Hibs will have headed back along the M8 absolutely gutted that the Premier Sports Cup wasn’t sitting with them on the team bus.
I’m not saying they were robbed. They weren’t. Celtic were the better team on the day.
But to have taken the lead in the final and held it for 14 SECONDS? That’s just devastating. And, to be honest, it’s criminal.
Yes, the euphoria of taking the lead through Paul Hanlon, right in front of the Hibs support, would have seen caretaker boss David Gray’s players temporarily take leave of their senses as they celebrated.
But by the time they were back on their side of the halfway line for Celtic to restart, they had to be totally switched on again. They weren’t and Hibs paid the heaviest of prices for that mental collapse.
The oldest saying in football is that you’re at your most vulnerable when you’ve just scored. Every Hibs player knows that.
The next 10/15 minutes should have been spent keeping it simple. Snuffing out and shutting down Celtic, taking it to the 70th minute with that lead still intact.
Celtic would have started to panic. For all their possession, they hadn’t hurt Hibs. Their fans would have started howling at them and that would have made them hurry their passes and make wrong decisions.
All of that would have played into Hibs’ hands.
Instead, the heads of the players were still in the clouds and when Callum McGregor floated that long pass to Kyogo Furuhashi, they stood and admired it as the Celtic striker moved off Hanlon.
Listen, it’s fantastic movement from a brilliant player and his first touch and finish were sensational but it really should never have been allowed to happen.
I’ve been in that movie as a player. You work your socks off against one of the big guns and you manage to take the lead then concede quickly. It is utterly demoralising. You are sickened and it’s like the other lot have got a shot of adrenalin.
Suddenly, they are all business and before you know it, a 1-0 lead is a 2-1 defeat.
That’s exactly the script that was followed yesterday.
The second goal is a sublime piece of movement and skill from Kyogo but the two Hibs centre-backs were guilty of falling asleep at the wheel for the second time.
Hanlon committed the foul on the halfway line and you can argue all day about whether it was one or not but, as soon it was given, they had to be ready to defend it.
When Tom Rogic stepped up to deliver it, the only player ready was the Celtic No.8 and Hibs’ dream was over. Maybe it shouldn’t have been because they really rattled Ange Postecoglou’s side in the closing stages and should have had a penalty.
There is no question in my mind that Carl Starfelt uses two hands to shove Ryan Porteous in the back as he moved for the cross that eventually lead to Kevin Nisbet hitting a post with a header.
It was a spot-kick all day long and would have given Hibs the chance to take the game to extra-time. With Kyogo on the bench by that point, I would have fancied my old team who finished the game strongly.
For some reason, John Beaton failed to give it. Had VAR been in operation, it would have been very interesting to see what the ref would have done if he’d been asked to have a look at it on a pitchside screen.
Ultimately, though, this cup final won’t be remembered for that.
From a Hibs perspective, it will be looked upon as a massive missed opportunity.
They won’t get many better chances to beat Celtic in a final, that’s for sure.
But now they must somehow park the disappointment and focus on a huge game against Aberdeen at Easter Road on Wednesday.
By then, they’ll almost certainly have a new manager in place and hopefully they’ll get a bounce from hearing a different voice and the need to impress him.
I’m convinced that the successor to Jack Ross has been identified and a deal all but concluded.
The club’s hierarchy wouldn’t have wanted anything to get in the way of the preparation for Hampden, which is why nothing has been announced.
But the final now out of the way, there should be an announcement within the 24 hours, I would imagine.
Whether it is Shaun Maloney remains to be seen. No matter who it is, he will have a good group of players to work with.
With a little more concentration than they displayed yesterday, it could have been a group of cup winners welcoming him through the doors of the training centre in Tranent.
