CELTIC STUNNED BY LATE LIBBRA STRIKE
Johan Mjallby (pictured) got the home side off to a perfect start when he finished off from close range on 23 minutes, and it looked like being the only goal of a tense game until Mark Libbra came off the bench to net on his debut.
Celtic will be most disappointed with the draw after dominating the game, but their failure to capitalise on Mjallby's early strike proved their downfall despite some excellent service from their widemen and Alan Thompson in particular.
It was former Hibernian star Didier Agathe who went closest to opening the scoring after seven minutes, but his shot went high over Nick Colgan's goal.
Stilian Petrov fired wide after some good build-up play by Chris Sutton and Henrik Larsson nodded an Alan Thompson corner fractionally too high as Celtic continued to fashion all the early chances.
Hibernian were then punished for some sloppy play when they needlessly gifted Celtic a corner and O'Neill's side capitalised by scoring the opening goal of the game.
Thompson's outswinging flag kick was headed back across goal by Larsson and though Stuart Lovell cleared it on the line, Mjallby was on hand to tap home from close range to put Celtic in front.
Larsson then sent Petrov clear and with only the keeper to beat, the Bulgarian sliced his shot horribly wide of Colgan.
Celtic continued to dominate but without creating anything clear cut. Larsson prompted and probed, Sutton battled for everything, but it was all to no avail as Hibernian kept them at bay.
Hibernian nearly equalised when Robert Douglas got down well to push an Ulrik Laursen header around the post.
Former French international Frank Sauzee then saw his long range effort easily gathered by Douglas before Celtic almost doubled their lead on the hour mark, but Larsson just failed to latch on to Chris Sutton's intelligent pass.
The impressive Petrov then broke through the midfield, but his slightly overhit pass pushed Paul Lambert wider than Celtic would have wanted. Lambert still managed to get his cross in, though, but the ball eluded Larsson who had made a run to the front post.
Larsson then fired a free kick straight into the Hibernian wall and Chris Sutton blazed too high following a surging run from Thompson.
Dirk Lehmann shot tamely wide for Hibernian before Larsson brought a smart stop from Colgan from close range.
Celtic continued to press and Sutton saw his header from Thompson's cross fly over the bar, but Larsson had a great opportunity to make the points safe 15 minutes from time.
Sutton picked up the ball midway inside the Hibernian half and fed the ball through to Larsson despite his best attempts at getting the ball stuck between his feet.
Larsson looked offside, but after taking the ball in his stride, he was superbly denied by a crunching tackle which led to a Celtic corner.
Again, the delivery was good, but Sutton couldn't stop his header from going fractionally too high.
The impressive Thompson then warmed the hands of Colgan from long range before Hibernian stunned Parkhead with a goal four minutes from time.
Mark Libbra, who joined the club on-loan from Toulouse, skipped past the challenge of Mjallby before calmly rolling the ball under Douglas from 12 yards to make it 1-1.
It was hardly what Hibernian deserved, but Celtic did not really do enough to win either. The visitors defended well and kept dangerman Henrik Larsson quiet, but it wasn't until the introduction of Libbra that the Edinburgh club looked like breaching Celtic's underworked backline.
Celtic, by their high standards this season, looked nervy and played well below their best and will look upon the result as two points lost rather than a point gained.
Understandably, the home side surged forward looking to increase their 12 point lead over Rangers and Larsson just failed to get on the end of Thompson's deep cross.
With the last chance of the game, though, it was the visitors who nearly snatched a late winner when Libbra cut in from the Hibs right.
But he failed to pick out one of a cluster of Hibs shirt's waiting for the pull-back, though, and Hibernian had to settle for a share of the spoils in an entertaining if somewhat nervy encounter.
The point moves Hibs within a point of second placed Rangers having played one game more.
