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This was the Honest Men's second trip to Hampden in a week and from the outset it looked like they were at home as they battled for every ball and gave Celtic one or two scares along the way. In the end the score never truly reflected the course of the game and it would be a right miserable so and so who did not think that Ayr should have had at least a draw.
With the National Stadium half empty, mainly due to the ridiculously high prices and the fact that the game was on live TV, there was something of a surreal atmosphere around the old ground as Ayr showed they would be no push overs and ensured that Celtic had to pull out all the stops to secure victory.
The first half more or less belonged to the black and whites and Celtic's only real attempts at goal came from the boot of John Hartson, who misfired on both occasions.
Indeed, Ayr had the best two chances of the first half and failed to cash in on either. Both opportunities were the result of indecision in the Celtic defence and on both occasions Grady was left with only the keeper to beat. The chance just before half time should really have been grabbed and Celtic were mighty relieved to go in at the break still level.
HT CELTIC 0 AYR 0
There is no doubt that Martin O'neill must have been blistering the paint on the dressing room walls at half time as Celtic came out looking a lot sharper and more determined.
Larsson came close just after the break with a good header and it now looked as though Celtic would open the Ayr defence up. The breakthrough came in the
48th minute when Agathe made great progress down the right and crossed low for Larsson to knock in at the near post.
Aye were far from out of it though and James Grady came close on at least three occasions to levelling the tie, including a close in shot that struck the face of the bar.
Eventually Celtic beagn to get control of the game as Ayr started to tire and a glorious 25 metre free kick from Thompson sealed the game.
Thompson double his tally a coule of minutes later with another long distance effort that gave the Ayr goalie no chance.
In the end, then, a win, but the manner of the victory left a lot to be desired and Celtic will have to lift their game markedly in the closing league games and Scottish cup final.