IT WON’T live long in Celtic history as a spectacle, but the Hoops achieved the target of progressing to the next stage of the Scottish Cup despite a hardly enthralling 2-0 win over Auchinleck Talbot at Rugby Park last night.

Thrills were few and far between on a bitterly cold night in Ayrshire as Martin O’Neill’s side repeatedly failed to fathom the defensive structure of their part-time sixth-tier opponents.

It took a first-half strike from Johnny Kenny to get the game going and the encounter was sealed with a lovely finish from Sebastian Tounekti from the edge of the box in the 85th minute.

The acclaim that greeted that goal from Hoops players and fans was as much in relief as celebration as it finally got the job done against a game collection of hard-working rivals.

It won’t go down in the annals of fame, but it could turn out to be a pivotal step on the Hampden journey if O’Neill is to pick up his fourth Scottish Cup at the national stadium on Saturday May 23.

Celtic now meet Dundee at Parkhead in the Fifth Round next month thanks to this victory over Talbot.

The goals that settled...