Kelechi Iheanacho took to Instagram on Sunday night with a message that Celtic supporters will appreciate after a chaotic, emotional afternoon at Hampden.
The striker, who played a decisive role in the Scottish Cup semi-final win over St Mirren, posted:
“Thank you Celtic fans ☘️we will do our absolute best
There will be light 💡 at the end stay with us 💚”
His subsitute appearance turned out to be the game changer when the game was slipping away from Celtic.
The hoops flew out of the traps and were ahead inside the opening minute, Daizen Maeda pressing high and capitalising on a mistake to set the tone early. When Anthony Ralston made it two just before the break, it looked like a routine afternoon.
It was anything but.
St Mirren came back into it in the second half, with Mikael Mandron pulling one back before levelling deep into stoppage time. From a position of control, Celtic suddenly found themselves dragged into extra time, with nerves creeping in and momentum gone.
At that stage, the game could have gone either way.
That is where Iheanacho stepped up.
Introduced from the bench, the striker made a huge impact. He restored Celtic’s lead early in extra time with a header, turning a tense contest into something far more comfortable. Luke McCowan added another, and Benjamin Nygren rounded things off as Celtic ran out 6-2 winners.
The scoreline looks emphatic. The journey to get there was anything but.
The forward has only recently returned to contention and is still working his way back to full sharpness, but this was the kind of moment Celtic brought him in for. Big games, big pressure.
His message afterwards felt like more than just a thank you. It was a call for unity at a time when the team are still chasing success on multiple fronts and dealing with scrutiny.
Celtic will now face Dunfermline in the final, managed by Neil Lennon.
For now, though, the focus is on what happened at Hampden. A game that swung wildly, tested Celtic’s resolve, and ultimately saw them come through with authority when it mattered most.
And in Iheanacho’s words, a reminder that the story is not finished yet.
Some great performances, Maeda, Ralston, Wee Jamesy and Iheanacho. Fair play St Mirren, always make it tough
It cheers us up when we know the Scottish Cup is coming home to rest at Paradise.