Key Takeaways
- Celtic meet St Mirren at Hampden only four months after the Saints beat them in the League Cup final.
- Both clubs have changed managers since that December clash.
- A win books a Scottish Cup final date with Dunfermline Athletic.
Four months ago St Mirren danced on the Hampden turf while Celtic stared at the floor. A Marcus Fraser header and two Jonah Ayunga strikes gave the Paisley side their second-ever League Cup and left Wilfried Nancy’s short Celtic reign in tatters.
Nancy left after only 33 days. Martin O’Neill stepped in for a second caretaker spell and has steadied the ship, yet he still calls the squad “not good enough” to talk about trophies. Even so, a dull 0-0 draw at Ibrox followed by a penalty shoot-out win over Rangers carried Celtic into this semi-final.
St Mirren have also swapped dug-outs. Stephen Robinson departed for Aberdeen last month, and youth coach Craig McLeish now guides a side fighting relegation rather than pushing for the top six. Still, McLeish has won two of his first four games and took heart from last weekend’s narrow league loss to Celtic at Parkhead.
Six of the cup-final heroes could start again on Sunday, although keeper Shamal George is an injury doubt. Captain Mark O’Hara, absent in December, is fit, while on-loan Manchester United winger Jacob Devaney adds fresh spark.
O’Hara says the squad believe “a cup double” is possible. McLeish vows his team will “go toe-to-toe” rather than sit deep. O’Neill, meanwhile, hopes a Hampden win can kick-start a late title push.
Throw-off is 14:00 BST. The prize: a place in May’s Scottish Cup final against Dunfermline Athletic.