Celtic sweep Inverness aside in Scottish Cup final to secure domestic treble

If, as seems highly likely, this was farewell it was low key in nature. Ange Postecoglou refused to directly address the rising sense he will be named as Tottenham Hotspur’s new manager in the lead up to the Scottish Cup final. Celtic defeated Inverness Caledonian Thistle to ensure season two of Postecoglou’s reign delivered a domestic treble. Celtic remain Scottish football’s dominant force, with Postecoglou’s return a total of five trophies from a possible half dozen. He will argue he has done his bit. Celtic were in a state of disrepair when Postecoglou arrived.

The game will not live long in anybody’s memory. Celtic’s supporters, perhaps unsure how to handle the supposedly imminent departure of a manager they adore, were noticeably subdued. Postecoglou’s celebrations were not exactly wild either. There was also the underlying awareness that Inverness lacked the quality to punish slack moments in Celtic’s play, until the late goal which injected life into a pretty flat occasion. Jota pounced in stoppage time to allow the scoreline a more appropriate reflection of the game.

The one club Celtic would fear more than any other in a scenario such as this is Inverness. The Premiership champions were overwhelming favourites to progress; they were, too, in 2000, 2003 and 2015 when the Highland side dumped them out of the Scottish Cup. The first of those upsets triggered a revolution at Celtic, with John Barnes sacked and Martin O’Neill later brought in as the manager. O’Neill watched on here as Postecoglou surely presided over his last act.

This cup run has been transformative for the finances of Inverness. It has also come with a touch of fortune. Queen’s Park defeated Inverness at the last 32 stage but were ejected from the