CELTIC CROWNED CHAMPIONS

Tommy Johnson, who was only playing because of Chris Sutton's suspension, was the hero, finally breaking the deadlock in the 38th minute just when it looked the home side would be frustrated by their stubborn opponents.

Henrik Larsson, who was looking just one goal to equal Charlie Nicholas' 48-goal record for Celtic, was the creator, passing to Johnson to score from six yards out, after it had looked like his control had let him down.

The result means that Celtic have won the title in the fastest-ever time in history and it was their second championship in three years, but only the second in 13 years.

The Bhoys dominated throughout the 90 minutes creating chance after chance but the Saints just kept repelling them somehow with a combination of good defending and superb goalkeeping from Ludovik Roy.

Celtic created their first real chance of the game after just two minutes when Paul Lambert broke into the box but Ricky Gillies expertly stole the ball from the Scotland international.

Johnson had the next best chance just two minutes later but the former Aston Villa ace scuffed his shot wide.

Gillies had the visitors' first real opportunity in the seventh minute but The Saints' top scorer fired his shot from outside the box over the crossbar.

St Mirren were having to soak up a great deal of pressure and Johan Mjallby headed a Lubomir Moravcik corner over the bar.

Moravcik had the next chance, after a quarter of an hour, when Lambert sent the Slovakian clear down the left and the veteran star cut inside and fired a fierce shot which Roy parried for a corner.

From the resulting corner, Mjallby hit a post with Roy at all sea as Celtic pushed for the opener.

Chris Kerr was booked in the 17th minute for a bad tackle on Didier Agathe and, later, he was lucky to stay on the field after a terrible foul on Lambert just before half time.

Moravcik had another chance after 20 minutes but he shot his low drive just wide of the post after being fed by Vega.

Johnson had the best chance to open the scoring in the 22nd minute when Neil Lennon sent him straight through after dispossessing Fenton in midfield, but Roy did well to come out and block his shot.

Moravcik, who was causing St Mirren all sorts of problems in his free role, again worked his way into the box and set up Johnson for a shot from an angle that fizzed across goal after 26 minutes.

Larsson had his first real opportunity after 30 minutes but the prolific Swede shot straight at Roy and, a minute later, Lennon set up Johnson for a shot that Roy pushed away for a corner.

The next opening came a minute later when Agathe beat Stephen McPhee out on the right to cross to the backpost but Moravcik's header flew well wide of goal.

Larsson had a clear chance to break the deadlock after being sent clear by Moravcik and he rounded the goalkeeper, but he took the ball too far wide and Roy was able to get back to his goal and save his shot.

Saints almost stunned the home crowd when they had a great chance to score when Fenton broke free down the right, but he shot well wide with McPhee free in the middle with a better chance to score.

Celtic came close again in the 34th minute when Agathe's cross was almost turned into his own net by Jamie McGowan's sliced clearance which missed the far post by inches.

The goal that the home fans had been crying out for finally arrived in the 38th minute when Larsson unselfishly set up the unmarked Johnson in the box who recovered from a poor first touch to slide the ball under Roy.

Celtic started off the second half where they finished off the first, pushing St Mirren back hoping to find the second goal which would give them a bit of breathing space.

Thompson nearly got the goal to double the lead just three minutes into the second half but the midfielder saw his header from Agathe's fine cross from the right bounce off the top of the crossbar and out.

The visitors had a sight of goal a few moments later when McPhee got the better of Vega out on the the left, but Rob Douglas came off his line smartly to block and clear to safety.

Goalscorer Johnson was forced to be substituted in the 54th minute, with a hamstring pull and Jackie McNamara replaced him.

Larsson came within inches of getting the all-important second goal, and his 48th strike of the season, after 71 minutes but his volley from Agathe's centre whistled just past the far post with Roy beaten.

Larsson fired a free-kick from just outside the box over and McNamara was denied soon afterwards by Roy's block as Celtic tried to find the second clinching goal.

Lennon burst into the box but his shot hit the stanchion rather than the back of the net.

Thompson fired wide after 84 minutes after the ball broke loose to him at the edge of the box and Agathe had the last chance of the game, near the end, forcing Roy into another fine save as the Celtic fans counted down the clock to start their party.

With their 37th league title and League Cup firmly in the trophy cabinet the focus now switches to Hampden Park next week as Celtic go in search of a remarkable treble in O'Neill's first season in charge.

Click here for Martin O'Neill's post match comments