Celtic capped a turbulent campaign in style by securing the Scottish Cup and completing a domestic double with a commanding win over Dunfermline Athletic at Hampden Park.
Just one week after dramatically clinching the Scottish Premiership title, Martin O’Neill’s side produced another composed display to lift a record-extending 63rd Scottish Cup.
First-half goals from Daizen Maeda and Arne Engels put Celtic firmly in control before substitute Kelechi Iheanacho’s brilliant solo strike sealed the victory.
Josh Cooper grabbed a late consolation for Dunfermline, but the Championship side were ultimately outclassed.
The triumph adds further weight to growing calls for interim boss O’Neill to remain beyond the summer.
Despite taking charge during a season filled with uncertainty and unrest, the 74-year-old has guided Celtic to another successful campaign and extended the club’s remarkable dominance of Scottish football.
Celtic’s latest silverware means they have now collected 23 of the last 30 domestic trophies available.
Dunfermline actually began brightly and almost stunned the favourites in the opening stages.
Callumn Morrison looked certain to score after confusion between Alastair Johnston and goalkeeper Viljami Sinisalo, but Liam Scales recovered brilliantly to clear off the line.
That proved a turning point.
Moments later, a defensive mistake from John Tod allowed Maeda to race through on goal before delicately lifting the ball over Aston Oxborough.
The Japanese forward’s ninth goal in seven matches gave Celtic the breakthrough and continued his sensational end-of-season form.
Celtic soon tightened their grip on the final when Engels unleashed a fierce effort from outside the box that flew beyond the unsighted Oxborough.
Neil Lennon attempted to spark a response with a triple substitution at half-time, introducing Zak Rudden, Chris Kane and Shea Kearney, and the changes briefly lifted Dunfermline’s intensity.
Alfons Amade went close with a driven effort, while Iheanacho thought he had added a third for Celtic only for the goal to be ruled out for offside against Hyun-jun Yang in the build-up.
The Nigerian forward would not be denied for long.
Iheanacho produced a superb individual effort, weaving through the Dunfermline defence with quick footwork before calmly finishing to put the final beyond doubt.
Cooper’s late strike gave Dunfermline supporters something to celebrate, but it did little to alter the outcome as Celtic comfortably closed out another cup triumph.
Celtic’s relentless form at the end of the season has been remarkable.
This victory marked their ninth consecutive win across all competitions, underlining the energy, determination and resilience that carried them through a difficult campaign.
There could easily have been signs of fatigue after the emotional drama of last weekend’s title-clinching victory over Hearts, but Celtic showed no such weakness as they dominated large spells of the final.
Although Dunfermline improved after the break and briefly unsettled them, Celtic quickly regained control and saw the game out professionally.
Winning the Premiership and Scottish Cup for a third straight season is an impressive achievement in itself, but doing so amid managerial upheaval and supporter frustration makes O’Neill’s contribution even more significant.
Dunfermline can still take pride from their journey to the final despite falling short against superior opposition.
Morrison’s missed early opportunity may linger as a major “what if” moment, particularly after Scales’ crucial intervention preserved Celtic’s clean sheet at a key stage.
Lennon’s half-time substitutions injected energy and belief into his side, and for a period the Pars threatened to make the contest more competitive.
Cooper’s late goal was deserved reward for their persistence, even if it ultimately served only as consolation against a Celtic side who once again proved too strong when it mattered most.
Celtic manager Martin O'Neill: "It's definitely not my final, it's Celtic's final. I have had a bit-part to play in proceedings.
"The game has changed a wee bit since I first managed and some of the things we coach so I've had to learn. I've been doing a lot of learning in the last three or four months.
"You're on the periphery then suddenly you're thrown into the middle of it and you get a perverse enjoyment from it when you win things."
Dunfermline Athletic manager Neil Lennon: "The better team won. Quality counts and I think that was the difference today.
"We got a little bit spooked first half after the first goal and were a little bit off the pace and didn't pass it anywhere near well enough.
"We played ever so well second half but we just lacked that quality. We're a Championship team and we have moved mountains this season and it was just one mountain too many for us."
