It will be referee Dougie MacDonald who will grab the newspaper headlines tomorrow as he is gradually proving to be one of Scotland's worst ever referees. Some of the decisions he makes truly baffle me. Today, he awarded a penalty to each side and sent off Calley striker Juanjo after an off the ball incident with Neil Lennon. Juanjo was given a straight red after the Fourth Official spotted a scuffle between the two, when perhaps a booking for each player might have been the best outcome.
Television replays have shown Juanjo intended to head-butt Lennon, who had slapped the Spaniard across the head previously. Handbags, certainly, but it made no difference to the outcome of the game. There was only going to be one winner today.
Martin O'Neill had to shuffle the side a little, as Jackie McNamara and Chris Sutton have both picked up injuries. McNamara is thought to be alright and Sutton's hamstring has strained - not pulled. Fingers crossed he'll be okay for next week. In the pair's place came Ross Wallace and Henri Camara. Aiden McGeady had to settle for a place on the bench - presumably to keep the hype down.
Camara and Hartson should be given 10 out of 10 for their work rate, but at times new Bhoy Camara seemed to keen. His time, I am sure, will come.
The Celtic support occupied the full of the South Stand and were in full voice from kick off. We certainly put a few pennies in ICT's empty pockets today.
After one or two brief attempts at goal, Celtic struck on 25 minutes. John Hartson rose high in the Inverness area to head home Didier Agathe's perfect cross. It was Hartson's fourth goal in his last two matches (Wales included), and there was more to come from the big striker.
Dougie MacDonald awarded Inverness a very soft penalty just before half time, when the ball appeared to hit off of Bobo Balde's arm, unintenionally. Calley converted and the small 'home' support just about wet their pants.
There was no danger as to what would happen in the second half. Celts came out all guns blazing and Calley deployed very negative and boring tactics of every man behind the ball. It was a difficult strategy to play against but The Champions shone in the end.
After Henri Camara had seen a header crash back off the bar and John Hartson had a decent shot saved by former hun Mark Brown in goals, Celtic were awarded a penalty, again for handball. Stan Petrov was the man to step up but a combination of a poor hit and a good save denied Celtic the lead.
Brown turned the ball around the post, and from the corner which exceded the penalty, Petrov made amends for his spot kick miss, with a volley which no goalkeeper would have saved.
With Calley down to ten men and now a goal down, there was never going to be any way back. Celtic brough on Paul Lambert, Ulrik Laursen and Stephen Pearson before the game's end, and John Hartson completed the scoring with a snapshot from inside the area, 15 minutes from time.
The Celtic support sang till the death and the cry was surely heard by any watching huns. "We Shall Not Be Moved."
Celtic:
Marshall - 7
Balde - 7 (Laursen - 5)
Valgaeren - 6
Varga - 8
Agathe - 6
Lennon - 9
Petrov - 9 (Lambert - 6)
Wallace - 6 (Pearson - 5)
Thompson - 8
Hartson - 9
Camara - 7
Come On The Hoops Man Of The Match: John Hartson
Come On The Hoops Moment To Remember: The one man pitch invasion which resulted in a KO'd policeman.
Come On The Hoops Moment To Forget: Dougie MacDonald's refereeing. It's getting worse rather than better.