Celts quadruple dream ends

Rangers 2

After a courageous effort, Celtic lost out 2-1 to their arch-rivals in yesterday's CIS Insurance Cup final at Hampden Park.

Just days before the finely-balanced UEFA Cup quarter-final second leg with Liverpool, O'Neill was distressed to see Sutton stretchered off after falling heavily on his arm.

The remaining three trophies on offer could now be in jeopardy with Didier Agathe also out and the Celtic boss certainly fears the worst for the rest of the season.

"I don't think it's good news on Chris," said O'Neill." I don't know at this minute how bad he is.

"He's gone for X-rays, but I know that Roddy Macdonald and Brian (Scott) are concerned so it could be a big loss." O'Neill vented his anger at linesman David Doig after he wrongly flagged John Hartson for offside before he fired what he thought was the equaliser in the second half.

Henrik Larsson had given Celtic hope after first-half goals from Claudio Caniggia and Peter Lovenkrands had put the holders in dreamland.

However, O'Neill snapped: "I was very disappointed to find out that the goal was disallowed goal and he was a yard onside.

"That's a big decision. It wasn't as if it happened very quickly. Henrik was running with him and in these games you have got to get it right.

"I thought the linesman was at a better angle than I was and I thought Henrik had delivered it right. The one thing about John is he holds his position well.

"I came down the stairs and by the time I had got down it had been chalked off so I was disappointed and you can imagine how the players felt."

Referee Kenny Clark also felt the wrath of the Irishman after the match following his dismissal of Neil Lennon for two bookings within three minutes towards the end.

"I couldn't check the first one," responded O'Neill.

"But I thought the second one was impossible to get out. I could not see how Neil Lennon could get out of that one it was exceptionally harsh."

Celtic should still have forced extra time when they were awarded a penalty in the last minute after Lorenzo Amoruso brought down Bobo Balde.

But although Hartson missed despite taking on the responsibility from usual penalty-taker Larsson O'Neill refused to blame the Welshman or ask him any questions.

"John Hartson is very disappointed at missing the penalty," he said, "but there's no blame attached whatsoever.

"I don't know why he took it, maybe at that particular moment he might have fancied it I didn't want to ask him because it didn't matter."

However, despite the defeat and the disappointment at missing out on a historic quadruple, the Celtic boss spoke of his pride in his stars after their brave second-half fightback.

"I am as proud today as I am disappointed," declared O'Neill. "We could have wilted at half-time in the game considering Thursday night's excursions, but the players showed the will and the desire to go again which was just incredible.

"They were cheered off at the end and there weren't too many leaving early which they deserved because they were absolutely brilliant. They exceeded all expectations.

"At this minute you could never go and tell these boys to go and lie down as they just picked themselves up for the second half and it was one-way traffic.

"I'm very pleased with my team, but good luck Rangers and well done to them.

"Tomorrow, the day after and the day after that, Rangers will still have won it in the records.

"I have been here two and three quarter years and I am really proud of that time mostly in victory but as equally in defeat.

"It was a big effort on Thursday night and I thought it would have been easy to throw excuses, but they didn't in the dressing room.

"The first 20 minutes of the match I thought we were in control of the game without creating that many chances.

"We found ourselves getting picked off and suddenly we were 2-0 down because of some good play by Rangers. So, it was a monumental effort in the second half."

CELTIC: Douglas, Mjallby (Petrov 88), Balde, Valgaeren, Smith (Sylla 66), Lennon, Lambert, Sutton (Maloney 80), Thompson, Larsson, Hartson.

RANGERS: Klos, Ricksen, Amoruso, Moore, Bonnissel (Ross 64), Caniggia, Arteta (Konterman 78), Ferguson, de Boer (Arveladze 86), Mols, Lovenkrands.

Referee: K Clark (Scotland).