Martin O'Neill's Celtic will face off against Neil Lennon's Dunfermline Athletic in the Scottish Cup final after defeating St Mirren 6-2 in a thrilling semi-final match that went into extra time. Celtic had initially taken a 2-0 lead with goals from Daizen Maeda and Anthony Ralston, but St Mirren staged a remarkable comeback, with Mikael Mandron scoring twice, including a dramatic equalizer in the 91st minute, to force the game into extra time. However, Celtic regained their composure and sealed their spot in the final with a barrage of goals in extra time, including a brace from Kelechi Iheanacho and strikes from Luke McCowan and Benjamin Nygren. The stage is now set for an emotional final between two Celtic legends, O'Neill and Lennon, at Hampden Park on May 23.
The match promises to be an exciting encounter, with Lennon's Dunfermline Athletic having pulled off a stunning upset in the other semi-final, defeating bitter rivals Falkirk in a penalty shootout. St Mirren's campaign got off to a disastrous start when backup goalkeeper Ryan Mullen gifted Celtic the opening goal inside the first minute, and despite a valiant effort, they were ultimately outgunned by their opponents. The final will be a repeat of the 2007 Scottish Cup final, which was Lennon's last match as a Celtic player. Both O'Neill and Lennon have expressed their excitement and honor at facing each other in the final, with Lennon describing it as a 'privilege' to go up against his former manager.