Celtic retain Scottish Premiership title with dramatic win over Hearts

Thousands of Celtic fans are celebrating in the streets of Glasgow after dashing Hearts' dreams of winning their first top flight league trophy in 66 years.

The Hoops retained their Scottish Premiership title for the fifth year in a row with a 3-1 victory over the Edinburgh side at Celtic Park.

Heart of Midlothian only needed a draw to end the 40-year dominance of Glasgow clubs but two quick goals in the final minutes secured Celtic the win they required.

Police Scotland said a number of roads in the Trongate area had been closed in anticipation of title celebrations and people were advised to avoid the area.

The Gallowgate is shut between Watson Street and High Street. London Road is closed between Glasgow Cross and James Morrison Street.

High Street and Saltmarket remain open.

Despite the Jambos scoring the first goal of the match, Celtic quickly equalised and two late goals - by Daizen Maeda and substitute Callum Osmand - sealed their fate.

Ecstatic Celtic fans poured onto the pitch as the third goal went into the net, with Hearts players escorted down the tunnel by police and officials.

BBC Sportscene pundit Allan Preston said some of the Celtic fans appeared to be targeting Hearts captain Lawrence Shankland.

The match, which was approaching the end of the indicated eight minutes of added time, did not restart

The Hearts players and staff made a hasty exit after the game, with some players still in their match kit on the team bus as they headed back to Edinburgh.

Celtic captain Callum McGregor said he was "speechless" at the result, adding: "You can see what this means to everyone, to the group of players."

"We knew we would get a chance for sure, this is the way this group is, they just keep going and going," he said.

Former Celtic captain Scott Brown got a huge round of applause as he brought the silverware for the trophy presentation.

Taking the microphone. manager Martin O'Neill, now aged 74, said the players and coaching staff had "given me a reason to live".

Fewer than 800 Hearts fans were inside the stadium but thousands had gathered in pubs in the capital to watch on TV, hopeful that their side would pull off a remarkable footballing achievement.

Fiona, who was at the Tynecastle Arms with her 10-year-old daughter Olivia, said she was "proud and devastated" following the result.

"A lot of my friends think it's 11 men kicking a ball around a field but it's more than that for us," she said.

She added that there was "so much to look forward to" and she was hopeful for the future.

"Whether it's next year or whether it's five or ten years - it will happen eventually," she said.

'Celebrate responsibly'

There was a heavy police presence in Glasgow both before and after the match.

O'Neill, who last won the title in 2004 during his first spell at Celtic, was among those urging fans to celebrate "safely and responsibly".

"We want all our fans to be safe and ensure that we are mindful of others and our wider community," he had said ahead of the big game.