Match Progress
26 min: Celtic are firmly in control following a goal that has deflated Dunfermline. Liam Scales sends a long ball towards Yang, whose first-time cross lacks direction and drifts wide.
24 min: Daizen Maeda scores his ninth goal in seven games after a dry spell of 18 matches. With only one year left on his contract, the Japanese international is expected to depart the Scottish champions this summer, making this likely his final appearance for Celtic.
22 min: Yang Hyun-jun shoots from a tight angle but the effort goes into the side-netting. The offside flag is raised, nullifying the attempt.
20 min: Under pressure from Maeda, Dunfermline centre-back John Tod misjudges a long ball from Alistair Johnson, missing the clearance and allowing Maeda to lob goalkeeper Aston Oxborough, sending Celtic fans into celebration.
GOAL! Celtic 1-0 Dunfermline (Maeda 19)
Celtic take the lead as Daizen Maeda capitalizes on a defensive error, lifting the ball over the advancing Oxborough before celebrating.
17 min: Kieran Tierney attempts a long-range shot that deflects off a defender and goes out for a throw-in.
16 min: Yang Hyun-jun passes to Ciaran Tierney, whose cross is overhit, continuing a pattern of inaccurate deliveries from the left-back.
15 min: The game settles after early moments of drama including a penalty appeal and a near miss by Dunfermline. Neil Lennon appears the more satisfied manager at this stage.
11 min: Dunfermline come close as Alistair Johnson shepherds a through ball back to goalkeeper Viljami Sinisalo, who is slow off his line. Callum Morrison intercepts and pokes the ball goalwards but lacks power. Liam Scales reacts swiftly to clear the ball off the line.
9 min: Celtic clear a dangerous attempt off their own line after Morrison breaks between defenders and pokes the ball towards an empty net. Scales recovers to prevent a goal.
7 min: Maeda challenges John Tod in the penalty area and falls to the ground, appealing for a penalty. The referee dismisses the claim, with replays supporting the decision.
5 min: Maeda receives a long ball, lays it off to Benjamin Nygren, and advances into the penalty area. Celtic earn their first corner, with Arne Engels’ delivery punched clear by Oxborough. James Forrest’s follow-up shot is saved.
5 min: Tierney sends a long ball to Maeda, who fails to control it effectively.
4 min: Dunfermline win a free-kick near midfield after a foul by Trusty on Morrison.
2 min: Celtic goalkeeper Sinisalo clears the ball upfield. John Tod advances from defense and sends a diagonal pass to Matty Todd, whose cross is cleared by Trusty.
Kick-off
1 min: Referee Steven McLean starts the match with Celtic in green and white hoops and Dunfermline in red shirts, shorts, and socks.
Before the match, teams line up in the Hampden Park tunnel with managers Martin O’Neill and Neil Lennon ready to lead their sides. The financial disparity is notable; Dunfermline’s entire annual wage bill is less than half of Celtic full-back Kieran Tierney’s reported £2.6 million salary.
Managerial News
In related news, Robbie Keane resigned as manager of Hungarian Cup winners Ferencvaros, a development that may or may not be connected to the vacant Celtic head coach position currently held by interim manager Martin O’Neill.
Match Officials
Referee’s assistants: Frank Connor and Scott Anderson.
Neil Lennon’s Pre-Match Comments
“It’s not [just] a day out for us,” said the 54-year-old Dunfermline head coach. “I’ve seen a lot of comments this week about Martin [O’Neill] picking up the trophy with Callum McGregor and [how] if he’d have been here earlier in the season, he would have been winning a treble.
“I wouldn’t dismiss us. We’re the underdogs, but underdogs bite. We will come – I wouldn’t say brimming full of confidence – but with an inner belief that we can achieve something here. We’re under no illusions as to how difficult that’s going to be.”
On being in the adjacent technical area to Martin O’Neill: “It’ll still be surreal considering how long I’ve known him, what he’s done for my career and what influence he’s had on me,” he said. “I was very, very lucky that I had 10 years of Martin in his pomp. Everyone talks about what he did at Celtic. What he did at Leicester was incredible.
“Obviously getting promotion, and then he had four top-10 finishes in the Premier League and three League Cup finals. He was on a fraction of a budget compared to the rest. If that was a modern-day manager now, he’d be going to Bayern Munich or somewhere like that.”
Route to the Final
Celtic’s path included victories over Auchinleck Talbot, Dundee, Rangers, and St Mirren.
Dunfermline progressed by defeating Queen of the South, Hibernian, Kelty Hearts, Aberdeen, and Falkirk.
Celtic have won the Scottish Cup 42 times but lost last year’s final to Aberdeen. Their most recent triumph was in 2024 under Brendan Rodgers, with Adam Idah scoring a late winner against Rangers.
Dunfermline have two Scottish Cup wins, both in the 1960s (1961 and 1968), and lost 1-0 to Celtic in their last final appearance 19 years ago.
Martin O’Neill’s Reflections
“The pleasing thing for me if I truly reflect on it, is there is still a place in this game for older gentlemen,” said O’Neill, 74, in an interview with BBC Scotland. “Despite the tactics that are involved now in the game, I do believe someone with some sort of experience can still play a part in proceedings.
“When I first stepped in way back in October, that was my main concern. Not having managed for some time, there are different ways of playing the game. That was my concern, not about destroying anything I might have done 20-odd years ago but being too old to be in this game. That is certainly a great sense of pride for me now.”
Team Line-ups
Martin O’Neill makes one change from the side that beat Hearts last weekend, with James Forrest replacing Sebastian Tounekti in midfield. Forrest, aged 34, could win the Scottish Cup for the ninth time with Celtic today.
Dunfermline start Aston Oxborough in goal, with Billy Terrell among the substitutes following last weekend’s playoff semi-final defeat to Partick. Manager Neil Lennon switches to a five-man defense, starting Andy Tod alongside his brother John Tod and Tashan Oakley-Boothe. Matty Todd also starts, making the line-up heavily populated with players named Todd.
Celtic
Sinisalo, Johnston, Trusty, Scales, Tierney, McGregor, Engels, Nygren, Yang, Maeda, Forrest
Subs: Doohan, McCowan, Iheanacho, Osmand, Oxlade-Chamberlain, Saracchi, Murray, Tounekti, Ralston
Dunfermline
Oxborough, Chilokoa-Mullen, Ngwenya, Gilmour, M. Todd, Aboulai, A. Todd, J. Tod, Oakley-Boothe, Morrison, Fraser
Subs: Terrell, Benedictus, Hamilton, Rudden, Kearney, Amade, Kane, Cooper, Fyfe.
Early Team News
Long-term absentees Kasper Schmeichel and Cameron Carter-Vickers remain sidelined for Celtic, who emerged from last weekend’s title-decider against Hearts unscathed.
Dunfermline striker Zak Rudden is available after a three-month absence due to a shoulder injury sustained in a previous Cup round against Kelty Hearts. Goalkeeper Aston Oxborough has returned on loan from Motherwell after a brief recall by his parent club. The Pars are without Irish players Graham Carey and Freddie Turley, as well as striker Olly Thomas and centre-back Ewan Otoo due to injury.
Scottish Cup Final Preview
Master and apprentice managers Martin O’Neill and Neil Lennon will stand side by side in the technical areas as Celtic and Dunfermline prepare to contest the Scottish Cup final at Hampden Park. Dunfermline, a Championship side recently eliminated in the playoff semi-finals, aim to secure their first major trophy since 1968. Celtic, reigning Scottish Premiership champions, seek their first silverware since last week.
Neil Lennon spent nearly a decade as O’Neill’s midfield lieutenant at Leicester City and Celtic before becoming Dunfermline’s manager 14 months ago. He has rejected the label of O’Neill’s apprentice, noting his age, but acknowledges the significance of the occasion.
“It’ll be surreal considering how long I’ve known [Martin], what he’s done for my career and what influence he’s had on me,” Lennon said.
Celtic are overwhelming favourites, while Dunfermline hope to cause an upset. Kick-off in Glasgow is at 3pm BST. Team news and build-up continue.
