CIS Cup Thursday December 18th

Hibernian 2

Celtic 1

0:1 Varga 56
1:1 Brebner 64 pen
2:1 Thomson 82

Att: 9,246

MIB: John Rowbotham

Celtic:
Douglas
Varga Balde Kennedy Crainey
Miller Wallace Lambert Thompson
Sutton Larsson
subs
Maloney for Sutton 50
Beattie for Lambert 81

A much changed line-up almost got the right result in this dire match thanks to a goal by Stan Varga, but in the end it was to be another early exit from Scotland's second most glamorous cup competition. In a way it's a shame that the League Cup has diminished so much in stature over the years but when there are bigger prizes up for grabs in Europe it's not surprising the flaming torches and sharpened pitchforks won't be required after this result.

John Kennedy is certainly learning fast the vagaries of football fortunes; hero and scorer of a goal against Dundee the week before, he gave away a comedy penalty here which was as much down to his inexperience as anything else.

The winner was one of those goals that even players like Bert Konterman can conjure up once in a vernal equinox.

The treble has gone but at least it's nice to see the wee teams like Hibs and Rangers have their day.