The Ayrshire men had not won at Celtic since 1955 and they never
looked like ending that run.
Less than a minute after kick-off, Marc-Antoine Fortune missed a
sitter when he headed Georgios Samaras' cross over the bar from six
yards out, then failed to connect properly with an Andreas Hinkel cross
from a similar distance moments later.
As the home side swarmed around the Killie box, Keane had a shot
saved by Cameron Bell, who made a better save from Samaras in the 11th
minute when he pushed the Greece international's drive around the post.
In the 18th minute Killie boss Jimmy Calderwood, in an attempt to
stem the tide, replaced Mark Burchill with the more defensive-minded
James Fowler. The move failed.
Still Celtic dominated as Kilmarnock defended with increasing
desperation.
Fortune headed a Lee Naylor cross past the back post in the 32nd
minute but they eventually and deservedly got in front three minutes
later through Keane.
The Republic of Ireland international burrowed his way into the Rugby
Park box and delicately chipped the ball over Bell for his 10th goal
since arriving on loan.
A minute from the interval Aiden McGeady's shot beat Bell but hit the
far post and rolled back into the arms of the Killie keeper.
Calderwood made another change at the break, replacing Chris Maguire
with Danny Invincibile but to no great effect.
The tempo of the game had dropped and Killie looked as though they
were in damage-limitation mode.
However, in the 61st minute Keane settled the destination of the
points when he took a Brown pass, turned inside Frazer Wright and
drilled the ball past Bell from 12 yards.
It was a poor goal to concede from the visitors' point of view but
there was worse to come.
Four minutes later Brown made it 3-0 when he turned McGeady's
cross-cum-shot past Bell from eight yards with the Rugby Park defence in
tatters.
In the 73rd minute the visitors reduced the deficit in a rather
fortuitous fashion when skipper Bryson caught Artur Boruc out with a
cross from the right which sailed over his head.
Killie survived a penalty claim moments later when Wright looked to
have controlled the ball with his arm and their goal led a charmed life
in the following minutes.
As the game petered out, Killie striker Allan Russell cracked the bar
with a long-distance drive, seconds before McGeady did the same at the
other end.
73 mins
