Celtic Thrash St Mirren in Extra Time to Secure Scottish Cup Final Berth

Celtic boss Martin O'Neill is set to face off against his former captain Neil Lennon in the Scottish Cup final, after the Hoops convincingly defeated League Cup holders St Mirren 6-2 in a thrilling semi-final match that went into extra time. The game got off to a blistering start, with Daizen Maeda and Anthony Ralston scoring within the first 45 minutes to give Celtic a 2-0 lead. However, Mikael Mandron inspired a stunning comeback for St Mirren, scoring twice including a dramatic equalizer in the 91st minute to send the game into extra time. Despite this, Celtic regained their composure and dominated the extra period, with Kelechi Iheanacho scoring a brace and Luke McCowan and Benjamin Nygren adding to the tally, ensuring a convincing victory and a spot in the final. The final, scheduled to take place at Hampden Park on May 23, promises to be an emotional encounter between two Celtic legends. This comes after Lennon's Dunfermline Athletic pulled off a shocking win over Falkirk in a penalty shootout in the other semi-final match. The semi-final match between Celtic and St Mirren was marked by a series of dramatic moments, including an early mistake by St Mirren's backup goalkeeper Ryan Mullen, which resulted in the opening goal. Mullen's woes continued as he picked up an injury, forcing 17-year-old Grant Tamosevicius to make his senior debut. At the other end, Celtic's Viljami Sinisalo almost gifted St Mirren a goal when he was dispossessed by Mikael Mandron, but the resulting opportunity was squandered. Sinisalo made amends with an excellent stop to deny Liam Donnelly's powerful header from a corner. Tamosevicius showed promise in his debut, making a smart save from Maeda and showcasing his footwork before eventually being beaten by Ralston's powerful strike on the stroke of half-time. The second half saw St Mirren mount a comeback, with Mandron scoring his first goal since December to reduce the deficit. However, Celtic regained control without creating clear-cut chances, before facing a barrage of attacks from St Mirren in the final 15 minutes. Sinisalo pulled off an impressive double save, but was unable to prevent Mandron's second goal in stoppage time, which sent the match into extra time. Parity was short-lived, as substitute Iheanacho headed in James Forrest's cross six minutes into extra time, followed by Luke McCowan's calm finish two minutes later. Iheanacho scored his second in the 100th minute, and Benjamin Nygren sealed the victory shortly after. The Scottish Cup final will be a repeat of the 2007 final, which was Lennon's last match as a Celtic player. Dunfermline boss Neil Lennon expressed his honor and privilege at facing his former manager Martin O'Neill, with whom he shares a long and storied history. Lennon, who played under O'Neill at Leicester and Celtic, described the prospect of facing his former boss as 'daunting' but also a 'privilege.' O'Neill praised Lennon's achievements, saying he has done 'remarkably well' and is looking forward to their reunion in the final.