By Callum McFadden at Hampden Park.
Celtic are through to next month’s Scottish Cup final after eventually overpowering St Mirren in one of the most dramatic Hampden encounters in recent memory.
Martin O’Neill’s side looked in complete control early on, raced into a two-goal lead, then found themselves dragged into extra time before producing a ruthless burst of finishing to seal an eight-goal thriller and set up a final against Dunfermline Athletic on 23 May. It will also mark O’Neill’s 11th domestic cup final as a manager, another milestone in a career filled with silverware and showpiece occasions.
For long spells, this looked like it would be a routine afternoon for the holders.
Daizen Maeda needed less than a minute to make his mark, pressing aggressively to capitalise on hesitation from stand-in goalkeeper Ryan Mullen and roll Celtic ahead after only 57 seconds. It was the sort of goal that sums Maeda up entirely, relentless, opportunistic, and utterly disruptive.
Celtic then dominated territory and possession, with Arne Engels and Hyun-Jun Yang both striking the woodwork as St Mirren struggled to stem the tide.
When Anthony Ralston rifled in an excellent second on the stroke of half-time, the contest appeared finished.
But St Mirren had other ideas.
Stephen Robinson’s side emerged after the interval with renewed purpose and were rewarded when Mikael Mandron powered home a header to reduce the deficit. Suddenly, Celtic’s earlier wastefulness carried consequences.
Momentum swung. Hampden sensed vulnerability.
Then, deep into stoppage time, Mandron struck again with a fierce finish in the 91st minute to complete a remarkable comeback and force extra time.
At that point, St Mirren looked the side with belief. Celtic looked rattled.
Yet top sides often respond when it matters most, and that is exactly what happened.
Within minutes of extra time beginning, substitute Kelechi Iheanacho rose to head Celtic back in front. Before St Mirren could recover, Luke McCowan added another. Iheanacho then struck again to remove any remaining doubt, with Benjamin Nygren adding further gloss with a composed finish for his 20th goal of an impressive debut campaign.
Four goals in six devastating minutes transformed a tense semi-final into a scoreline that scarcely reflected the resistance Celtic had faced.
There was also sympathy for St Mirren’s teenage goalkeeper Grant Tamosevicius, thrown into action on his professional debut after Mullen was forced off injured in the first half. The youngster handled himself admirably and made several smart saves, but was ultimately exposed by Celtic’s late avalanche.
For Celtic, the pursuit of another Scottish Cup lives on, while St Mirren experienced heartbreak but also displayed courage, resilience, and a high standard of play.
Hampden provided another reminder that the Scottish Cup is still capable of delivering chaos, drama, and unforgettable afternoons.
