PLENTY was said about how Celtic's youth teams measure up to the rest of Scottish football back when the idea of Old Firm colt teams was all the rage.

At Hampden last night we were given the closest thing we may get to an answer when the Parkhead side's development squad won their fourth Scottish FA Youth Cup in a row, at the expense of a Dunfermline Athletic side of which no fewer than nine have been pressed into first-team action for Jim Jefferies' administration-ravaged Irn-Bru First Division side this season.

It was a bit like a science lesson on the evolution of the modern-day footballer.

Although this was night and day from the eight-goal romp against Queen of the South here last season, this success, coupled with victory in the inaugural Scottish Premier League Under-20 league, confirmed Celtic's dominance in the youth game.

The jubilation was genuine as captain for the day John Herron was joined by injured captain Marcus Fraser to lift the trophy, but if recent history is anything to go by there remains much to do if these players are to make the grade at Parkhead.

"I think there will be a couple who have caught the eye of the fans, the directors and the chief executive who was here tonight," said John Kennedy, the Celtic coach.

Despite hosting Airdrie United on Saturday still needing a result to preserve their first division status, Jefferies had given under-20s coach John Potter carte blanche to pick whomever he pleased, and it said it all that there were worried looks in Dunfermline areas when Alex Whittle limped off early on.

"We more than matched them for the majority of the game," said Potter. "The more important game comes on Saturday so they have to dust themselves down and go again."

Celtic started with four of the team which won last year, with places in midfield for last year's captain Jackson Irvine, and Callum McGregor, as for the second time this week, a youth final drew a respectable crowd in Glasgow.

As in the Glasgow Cup final between Celtic and Rangers, a small band of fans released smoke bombs and a green flare pre-match, and spent a while taunting their opponents with chants about liquidation.

But it was all largely good natured and there was no repeat of the seat throwing which marred Monday night's final at Firhill.

Dunfermline fans had travelled through in big numbers as well and it became clear early on that this was to be no repeat of last year's mismatch in which Celtic were 4-0 up by half-time.

Indeed, deprived of notable players Fraser, Joe Chalmers and Lewis Kidd to injury, it was Celtic who started the match nervously.

A mistake by Eoghan O'Connell within seconds gave giant striker Blair Henderson an early chance which Celtic scrambled clear. Italian goalkeeper Leonardo Fasan then had to look lively to stop Scott Mercer latching on to a Grant Munro cross.

Celtic calmed their nerves and before long Fasan's opposite number Ryan Goodfellow had produced a fine tip-over to stop Irvine from scoring from John Herron's cross and Bahrudin Atajic's header fell narrowly beyond a post.

In a match refereed by a category four official for the first time – official Scott Lambie did fine, brave enough to book Herron for diving – it took just eight minutes after the restart for the first goal to arrive. Atajic headed Paul George's cross towards Herron, whose looping header rebounded off a post but was turned in by Jamie Lindsay.

Atajic then found room away from 17-year-old Lewis Martin, the impressive Dunfermline defender, to head past Goodfellow.

You feared for Dunfermline then, but these boys have been hardened by first-team football and Allan Smith, a wee buzz bomb of a forward, slalomed past two defenders to score with a low shot.

At that very moment, Kennedy was readying striker Denny Johnstone to come on, and it proved an inspired substitution when the brawny striker – another member of the Scotland Under-19 group which will travel to Belgium later this month – found a clever header back across Goodfellow's boughs to make the game safe.

THREE TO WATCH

Bahrudin Atajic (Celtic)

The Swede, of Bosnian descent, spent his formative years at Malmo much like a certain Zlatan Ibrahimovic. Atajic lacks similar physique but boasts nimble footwork, an eye for goal and flair. Hit and miss last night but highly regarded at Parkhead.

Paul George (Celtic)

The Irishman has been regarded as the coming man for quite some time now, having made his full debut as a 16-year-old in a pre-season friendly against AZ Alkmaar three years ago. Development has been delayed by a double leg break but a lively left winger.

Lewis Martin (Dunfermline)

Only turned 17 last month but the willowy defender was an unflappable presence in the Fife side's rearguard. Shaun Byrne and Allan Smith also impressed.