Easter Road bid a rousing farewell to Leigh Griffiths and another Scottish Premier League season but with eyes on next week, and the potential ending of an infamous barren run.

Griffiths left the field to a standing ovation in the 73rd minute of this dire encounter. Before the striker, who has emerged as a talisman in green and white, returns to his parent club in Wolverhampton he has one final and significant assignment.

Hibernian, who have not lifted the old trophy since 1902, face Celtic next Sunday in the Scottish Cup final. Neil Lennon, the SPL champions' manager, took in just 53 minutes of Dundee's trip to Edinburgh and would not have headed home as a concerned man. Lennon knows, however, what potential Griffiths has to damage Celtic next weekend if not appropriately shackled.

A Hibs substitute, David Wotherspoon, proved the unlikely matchwinner against Dundee. The midfielder pounced 11 minutes from time to at least nudge Hibs towards Hampden Park in fine spirits. Their 111-year wait aside, they were trounced in the same final by Hearts a year ago.

Hibs were the better team in this, their last match of the SPL campaign, without ever needing to be any better than distinctly average. Dundee are the league's bottom club for a reason; but for a brief rally they have endured a troubled nine months in the top flight, albeit there was an inevitability attached to that by virtue of their belated promotion. They accumulated a mere 30 points from 38 matches. Indeed, Dundee's relegation was confirmed a fortnight before their arrival in Edinburgh. The Dundee manager, John Brown, has overseen a revival of sorts but not one strong enough to prevent a tumble into the First Division. Brown has enjoyed his return to the limelight, amid outspoken comments relating to everything from diving to the finances of other clubs. That bluster aside, the proper test of Brown's management credentials will arrive next season in the cut and thrust of the second tier.

Dundee's faint hope of avoiding their demotion resonates in the affairs of Hearts, who could be deducted points for either this or the next campaign on account of the imminent insolvency of their Lithuania-based parent company. A continued and fundamental flaw of the SPL's structure is that clubs can decide upon the fate and punishment of their rivals. Hearts' troubled situation was, unsurprisingly, a cause for audible glee from both sets of supporters here. In torrential rain and on a bumpy surface, there was not much happening on the field to provide alternative entertainment.

There should have been no shock attached to the fact Griffiths looked the most likely to break a dull deadlock. The forward forced Steve Simonsen into a fine, 26th minute save with a fierce drive after collecting an Alex Harris pass. Since his arrival into the first team, young Harris has offered strong hints at a promising future.

Griffiths was even more profligate 12 minutes into the second half. Paul Hanlon found the loanee with a lofted, through ball; Griffiths aimed his half-volley wide of Simonsen's left-hand post. That incident sparked the first interesting spell of the afternoon. Hibs' Lewis Stevenson blazed wildly over when he should have done better, before the Dundee substitute Ryan Conroy came within inches of sending his team in front. Just as proceedings had slowed down again, the hosts produced a fine goal. Stevenson created it, with a back post cross which Wotherspoon, who had earlier replaced Harris, clinically headed home. It was a brilliantly simple and effective moment of football.

After full time, the Hibs playing and coaching staff took their customary lap of mutual appreciation in front of their fans. The truth is that Hibs' league form, after a promising start, tailed off; that reality will not matter a jot to anybody here if the Cup returns to Edinburgh's east side. The odds are against that happening but this, of all seasons, has been one for the knockout underdog.