Celtic will face off against Dunfermline Athletic in the Scottish Cup final, with manager Martin O’Neill set to go head-to-head with his former captain, Neil Lennon. The Hoops secured their spot in the final with a thrilling 6-2 victory over St Mirren in the semi-finals, which went into extra time. Celtic initially took a 2-0 lead thanks to 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. However, Celtic regained their composure in extra time, with Kelechi Iheanacho netting a brace and Luke McCowan and Benjamin Nygren adding to the tally, ultimately sealing a decisive win.
The final, scheduled for May 23 at Hampden Park, promises to be an emotional encounter between two Celtic legends. Lennon's Dunfermline Athletic had earlier booked their spot in the final with a penalty shootout victory over Falkirk. The match got off to a tumultuous start for St Mirren, with backup goalkeeper Ryan Mullen gifting Celtic the opening goal inside the first minute.
Mullen's woes continued as he suffered an injury, prompting the introduction of 17-year-old Grant Tamosevicius for his senior debut. At the other end, Celtic's Viljami Sinisalo nearly committed a similar blunder but was spared when Killian Phillips failed to capitalize on the opportunity. Tamosevicius showed composure despite the occasion, making a smart save from Maeda and displaying tidy footwork before eventually being beaten by Ralston on the stroke of half-time. St Mirren reduced the deficit eight minutes into the second half, with Mandron heading in Declan John's chipped cross.
Celtic temporarily regained control but faced a barrage of attacks in the final 15 minutes. Sinisalo pulled off an excellent double save in the 87th minute, only to be beaten by Mandron's second goal in stoppage time, sending the match into extra time. However, Celtic quickly regained the upper hand, with Iheanacho heading in James Forrest's cross, followed by goals from Luke McCowan and Iheanacho's second, before Benjamin Nygren completed the scoring.
The stage is now set for a thrilling Scottish Cup final, with O'Neill and Lennon set to lock horns in a battle of wits and tactics.