Celtic goalkeeper Craig Gordon felt his side’s late Scottish Cup triumph was the Hoops’ reward for keeping their calm until the end.
Tom Rogic scored the winning goal in added time just as the game appeared destined for extra-time, securing Celtic’s domestic treble in manager Brendan Rodgers’ first season at Parkhead.
It was a nerve-shredding afternoon in which both sides created several chances, however despite acknowledging Aberdeen’s fine performance, Scotland international Gordon felt his side was deserving of the late triumph.
Gordon said: “I think it was merited. Aberdeen played well, they put in a good performance and gave it everything they had.
“We had to defend and at times I had to make saves. It was quite open and we were never in full control, although I thought we were the team likely to go on and win it.
“We needed everybody to pull in the same direction and stay calm. It was just a massive relief to get the goal so near the end.”
Former Hearts goalkeeper Gordon spent two years out of the game after leaving Sunderland in 2012 due to a knee injury, which threatened to end the one-time £9million player’s career.
After getting his second chance from the Hoops in 2014, Gordon could not have envisaged securing the treble with a domestically-unbeaten record, with the 34-year-old adding: “I could never have hoped to come back and achieved something like this.
“At one point I wasn’t certain I could get another game of football. To play in an undefeated season and win three competitions, it simply can’t get any better.
“It has been a bit of a rollercoaster season for me, I had to get my way back into the team. It’s a great achievement.”
Hoops defender Kieran Tierney was forced to go to hospital after suffering a blow in the face from the arm of Dons attacker Jayden Stockley, but returned for his side’s post-match celebrations.
Gordon praised the defender’s resilience, adding: “Kieran is not great, he had to go to the hospital and undergo a procedure for a possible fracture.
“He’s on painkillers jumping about and celebrating which will probably come back to him but he’ll not be bothered.
“He’ll be delighted. He’s a huge Celtic supporter so for him to go up there and lift the Scottish Cup for the first time will mean a lot to him.”