League title is 'sweetest moment', says O'Neill

Celtic 1 Dunfermline 2

The Northern Irishman and his side got their hands on the Bank of Scotland Premier League trophy again despite losing 2-1 at home to Dunfermline yesterday.

The champions looked hungover at times as Barry Nicholson and Gary Dempsey crashed home goals either side of Henrik Larsson's 37th goal of the season.

But that failed to dampen the celebrations after Celtic were pipped by Rangers to the title on the last day of last season. O'Neill said: "I am delighted not with today but delighted to have won it and delighted to have the cup presented to us. I am ecstatic. This has been the best one yet and it's fresh in our minds because of the disappointment of last season.

"We lost it on the last day and it seemed a fairly length of time to wait for it to arrive again. I am delighted and I would say it is the sweetest moment. This is what you live for it's a great old feeling."

With the party going on since beating Kilmarnock a fortnight ago, O'Neill admitted his side were not as mentally prepared as they will be for their next meeting with Dunfermline in the Tennent's Scottish Cup final on May 22.

The much-improved Fife outfit have gained a psychological boost ahead of their trip to Hampden Park but O'Neill is convinced a different Hoops side will turn out next time.

"The players have not been at their best in the last couple of matches," said O'Neill. "Somebody mentioned that we haven't won since putting down the new pitch. We have a couple of big games to look forward against Rangers and the cup final and we will try to be mentally prepared for the cup final better than we were today.

"We were on a good run to the championship and I think from the moment we won the championship it's certainly been a case of foot off the pedal or a lack of motivation perhaps or having one eye on the cup final.

"Some players have come in and lacked a bit of fitness but it doesn't really matter because we've won the championship and that was the target.

"Who's to say that in the back of the minds of some key players the cup final isn't tucked away in the back of their minds but hopefully they will get themselves right for it."

Dunfermline manager Jimmy Calderwood claimed yesterday's victory has given his side the belief to beat the champions again at Hampden Park.

Today was the first time Dunfermline had beaten Celtic since August 1997 but Calderwood is hoping they will not face a cup final backlash.

"I don't think it had any influence on the cup," said Calderwood. "They're missing Jackie McNamara, Stilian Petrov and Bobo Balde.

"We're without Stevie Crawford, Craig Brewster and maybe Scott Wilson, if he gets fit, so it's a completely different game. I just hope we've not made them too angry. It gives us the belief that we can beat them."

Dunfermline had goalkeeper Derek Stillie to thank after pulling off a string of fine saves and Calderwood admitted his number one will be departing after the final because they cannot afford to keep him.

But after another impressive display from the Scotland hopeful, Calderwood does not expect a shortage of offers.

"He did himself the world of good today," he said. "But it's finances that dictate I'm afraid nowadays and I doubt it very much that he will stay."

CELTIC: Marshall, Varga, Mjallby, McManus (Pearson 45), Smith (Miller 55), Lennon, Lambert, Thompson, McGeady (Beattie 75), Larsson, Sutton.

DUNFERMLINE: Stillie, Bullen, Skerla, Shields, Byrne, Nicholson, Mason, Dempsey (Kilgannon 88), Darren Young, Derek Young (Labonte 85), Mehmet (Hunt 54).

Referee: D McDonald (Scotland).