Martin O’Neill watched Celtic come through a chaotic Scottish Cup semi-final at Hampden, with extra time finally settling a game that never felt under control. What looked comfortable at 2-0 quickly turned into a scrap, and for a spell it felt like it was slipping away.
St Mirren forced that. They went direct, pushed Celtic back, and kept delivering balls into the box. Celtic never really got control of it again once the first goal went in. By the time it reached stoppage time, the equaliser felt close.
When it came, the game flipped again. Extra time can drift, but Celtic started it properly. One moment from James Forrest changed the flow. After that, the space opened and the goals followed.
O’Neill watched it all play out from the touchline. His team had to find something late, and they did, but not before being dragged into a fight they couldn’t avoid.
He said: (Premier Sports), “That was, if there’s such a thing as enjoying it, I enjoyed the last three minutes most of the time. So, yeah, it was tough.
“St Mirren proved really difficult. Even at 2-0, I felt we weren’t going to see it through if they got a goal.
“They scored early in the second half, and even towards the end you felt they could get another, which they did.
“But we found something in extra time. James Forrest dropping his shoulder and the goal that followed turned it again for us.
“I think we’ve all been there where you’re saying something at the end of the game and it’s as much encouragement for yourself as anything else.”
That moment with Forrest mattered because it gave Celtic a way out. Before that, they looked unsure in both boxes. After it, they attacked with purpose and numbers.
O’Neill’s point about the game at 2-0 was clear enough. Celtic never fully controlled the match. The tempo dropped, the passing slowed, and St Mirren were allowed to build pressure through wide areas.
Extra time was different. The first goal settled it. The second finished it. From there, Celtic had space to run into and players willing to take it.
They now move on to face Dunfermline. That will be a different type of match. Lennon’s side won’t leave the same gaps, and Celtic won’t get the same kind of game if it stays tight.
What this showed is simple. When the tempo is right, Celtic can take over. When it drops, they invite problems. Hampden gave them both sides of that in one afternoon.
