Celtic kept their dreams of a domestic treble alive yesterday as they progressed to the quarter-finals of the Scottish Cup with a 2-0 win over Inverness Caledonian Thistle.

The home side came close through efforts from Nick Ross and Josh Meekings before Georgios Samaras took advantage of a Ross Tokely mistake to send a scorching shot past stand-in keeper Jonny Tuffey in the 33rd minute for his first away goal since January 2011.

The Greek striker missed good chances to double the lead before Gary Hooper’s persistence won Celtic a 68th-minute penalty after he was tripped by David Proctor.

Scott Brown scored for the third game in a row as he expertly dispatched the spot-kick as Neil Lennon’s side, who sit top of the Scottish Premier League and have already clinched a place in the League Cup final, made it 15 wins on the trot.

“It was a great performance and it could have been three or four in the end,” the Celtic manager said of the cup holders.

“I thought we were superb from start to finish and I couldn’t be more happy with my players today.”

Inverness boss Terry Butcher was unhappy with his team’s performance. “I’m bitterly disappointed and totally devastated as we’ve just not turned up today at all,” Butcher said.

Results

Scottish Cup, 5th round
Aberdeen 1 - Queen of South 1
Hibernian 1 - Kilmarnock 0
Inverness CT 0 - Celtic 2
Motherwell 6 - Morton 0
St Mirren 1 - Ross County 1

Playing today
Rangers vs Dundee United - 13:15
Hearts vs St Johnstone - 15:15

Third Division
East Stirling 2 - Stranraer 2
Montrose 1 - Annan Athletic 1
Queen’s Park 1 - Alloa 2

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