Celtic beat St Mirren 6-2 after extra-time to reach the Scottish Cup final as super sub Kelechi Iheanacho scores crucial goals
A dramatic extra-time thrashing of St Mirren secured Celtic’s place in the Scottish Cup final.
Martin O’Neill will take the Glasgow giants back to Hampden next month to take on Neil Lennon’s Dunfermline Athletic in the showpiece decider.
A case of master versus apprentice.
However, the Hoops faced a stern test, as the Premier Sports Cup champions – who defeated Wilfried Nancy’s Celtic when these sides last met at the national stadium – clawed their way back from 2-0 down and forced extra-time.
Yet, ultimately it proved to be a comprehensive victory as Celtic struck four times in the opening period of extra-time to seal a 6-2 triumph. But how did the individual players perform? Daily Record Sport assesses the ratings.
Celtic
Viljami Sinisalo 6
The goalkeeper produced an excellent stop to thwart Liam Donnelly. Appeared uncertain when dealing with back passes and was fortunate on several occasions. Powerless to prevent either goal.
Anthony Ralston 7
Provided stability and reliability. Struck a superb goal at the close of the opening period. The left flank became vulnerable afterwards. Restored composure in the latter stages.
Auston Trusty 7
The towering defender was another who began impressively. The US international handled the physical presence of Mandron and Ayunga effectively. Celtic’s standout defender.
Benjamin Arthur 6
The Brentford loanee made a confident start. He appeared commanding but began to falter when St Mirren increased the pressure. Withdrawn prior to extra-time.
Kieran Tierney 7
The left-back delivered his trademark performance down the flank. Pushed forward at every opportunity while maintaining defensive solidity. The team’s quality noticeably dipped following his substitution.
Arne Engels 6
The Belgian midfielder made his first start since February. A positive development for Celtic. He struck the woodwork with a powerful effort. Cautioned by the referee.
Callum McGregor 7
The skipper has faced scrutiny recently, but his knowhow proved crucial on this occasion to maintain Celtic’s rhythm. Consistently made himself available.
Benjamin Nygren 7
The Swedish forward often faces accusations of being one-dimensional. He displayed greater versatility in this match. Posed a significant danger and found the net.
Yang 6
Proved a constant menace down Celtic’s right flank. Gave St Mirren’s defence plenty of headaches. Delivered an excellent ball for Ralston’s strike.
Daizen Maeda 8
Operated centrally. The tactical switch paid dividends as he opened the scoring. His speed troubled the opposition throughout and gave St Mirren no breathing space.
Sebastien Tounekti 6
The wide player’s form can fluctuate. This ranked amongst his better displays. Fashioned several chances for teammates. Celtic require this level of output regularly.
Subs
James Forrest (Tounekti 61) Provided the delivery for Iheanacho’s strike 2.
Luke McCowan (Engels 74) Sealed victory with the fourth goal 3.
Alex Oxlade-Chamberlain (McGregor 74) Subdued cameo 1.
Kelechi Iheanacho (Yang 83) Completed the rout with a brace 5.
Marcel Saracchi (Tierney 83) Fulfilled his role 2
Dane Murray (Arthur 91) Helped close out proceedings 2.
St Mirren
Ryan Mullen 1 The goalkeeper endured a torrid quarter of an hour. A wayward clearance gifted Daizen Maeda the opening goal before he was forced off with a thigh problem.
Mark O’Hara 6
Operating as wing-back, the skipper put in a tireless shift. Consistently looked to receive possession and surge forwards.
Alex Gogic 6
Typically combative at the centre of the St Mirren backline. Gave absolutely everything though he and his teammates eventually ran out of steam. Tough afternoon.
Miguel Freckleton 6
His speed proved vital in enabling St Mirren to push higher up the pitch. Difficult to fathom how his side conceded so heavily by the final whistle.
Liam Donnelly 6
Usually deployed in midfield but stepped up amid the Buddies’ injury crisis. Didn’t disappoint his side. Advanced when his team chased an equaliser.
Declan John 7
Outstanding throughout. The left-back delivered the run and delivery for Mandron’s goal. Got forward consistently and posed a genuine threat for St Mirren.
Allan Campbell 6
Has experienced something of a renaissance under Craig McLeish. Certainly grafted hard and covered plenty of ground to pressure Celtic. Cautioned.
Jacob Devaney 6
The Manchester United loanee was eager to impress on the big occasion. Scrapped and battled for his side. Didn’t contribute much going forward.
Killian Phillips 6
Worked tirelessly and brought a physical presence for the Buddies. Thought he’d scored but saw it chalked off for handball.
Mikael Mandron 7
Hampered by illness in the previous final. Was determined to feature in this one. Compensated with a clinical brace. Outstanding performance.
Jonah Ayunga 6
The towering forward worked tirelessly and kept the Celtic backline busy throughout. He wasn’t really afforded opportunities to showcase his best attributes. Withdrawn in the closing stages.
Substitutes:
Grant Tamosevicius (Mullen 15) The youngster was exposed 3.
Roland Idowu (Phillips 74) Brought creativity 1.
Jake Young (Ayunga 74) Excellent touch for the leveller 2.
Jayden Richardson (Campbell 74) Provided speed down the right flank 2.
Conor McMenamin (Donnelly 82) Failed to make an impact 1.
Scott Tanser (John 106) Had limited influence 1.
Referee assessment: Matthew McDermid. While he frequently faces scrutiny, he managed proceedings effectively.
Star performer: Kelechi Iheanancho. Transformed the match with his brace in extra-time. The ultimate impact substitute narrowly edged Mandron for the accolade.


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