Celtic humiliates St Mirren and advances to the final of the Scottish Cup.

In a breathtaking spectacle at Hampden Park, Celtic demolished St Mirren with a stunning extra-time performance, scoring four goals and securing an epic 6-2 victory in the Scottish Cup semi-final. This explosive triumph sets the Hoops up against Dunfermline in the final, a clash that promises to ignite the Scottish pitches next month.

The start of the match was a true shock for St Mirren fans. In the very first minute, Daizen Maeda capitalized on a critical error by Saints’ substitute goalkeeper Ryan Mullen, who shortly after had to leave due to injury, making way for 17-year-old Grant Tamosevicius to make his debut. Celtic showed no mercy, and just before halftime, right-back Anthony Ralston extended the lead to 2-0, leaving the Paisley side with a Herculean task.

But St Mirren showed grit and never gave up. Forward Mikael Mandron reduced the deficit, and in the dying moments of regular time, he scored the equalizer, sending the match into an electrifying extra time.

It was at this moment that Celtic revealed all their class and firepower. In just six minutes, Kelechi Iheanacho netted two goals, interspersed with a precise shot from substitute Luke McCowan, and a final touch from Benjamin Nygren, annihilating St Mirren’s hopes in a genuine goal fest that sealed their place in the Cup final.

Martin O’Neill, manager of Celtic, did not hide his emotion and admiration for what his team achieved: “If it’s possible to say that I enjoyed it, I enjoyed the last three minutes of extra time. It was a tough game, really complicated. Even with the 2-0 lead, it felt like we wouldn’t be able to hold on to the result. In the end, we felt they could score a second goal, as they did. But we found something extra in extra time, and Iheanacho’s goal turned the game around for us immediately.”

This match also marked the anticipation of a historic clash in the Cup final, where O’Neill will face his former captain Neil Lennon, manager of Dunfermline, a team from the Scottish second division that eliminated Falkirk in a dramatic penalty shootout after a goalless draw.

With this display of football, Celtic reaffirms its ambition and power in the Scottish Cup, sending a clear warning to all rivals: the battle for the trophy is more intense and unpredictable than ever. Get ready for a final that promises to be unforgettable!

This article appears first on Apito Final.