbie Neilson’s side this was devastating stuff in the end. The Championship gave everything and could easily have won.
The Hearts manager won the cup as a player after a penalty shoot-out win over Gretna in 2006. And, until the final blows, he threatened to become the first manager of a club outwith Celtic and Rangers to do it as a manager. The second half comeback was staggering stuff.
Ryan Christie’s sublime curling strike from 20 yards set Celtic on the way to the final in the semi-final. And he produced a stunning carbon copy goal here after 19 minutes.
Kristoffer Ajer’s chipped cross was blocked by the head of Hearts wing-back Aidy White. Christie took one touch before dispatching the ball into the postage stamp corner past Craig Gordon from fully 22 yards.
In nine cup finals as a junior or senior player the Hearts keeper had never lost. And this one seemed to be slipping away with the award of a penalty to the SPFL champions after 28 minutes.
The handball rule as it stands is a nonsense. Christophe Berra was powerless to prevent the ball striking the arm stretched high above his head as he challenged Shane Duffy for a David Turnbull corner.
The defender knew nothing about it. Yet for referee John Beaton the application was clear cut.
Pointing to the spot Odsonne Edouard dinked the coolest of Panenka kicks calmly down the middle of goal as Gordon dived low to his right.
Not everyone appreciated the piece of skill. Gordon was booked for appearing to throw the ball at his former teammate. On Radio Scotland former Hearts winger Neil McCann branded the spot kick ‘selfish’ and ‘disrespectful.’ Presumably the Frenchman should have given his former teammate more of a chance.
Within three minutes of the restart, Hearts were back in the game. A foraging run from left wing-back Aidy White turned Kris Ajer inside out on the flank. Andy Halliday gathered the ball on the edge of the area and chipped a cross towards Liam Boyce, the striker heading a fine downward header into the net past a diving and beaten Hazard.
But for Gordon Celtic would have killed the comeback quickly. The Scotland keeper produced a superb instinct save from Edouard after an overlapping run and cut-back from Greg Taylor then blocked a shot from an acute angle from Moi Elyounoussi to keep his team in it.
So commanding in the first half Celtic’s growing vulnerability was exposed when substitute Ginnelly should have equalised with his first touch. A dreadful mix-up between Shane Duffy and Christopher Jullien sent the substitute clear on goal, Hazard diving low to his left to push the ball away.
Hearts wouldn’t be deterred. And after 67 minutes they pegged Celtic back. The drew level.
In the old days before goalline technology the goal would have been a hugely controversial affair.
As Hazard flapped as Ginnelly’s inswinging corner the ball ran to the back post where Stephen Kingsley nodded towards a crowded goalline.
Ryan Christie blocked and cleared with his chest, the Hearts screams told no lies. After confusion and delay referee John Beaton consulted goalline cameras. Introduced before the semi-finals the evidence was conclusive.
Extra-time and penalties made for breathtaking drama. Why Scott Brown felt the need to soil Celtic’s day by goading Hearts players at the final whistle is inexplicable. A persistent offender the man if 35; he really should know better.