From a cloud of controversy at Tannadice, Dundee United emerged with their finest league finish for 13 years.
Once the dust settled, Hibernian’s defeat at home to Rangers later in the afternoon, which clinched the SPL championship for the Light Blues, meant the Tangerines secured third spot.
It is their greatest achievement since Tommy McLean’s side were the best of the rest in 1997 and should not be overshadowed by a bad-tempered and at times baffling match against the Hoops.
The visitors emerged the victors, opening the scoring after 31 minutes through a Diomansy Kamara shot then adding to it with a last-gasp penalty that was converted by Robbie Keane.
By the time United keeper Dusan Pernis had sprung out of his goal to challenge Aiden McGeady and give away the spotkick, the home side were down to 10 men due to what appeared to be a case of mistaken identity.
Jennison Myrie-Williams had come on as a sub for Danny Swanson on 62 minutes and just three minutes later was booked for a foul on McGeady.
The Tangerines winger steered clear of trouble, not making any notable fouls or even tackles, until the 77th minute when he challenged Landry N’Guemo.
Referee Iain Brines who, significantly, had just warned United’s Prince Buaben for persistent fouling, raced over to Myrie-Williams and pointed to various parts of the park indicating fouls allegedly committed all over the pitch.
It seems safe to assume the official mistook him for Buaben, but United won’t be able to appeal.BookingsOn top of Myrie-Williams’ two bookings, five other United men had their names taken Pernis, Buaben, Morgaro Gomis, Garry Kenneth and David Goodwillie. Celtic duo N’Guemo and Brown made up the total.
Midfielder Buaben could have faced further censure, admitting he had raised his hand during a barney with Brown.
The Celtic man was accused by United gaffer Peter Houston of riling the opposition by repeatedly patting the back of his shorts, as if indicating he had them in his pocket.
Houston urged Brown to “show respect” and “be professional,” adding that his players should not have risen to the bait.
Meanwhile, Buaben did not miss Brines nor Brown.
“Jeno told me the ref thought it was me,” revealed the Ghanaian midfielder.
“The ref said to him he had made about five tackles. Jeno told him it wasn’t him and that he was (meaning) me.
“The ref should know because he is a professional and it is his job.
“Obviously, he (Myrie-Williams) is not going to be happy and I would feel the same.”BickeringTurning to the constant bickering between him and Brown, Buaben added, “He was playing his game but he is too soft.
“He just keeps moaning the whole time. He should just shut up and play football.
“He keeps talking and should stop talking and do the job on the pitch.”
Asked if he raised his arm in the clash with the Scotland man, Buaben replied, “I did, to be fair, but it was just frustration.
“He just kept talking and if it was outside the pitch he wasn’t going to keep talking.”
Celtic boss Neil Lennon also entered the fray, claiming some of United’s challenges were “crude” and that only his team were interested in going for a victory.
“I felt the referee should have stamped down (on the tackling) a lot earlier,” said Lennon.
“For me, there was only one team trying to win the game and I thought they were a wee bit crude in some of their challenges at times.
“I have to give credit to my boys they stood up to it. I think Broonie looked like he was enjoying himself out there, enjoying the physical battle.”
Back came Houston, telling Lennon, “Once he has gone on a 12-game unbeaten run and got to the Scottish Cup final he can maybe come back and see if he is happy with that.”
As for the red card, Houston was in no doubt the ref made an error.
“When you start pointing all over the pitch for persistent fouling to a guy who has been on the pitch for five minutes then you have got it wrong,” he said.
“You have got the wrong guy. Let him come out and say if he has got the wrong guy,” added Houston, who said the official wouldn’t talk to him about the decision.
“We had three or four black lads on the park. He had spoken to Prince Buaben minutes before it and said, ‘If you do that again a tackle then you are going off the park.’ I think he thought it was Prince.
“Myrie-Williams never left the far touchline because I was shouting on him to get over to this side.
“It will be interesting to see what his (Brines’) report says.”
Houston limited his line-up changes to two, with Keith Watson and Andy Webster replaced by Garry Kenneth and Mihael Kovacevic.
Goodwillie went within a whisker of a dramatic early opener for the Tangerines when he got on the end of a Danny Swanson pass, took the ball to the byline before squeezing it inside keeper Artur Boruc and across the front of goal.StrikeWith 10 minutes gone, Kenneth’s net-bound rocket shot was blocked a yard from goal by Glenn Loovens then, up at the other end, Kenneth’s boot kept out a strike from Marc-Antoine Fortune.
With 31 minutes gone, the Hoops took the lead. Slack defending allowed Kamara room inside the box and the Senegalese player had time to pick his spot, shooting past keeper Pernis.
As half-time approached there was a flurry of bookings, with Celtic’s N’Guemo penalised for a clumsy challenge on Goodwillie, who was carded for pushing his opponent in retaliation, before Brown had his name taken for flattening Buaben.
The Hoops nearly made it two just before the break but Kamara’s flick off a McGeady cross just missed the far post.
After the interval, Keane shot over the bar from 12 yards after being found by a McGeady free-kick, then Goodwillie had the home fans out of their seats when he struck the far post after being found by a Jon Daly knock-down.
Just after the hour, United brought on the ill-fated Myrie-Williams for Swanson.
Kamara wasted a chance to make it 2-0, blasting over from eight yards after being picked out by McGeady’s cross.
Myrie-Williams made it into Mr Brines’ book for a foul on McGeady with 65 minutes gone then, just 12 minutes later, came the controversial ordering-off.
In the dying seconds, Pernis raced from his goal to meet McGeady and the Celtic man tumbled to the ground inside the box.
Keane stepped up to score and the mayhem came to a halt.
United will assess injuries to Kovacevic and Francisco Sandaza. The defender had to limp off and leave United down to nine men in the closing minutes, while the frontman was visibly toiling before the final whistle.
Attendance: 8638.
Back came Houston, telling Lennon, “Once he has gone on a 12-game unbeaten run and got to the Scottish Cup final he can maybe come back and see if he is happy with that.”
As for the red card, Houston was in no doubt the ref made an error.
“When you start pointing all over the pitch for persistent fouling to a guy who has been on the pitch for five minutes then you have got it wrong,” he said.
“You have got the wrong guy. Let him come out and say if he has got the wrong guy,” added Houston, who said the official wouldn’t talk to him about the decision.
“We had three or four black lads on the park. He had spoken to Prince Buaben minutes before it and said, ‘If you do that again a tackle then you are going off the park.’ I think he thought it was Prince.
“Myrie-Williams never left the far touchline because I was shouting on him to get over to this side.
“It will be interesting to see what his (Brines’) report says.”
Houston limited his line-up changes to two, with Keith Watson and Andy Webster replaced by Garry Kenneth and Mihael Kovacevic.
Goodwillie went within a whisker of a dramatic early opener for the Tangerines when he got on the end of a Danny Swanson pass, took the ball to the byline before squeezing it inside keeper Artur Boruc and across the front of goal.StrikeWith 10 minutes gone, Kenneth’s net-bound rocket shot was blocked a yard from goal by Glenn Loovens then, up at the other end, Kenneth’s boot kept out a strike from Marc-Antoine Fortune.
With 31 minutes gone, the Hoops took the lead. Slack defending allowed Kamara room inside the box and the Senegalese player had time to pick his spot, shooting past keeper Pernis.
As half-time approached there was a flurry of bookings, with Celtic’s N’Guemo penalised for a clumsy challenge on Goodwillie, who was carded for pushing his opponent in retaliation, before Brown had his name taken for flattening Buaben.
The Hoops nearly made it two just before the break but Kamara’s flick off a McGeady cross just missed the far post.
After the interval, Keane shot over the bar from 12 yards after being found by a McGeady free-kick, then Goodwillie had the home fans out of their seats when he struck the far post after being found by a Jon Daly knock-down.
Just after the hour, United brought on the ill-fated Myrie-Williams for Swanson.
Kamara wasted a chance to make it 2-0, blasting over from eight yards after being picked out by McGeady’s cross.
Myrie-Williams made it into Mr Brines’ book for a foul on McGeady with 65 minutes gone then, just 12 minutes later, came the controversial ordering-off.
In the dying seconds, Pernis raced from his goal to meet McGeady and the Celtic man tumbled to the ground inside the box.
Keane stepped up to score and the mayhem came to a halt.
United will assess injuries to Kovacevic and Francisco Sandaza. The defender had to limp off and leave United down to nine men in the closing minutes, while the frontman was visibly toiling before the final whistle.
Attendance: 8638.
Back came Houston, telling Lennon, “Once he has gone on a 12-game unbeaten run and got to the Scottish Cup final he can maybe come back and see if he is happy with that.”
As for the red card, Houston was in no doubt the ref made an error.
“When you start pointing all over the pitch for persistent fouling to a guy who has been on the pitch for five minutes then you have got it wrong,” he said.
“You have got the wrong guy. Let him come out and say if he has got the wrong guy,” added Houston, who said the official wouldn’t talk to him about the decision.
“We had three or four black lads on the park. He had spoken to Prince Buaben minutes before it and said, ‘If you do that again a tackle then you are going off the park.’ I think he thought it was Prince.
“Myrie-Williams never left the far touchline because I was shouting on him to get over to this side.
“It will be interesting to see what his (Brines’) report says.”
Houston limited his line-up changes to two, with Keith Watson and Andy Webster replaced by Garry Kenneth and Mihael Kovacevic.
Goodwillie went within a whisker of a dramatic early opener for the Tangerines when he got on the end of a Danny Swanson pass, took the ball to the byline before squeezing it inside keeper Artur Boruc and across the front of goal.StrikeWith 10 minutes gone, Kenneth’s net-bound rocket shot was blocked a yard from goal by Glenn Loovens then, up at the other end, Kenneth’s boot kept out a strike from Marc-Antoine Fortune.
With 31 minutes gone, the Hoops took the lead. Slack defending allowed Kamara room inside the box and the Senegalese player had time to pick his spot, shooting past keeper Pernis.
As half-time approached there was a flurry of bookings, with Celtic’s N’Guemo penalised for a clumsy challenge on Goodwillie, who was carded for pushing his opponent in retaliation, before Brown had his name taken for flattening Buaben.
The Hoops nearly made it two just before the break but Kamara’s flick off a McGeady cross just missed the far post.
After the interval, Keane shot over the bar from 12 yards after being found by a McGeady free-kick, then Goodwillie had the home fans out of their seats when he struck the far post after being found by a Jon Daly knock-down.
Just after the hour, United brought on the ill-fated Myrie-Williams for Swanson.
Kamara wasted a chance to make it 2-0, blasting over from eight yards after being picked out by McGeady’s cross.
Myrie-Williams made it into Mr Brines’ book for a foul on McGeady with 65 minutes gone then, just 12 minutes later, came the controversial ordering-off.
In the dying seconds, Pernis raced from his goal to meet McGeady and the Celtic man tumbled to the ground inside the box.
Keane stepped up to score and the mayhem came to a halt.
United will assess injuries to Kovacevic and Francisco Sandaza. The defender had to limp off and leave United down to nine men in the closing minutes, while the frontman was visibly toiling before the final whistle.
Attendance: 8638.
Back came Houston, telling Lennon, “Once he has gone on a 12-game unbeaten run and got to the Scottish Cup final he can maybe come back and see if he is happy with that.”
As for the red card, Houston was in no doubt the ref made an error.
“When you start pointing all over the pitch for persistent fouling to a guy who has been on the pitch for five minutes then you have got it wrong,” he said.
“You have got the wrong guy. Let him come out and say if he has got the wrong guy,” added Houston, who said the official wouldn’t talk to him about the decision.
“We had three or four black lads on the park. He had spoken to Prince Buaben minutes before it and said, ‘If you do that again a tackle then you are going off the park.’ I think he thought it was Prince.
“Myrie-Williams never left the far touchline because I was shouting on him to get over to this side.
“It will be interesting to see what his (Brines’) report says.”
Houston limited his line-up changes to two, with Keith Watson and Andy Webster replaced by Garry Kenneth and Mihael Kovacevic.
Goodwillie went within a whisker of a dramatic early opener for the Tangerines when he got on the end of a Danny Swanson pass, took the ball to the byline before squeezing it inside keeper Artur Boruc and across the front of goal.StrikeWith 10 minutes gone, Kenneth’s net-bound rocket shot was blocked a yard from goal by Glenn Loovens then, up at the other end, Kenneth’s boot kept out a strike from Marc-Antoine Fortune.
With 31 minutes gone, the Hoops took the lead. Slack defending allowed Kamara room inside the box and the Senegalese player had time to pick his spot, shooting past keeper Pernis.
As half-time approached there was a flurry of bookings, with Celtic’s N’Guemo penalised for a clumsy challenge on Goodwillie, who was carded for pushing his opponent in retaliation, before Brown had his name taken for flattening Buaben.
The Hoops nearly made it two just before the break but Kamara’s flick off a McGeady cross just missed the far post.
After the interval, Keane shot over the bar from 12 yards after being found by a McGeady free-kick, then Goodwillie had the home fans out of their seats when he struck the far post after being found by a Jon Daly knock-down.
Just after the hour, United brought on the ill-fated Myrie-Williams for Swanson.
Kamara wasted a chance to make it 2-0, blasting over from eight yards after being picked out by McGeady’s cross.
Myrie-Williams made it into Mr Brines’ book for a foul on McGeady with 65 minutes gone then, just 12 minutes later, came the controversial ordering-off.
In the dying seconds, Pernis raced from his goal to meet McGeady and the Celtic man tumbled to the ground inside the box.
Keane stepped up to score and the mayhem came to a halt.
United will assess injuries to Kovacevic and Francisco Sandaza. The defender had to limp off and leave United down to nine men in the closing minutes, while the frontman was visibly toiling before the final whistle.
Attendance: 8638.