BEES KNEES; McGEADY SEES RED AS CELTS SCRAPE VICTORY: Bumblebees remove Hibees' sting.

Byline: RONNIE ESPLIN

IN A WEEK dominated by the Eduardo diving storm, controversy once again engulfed Scottish football yesterday as Celtic carved out a battling 1-0 victory over Hibs at Easter Road.

Georgios Samaras' header from a sublime Andreas Hinkel cross four minutes from half-time was sufficient to send Celtic back down the motorway to Glasgow with all three points.

But the main talking point of the afternoon was the red card to shown to Celtic's Aiden McGeady after referee Dougie McDonald adjudged the Irish international had dived to win a free-kick.

The decision looked harsh after McGeady was shown his second yellow card of the game but TV pictures later proved the official had called the decision correctly.

Celtic started the game without the injured Marc Antoine Fortune and Italian midfielder Massimi Donati who is set to complete a pounds 1m switch to Bari before the close of the transfer window.

Less than 60 seconds after kick-off, Fortune's replacement, Georgios Samaras, was caught late by David Wotherspoon to set the tone for a hotly-contested match.

Hibs had the first real chance of the match when impressive youngster Wotherspoon fired in a cross from the right and Glenn Loovens was forced to clear.

McGeady then completed a sweeping move through the Hibs midfield but blasted his long-range effort over before a Samaras header clipped the top of the Hibs bar from a corner.

McGeady was lucky to escape a red card in the 22nd minute when he felled Derek Riordan after the striker had broken free down the left.

However, the former Celtic man failed to convert the resulting free-kick, inching it past Artur Boruc's righthand post.

A Danny Fox freekick shortly after the half hour mark looked promising, but Samaras miscued his shot and the ball was finally cleared.

The stalemate was broken four minutes from the break when Samaras headed in from close range after Hinkel powered down the right and flighted in a searching ball for the Greek international.

Following the restart, Boruc was forced into a doublesave from Riordan's 18-yard shot and subsequent corner.

Souleymane Bamba missed an opportunity to level the scores as the hour mark approached, sending the ball over from six yards out with only Boruc to beat.

In the 63rd minute, McGeady was sent for an early bath following a challenge from Hanlon.

Referee McDonald decided that no contact had been made and the Republic of Ireland international was dismissed for simulation.

Moments later, Wotherspoon blasted in a spectacular half-volley from 25-yards out that produced an even better save from Artur Boruc who somehow managed to push the ball onto his right hand post and back into play.

Riordan was again denied by Boruc from a searching corner, when the Polish keeper parried a curving shot after the ball landed at the feet of the Hibs striker.

Samaras could have sealed the points in the dying minutes when he broke free with only Stack to beat, but he fired his shot straight at the Irish keeper.

A frantic period of added time produced some heartstopping goalmouth scrambles, but Celtic's defence held out to deny their hosts a point.

CAPTION(S):

OFF YOU GO Referee Dougie McDonald sends off Aiden McGeady after his second yellow card SORRY ABOUT THAT MATE Georgios Samaras apologises to Scott Brown after the Greek striker failed to square the ball for an open goal SAM LIKE IT HOT Samaras scores the winner ART OF POISE Boruc makes a wonder save BLOCKED OUT Nguemo and Bamba