Scottish Cup Final: Lightning strikes right on cue for the Celtic Invincibles

A BOLT of lightning streaked across the sky as Tom Rogic wrote Celtic into the history books.

With a last-gasp winners, in what was a terrifically-entertaining Scottish Cup Final, Brendan Rodgers’ Hoops won the Invincible Treble.

From the Premier League opener against Hearts at Tynecastle on August 6 to the season’s showpiece at the National Stadium, they have gone an entire domestic campaign undefeated in three competitions. It is an unprecedented achievement and the sheer joy on the faces of players and coaches alike as the final whistle blew was a sight to behold.

And if there were plenty who finished the day arguing that Derek McInnes’ side had been the better team on the day, it only went to show the character of the winners.

Celtic’s 2016-17 wasn’t 100% perfect. Europe brought defeat to Barcelona and, peculiarly, to the Red Imps of Gibraltar.

Those setbacks, though, will only be a footnote to what has been an astonishing story of success under the direction of a manager who has demanded, and been given, relentless ruthlessness from his players.

This was entertainment of the highest order throughout, with the start of the action more than living up to the pitchside pyrotechnics which preceded it.

Aberdeen showed positive intent from the first whistle and seized the lead through a well- worked set-piece.

Niall McGinn’s corner from the right was deep and into space at the back of Celtic’s penalty box.

There it was met by the in-rushing Jonny Hayes, who did a beautiful job of losing his marker when running off the back of Leigh Griffiths.

TV footage showed the Scotland striker looking forlorn as the Dons star darted into the area and smashed home a left-foot volley.

It was a stunning score and it set things up perfectly.

Perceived football wisdom has it teams are most vulnerable after they score – and it proved to be the case here.

Some Aberdeen fans were still celebrating as Celtic struck back with what was a classic sucker punch. The Dons did well to shut down Callum McGregor’s run but, when the ball fell to Stuart Armstrong, Shay Logan stayed too far back.

With time and space to play with, the Scotland internationalist looked up, picked his spot and curled a low, dipping shot inside Joe Lewis’s left-hand post.

Watching on from the edge of his technical area, Derek McInnes was incandescent at seeing his side lose their precious advantage and howled at his players.

It was too late – the damage was done.

The entertainment was broken up when Kieran Tierney came off worst in a coming together with Jayden Stockley. The Aberdeen striker’s elbow struck the smaller man’s mouth as he spun round, leaving the latter in some difficulty.

Whether he meant to do so, only Stockley will know, but referee Bobby Madden chose to give him the benefit of the doubt.

With on-pitch treatment unable to stem the blood flow, Tierney had to go and he was replaced by Tom Rogic. The Australian is a fine player, but the loss of the full-back disrupted Celtic’s tactics, with Callum McGregor happy to fill in but less comfortable in the role.

The real benefit of Tierney’s misfortune, of course, would come right at the death.

Aberdeen’s midfield contained both new skipper Graeme Shinnie and Ryan Jack, the man who was stripped of the honour in light of his decision to quit the club, but not his place in the starting line-up.

It’s fair to say it wasn’t an entirely popular shout.

The massed ranks of red-and-white clad fans booed Jack’s name when it was read out, in sharp contrast to treatment of Shinnie who was treated to choruses of: “He’s one of our own.”

It’s unlikely he will have noticed. Charged with shackling Celtic’s on-form winger Patrick Roberts, he stuck to his task manfully.

So much so, indeed, when the little Englishman finally burst free and whipped a shot on to the base of the post, you were almost tempted to wonder where he had been hiding.

Such moments are all too familiar from Celtic in this season of seasons, and had Scott Sinclair been able to keep his head down, a lovely ball from Griffiths would have had the reward it deserved.

Both keepers had to earn their money, Craig Gordon flinging himself full-length to deny Shinnie and Joe Lewis doing likewise at the other end to leave first Griffiths then Sinclair disappointed.

Aberdeen sent on Adam Rooney for Stockley andAnthony O’Connor for Niall McGinn in a bid to keep the side fresh.

It was a clever move for the effort of tracking the movement of Celtic’s runners was clearly taking its toll. The Dons fell further and further back. And, as the rain sluiced down, the feeling that Celtic would sneak a winner became stronger and stronger.

Rogic, a three-time scorer against the Dons this season, was the man who delivered the blow, wriggling past Taylor and Shinnie before shooting home on the angle.