Inverness Cup jinx strikes again to sink Celtic

Inverness Caledonian Thistle 1 Celtic

Celtic were brought down from their midweek high with a thud at the Caledonian Stadium last night, with a first-half goal from Dennis Wyness carrying Inverness to victory.

After their memorable success over Liverpool in the Uefa Cup, Celtic were given a reality check with this tricky Scottish Cup quarter-final tie. The visiting manager, Martin O'Neill, determined albeit in vain that the Glasgow club would not repeat their Cup defeat of February 2000 against the same opposition, made eight changes from his victorious Anfield line-up. Only Joos Valgaeren, Henrik Larsson and Neil Lennon stayed in the starting XI and in came the former Sunderland defender, Stanislav Varga, for his first start since signing until May.

Thistle gave Celtic a warning in the 34th minute when Richie Hart sent a left-foot shot, on the run, just past Javier Sanchez Broto's upright. But the Scottish champions were stunned in the last minute of the half when Inverness took a surprise lead. Grant Munro picked out Hart with a fine ball and his cross was slid past the hand of Broto by Wyness.

O'Neill would not have appreciated that half-time score, and Celtic came out from the break with a renewed vigour. But Shaun Maloney wasted a free-kick by sending it over the crossbar.

Mark Brown, the Inverness keeper, produced a fine save in the 53rd minute to deny Larsson an equaliser when David Fernandez played him clean through on goal, superbly touching the 10-yard effort behind.

O'Neill brought on midweek hero John Hartson for Maloney in the hope that he would provide some inspiration but the striker was unable to find a way through.

Goal: Wyness (45) 1-0.

Inverness Caledonian Thistle: Brown; McCaffray, Mann, Munro, Golabek, Tokely, Hart, McBain, Robson (Christie, 85), Wyness, Ritchie (Keogh, 81). Substitutes not used: Stewart (gk), Bagan, Fraser.

Celtic: Sanchez Broto; Valgaeren, Varga, Laursen, Smith, Lennon, McNamara, Fernandez, Guppy, Maloney (Hartson, 63), Larsson. Substitutes not used: Douglas (gk), Baldé, Healy, Miller.

Referee: A Freeland.

Man of the match: Brown.

Attendance: 6,050.