The treble-chasers, despite their monopoly of possession, had further cause to worry when their gifted playmaker Lubomir Moravcik was taken off after 17 minutes with an injured knee to be replaced by McNamara.Hibernian were clearly boosted and, minutes later, John O'Neil almost broke the deadlock after Franck Sauz?hoisted the ball into the box for Libbra to hook back. O'Neil's rising shot just cleared the cross bar of the anxious Robert Douglas.Yet, Celtic have never been more dangerous in this remarkable season than when under pressure. Didier Agathe delivered a long ball after 32 minutes which found Larsson. The Swede pounced, but for one his aim was off and the side-net was the recipient of the shot.Six minutes later, though, there was no mistake.
Agathe's juggling shook off Ulrik Laursen and, as Chris Sutton dragged the Hibernian defence one way, Agathe spotted McNamara's run down the inside-left channel. The pass was perfection, allowing McNamara to take it in his stride as he entered the box before steering an angled left-foot shot past the bemused Nick Colgan.Any hopes Alex McLeish may have had that his half-time words would fire Hibernian's spirit evaporated just two minutes into the second half. Larsson (who else?) put the game beyond their reach with a stunning finish which owed everything to McNamara, whose vision and running played such as crucial role as it had in the previous goal.This time the midfielder played the role of creator, exchanging passes with Sutton before delivering a low ball from the left wing. Sadly for Hibernian, Paul Fenwick, the central defender, slipped at a vital moment to allow Larsson space to measure a first-time shot which he thrashed into the roof of the net The hope drained visibly from Hibernian's players. Their half of the Hampden green party was becalmed, while Celtic's bounced around like a swaying emerald ocean of humanity.Larsson was enjoying himself more than most, as he illustrated with an audacious pass with the outside of his right boot from the centre circle to release Alan Thompson, but the midfielder failed to beat Colgan at his near post.The Swede was clearly hungry for more.
When he was prevented by Fenwick from finishing off Agathe's cross, Larsson was on his feet before his marker to receive Sutton's pass and swivelled to lash a leftfoot shot which Colgan superbly pushed over the bar.The robust Paatelainen almost gave Hibernian a glimmer of hope when he set up Libbra, who shaped to beat Douglas at his near post until Johan Mjallby's lunge blocked the shot.Larsson, though, was not finished. He earned a penalty with 10 minutes left, Gary Smith pulling him down as he pursued Sutton's pass, and stroked the spot kick out of Colgan's reach That is where Celtic have been all season.. Carin Koch of Sweden rallied past Mhairi McKay and Maria Hjorth on the back nine today, shooting a 6–under–par 66 to win the Corning Classic in New York by two strokes for her first LPGA victory. Carin Koch of Sweden rallied past Mhairi McKay and Maria Hjorth on the back nine today, shooting a 6–under–par 66 to win the Corning Classic in New York by two strokes for her first LPGA victory. Koch gained the lead for good when McKay bogeyed the par–3 11th hole, and finished at 18–under–par 270, two shots off the tournament record set three years ago by Tammie Green.The dlrs 135,000 was the biggest paycheck of her seven years on tour and made Koch the 13th foreign–born winner in 15 LPGA events this year. Only Americans Juli Inkster and Rosie Jones have broken through.McKay, of Scotland, finished with a 70–272. She took a double bogey on the 17th but birdied the final hole to tie Hjorth, also of Sweden, for second place. Jones also had a 66 and finished tied with Grace Park of South Korea at 273.Mi Hyun Kim had a closing 67 and finished alone at 14–under 274.McKay, who began the day with a one–shot lead over Hjorth and a two–shot lead over Koch, held or shared the lead with her playing partners through the first 10 holes.But when McKay's second shot on No 11 fell short of the green, she two–putted for bogey.
