Hampden in the Sun

The flights are booked for the Scottish Cup Final eventually. I never tempt faith by booking a flight until the game is over. Normally at full time I would jump on straight away and book after the final whistle if Celtic win. On Sunday I was caught up in the emotions of the win and headed for a hotel nearby Hampden to celebrate with like minded people.

The party did not stop there and we enjoyed a wee pub crawl around the East End of Glasgow. The game was a roller coaster from kick off till it was finally over. The atmosphere was great pre-match. The Green Brigade and the Bhoys were in full voice behind the goals and the St. Mirren Ultras all in white played their part in creating an atmosphere in their corner of the ground.

My phone was buzzing before kick off. My son Conor watching in Toronto and my wife Sandra in Spain. Conor had said after the penalty shootout win over the rangers in the quarter finals at Ibrox that he would come home for the final if Celtic beat St. Mirren. So the prayers were said and the candles lit to get the bhoy home for the football but also to see his Mammy.

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The game could not have started better when Maeda’s pressure got Celtic off to a flying start only 1 minute into the game and Celtic were 1 up.      The first half could not have finished better either with Tony Ralston banging in a cracker of a goal to send Celtic down the Hampden Tunnel with a 2-0 lead.

Halftime and the phone is buzzing again with confident texts. I told them to calm down we have another 45 minutes to go. After 53 minutes Mandron struck a blow and goal for St. Mirren 2-1 and on the 90 minutes my heart sunk when he scored again. 2-2 and now we are heading for extra time and potential penalties when I should have been heading for the bar.

Martin O’Neill had shown his cards and made all his substitutions and they would be main heroes in the story. We joke about James Forest’s age but he rolled back the years and played his part 7 minutes of magic.

Iheanacho showed us what he can do if he can stay fit 2 goals from the bench! Fantastic! Luke McCowan 1 goal from off the bench and Nygren making it 6 and number 20 for him for the season.

The celebrations were class. We have waited all season for a performance like we witnessed in the first period of extra time.

There were some nervy moments during the game. Sinisalo made some great saves but he almost got caught out twice due to messing around at the back. Just clear the ball was the shout from the lad behind me Killian Philips not once but twice reacted quickly to his mistakes. Thankfully they came to nothing.

Hopefully that extra time performance can give the Celtic players the lift needed to kick on in the league and beat Falkirk at Celtic Park on Saturday evening. They will come like a wounded animal after going out on penalties to Dunfermline which now means Neill Lennon will go up against his old Gaffer Martin O’Neill.

We are back to Hampden on Saturday May 23 but before that we have a league to compete for. The tension, the nerves, the celebrations all these emotions will play a big part now in each match day.

Andrew Milne is Editor of More than 90 Minutes & Host of the Celtic Soul Podcast

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