Match Pictures | Matches: 2025 – 2026
Trivia
- KO: 15:00, Saturday, BBC TV
- Scottish Cup final
- Celtic win their 43rd Scottish Cup
- Celtic complete a Domestic double of the League & Scottish Cup against the odds!
- Martin O’Neill managing Celtic for possibly his last ever match in the senior game; but some reports/online rumours claim he may be given another season!
- Dunfermline manager is ex-Celtic manager & player Neil Lennon with whom MoN has an almost symbiotic relationship.
- Celtic won the league in dramatic circumstances last weekend.
- Martin O’Neill already stated that expected this is will be Daizen Maeda’s last match for Celtic, but the rest of us also know this will be the case for many others too. There was no Reo Hatate even in today’s squad (or last week either!)
- Partick Thistle recovered to beat Dunfermline Athletic last week in the playoffs for promotion to the SP.
- SPFL has officially opened disciplinary investigations into both of Celtic’s explosive title run-in matches against Motherwell and Hearts.
- Martin O’Neill urges Celtic not to waste time over making their next managerial appointment.
- Martin O’Neill highlighted the contribution of substitute Marcelo Sarrachi in the dressing room following last Saturday’s league title-winning victory over Hearts.
- Yang contract extension signed 2030
- Kelechi Iheanacho reportedly set to hold talks over a contract extension at Celtic
- Jim Craig Lisbon lion, revealed diagnosis with Alzheimer’s disease. He and his wife Elisabeth spoke publicly for the first time of an illness first diagnosed in May 2022
- Ex-Celt Mike Galloway passed away, RIP
- Reports:
- Burnley have stepped up their interest in Wales head coach Craig Bellamy, who has been touted as Martin O’Neill’s potential successor at Celtic.
- Celtic face strong competition for Bodo/Glimt striker Kasper Hogh this summer, with a host of clubs across Europe keen on the 25-year-old.
- Falkirk have received “fair offers from two or three clubs” for striker Barney Stewart, with manager John McGlynn saying any fee for the 22-year-old will go towards a grass pitch and training facilities.
- Hannover will hold talks with Celtic on the future of Maik Nawrocki after they missed out on promotion to the Bundesliga
- Celtic have no plans to loan out Callum Osmand for the 2026-27 campaign despite an injury-affected first season at Celtic.
- Hearts eyeing move for Falkirk winger Calvin Miller – just months after proposed return to Celtic fell through.
- Acc to sources in Uruguay, Celtic in talks to sign 18-year-old midfielder Agustin Dos Santos, son of former Mexico midfielder Jonathan.
- Hungarian reports suggest Ferencvaros manager Robbie Keane, who has been linked with former club Celtic, has resigned from his post.
- Jota reports that he has sufferred further set-backs and the earliest he may return will not be until Q4 this year.
- Marcelo Saracchi returns to Boca Juniors for second half of their season after talks about turning his loan into a permanent transfer ground to a halt.
Summary
It is a league and cup double for 74-year-old Martin O’Neill and Celtic! Celtic win the Scottish Cup for a record-extending 43rd time. They have been too good for Championship Dunfermline.
‘It’ll be a big challenge indeed. Dunfermline have already knocked out three Premiership teams along the way, so they deserve to be here.’
Martin O’Neill pre match
“It’s definitely not my final, it’s Celtic football club’s final. “I have had a bit-part to play in proceedings. The game has changed a wee bit since I first managed and some of the things we coach so I’ve had to learn. I’ve been doing a lot of learning in the last three or four months. “You’re on the periphery then suddenly you’re thrown into the middle of it and you get a perverse enjoyment from it when you win things. “When we lost at Dundee United it felt winning things was far away. If Junior [Adamu] hadn’t scored a goal in the last seconds against Dundee we wouldn’t be here. So I’m delighted to be here and delighted to win. “We had a lot of possession in the first half but I knew the adversary would never leave us alone. When I had Lennon as a player, he was one of the great players and he’s proved himself as a great, great manager.”
On whether he could be staying at Celtic next season, O’Neill adds: “There were no discussions about that at all. “Next week I might get to speak to the owner. If you’re asking me if I could step in after a three-day holiday, I wouldn’t have that about me. “Dermot Desmond brought me back in the first place, I owe him a great deal otherwise I wouldn’t be here.”
“But the season doesn’t start tomorrow. The Scottish season does start quickly though, and I’m getting old. “What I have, is a passion for the game. I don’t think that will ever leave me, even in my final days. That’s always been me. I have a desire to win. “I’ve done the learning in the last three or four months. Some tactics I saw befuddled me, but I’m learning. It’s good at my age.”
MoN post-match
: “The better team won. Quality counts and I think that was the difference today. “We got a little bit spooked first half after the first goal and were a little bit off the pace and didn’t pass it anywhere near well enough. “We played ever so well second half but we just lacked that quality. There’s not many teams like Celtic have it. You’ve got to congratulate them, they were very good. “We were much, much better second half and I’m delighted we got the goal because I thought we deserved something from the game. Second half, they really did themselves justice. “We’re a Championship team and we have moved mountains this season and it was just one mountain too many for us.” Lennon was asked whether he regretted not starting Chris Kane and Zak Rudden, with both having had fitness issues of late. “There’s no way the two lads could’ve started and finished the game under the circumstances”.
Lennon
“Did anyone ever believe this season that Celtic could win a double? It’s quite incredible. For Martin O’Neill to come back in two spells and to turn this around is remarkable story. It’ll be in the history books, written about. It depends what the future holds for the club and for him.”
Pat Bonner ex-Celt
He’s shown that it’s not a young man’s game, as many people think it is. If you come in, have the right mentality and man management skills, you can go and be successful.
James McFadden
“I’m really happy that I could help the team with a goal today. “Everybody was doubting us but we as a team always believed in ourselves. “We can finally celebrate and with it’s a double it’s not too bad.”
Engels
“It feels really good to win my first Scottish Cup. “It was tough to get here but we won the trophy. “It’s been a crazy season. It’s one we can remember for all our lives but we got there in the end so we’re happy.” When asked whether he will still be at Celtic next season, Iheanacho adds: “I don’t know, we will wait and see.”
Iheanacho
“They’re all special. “Probably off the back of a difficult season, everything the team has had to go through it makes it all the sweeter. “Second half wasn’t great but we did a lot of the work in the first half. “December time nobody would have given you a hope. It just shows you the mentality and the character of the team. It’s a tough season but so rewarding. “Martin O’Neill has been fantastic since he came back in. He’s been backed up by amazing staff members. I’m sure he will be involved in some capacity. The team have been fantastic, he drove them on and he can enjoy his summer as well.”
McGregor
As a group of players and staff, and fans, we’ve had a tough year. “To top off the season with a double is special. It’s a special group with a special mentality and I’m so proud to be a part of it. “I want to play here and long may that continue. Who wouldn’t want to play here? It’s amazing. It’s a special place to work and play football. “It’s going to be an interesting summer but I’m already excited to get back in the first day of pre-season.” On Martin O’Neill’s future at Celtic, Sinisalo added: “He’s not bad is he? “What he’s done to the whole group in terms of instilling that confidence and belief is a job like no other. We all love him. We’ve been really glad to have him. Let’s see what happens, I can’t say much more than that.”
Sinisalo
“Martin O’Neill easily could’ve stayed home but he wanted to come back and help the club out. “We’re so thankful he did because he made a world of difference when he came back. “I think that is completely up to him [if he wants to stay at the club]. Everyone here knows how much we appreciate him. He has earned the right to go home and take a couple of weeks to think about it. “He’s got the energy for it, I can see him coming back for sure. “It’s been a tough season, the injuries, a lot of things that have gone on behind the scenes here. The chance to be back for the last month, it gave me something to push for. I’m just glad to have played a small part in this. They fought tooth and nail on numerous occasions. “This club is full of winners and we know how to get it over the line when we need to.”
Johnston
Will never tire of this, it’s amazing ! In terms of the game, there was a big gulf in quality. We took our foot off the gas second half. Fair play to Dunfermline for continuing to push forward. That was a very straightforward afternoon though. Our final ball/decision making let us down at times but it’s harsh to be critical of the team. What an incredible end to the season
A Nancy away from a treble. Fair play to Dunfermline. They came and tried to play the game in the right way. Very little of the throwing themselves to the ground looking for a freekick that we see so often in our domestic games. We were just too strong on the day.
A game that encapsulates our season: decent start, ropey in the middle, champions at the end. After the season we’ve had on and off the pitch, to manage a double is nothing short of incredible. A huge thank you to MON, Maloney and the team for managing the seemingly impossible. The players have taken every bolt and bullet fired at them this season and still delivered us unlikely success. Well done, Bhoys. Enjoy your celebrations, folks. We’ve earned them
misc in humour:
I’m a bit disappointed today that this squad couldn’t deliver the kind of match we’ve been accustomed to this season.
No VAR controversy
No anonymous performances
No last minute saving goals
No extra time drama
No pitch invasions
No Pars players needing life saving surgery going down the tunnel.
Effin boring
Fair play to AJ trying his best to give them the lead but again Liam Scales doesn’t read the script.
Teams
Celtic
Manager: Martin O’Neill
Formation: 4 – 2 – 3 – 1
Starting lineup
12, V. Sinisalo
63, K. Tierney, subbed for M. Saracchi at 85 mins
05, L. Scales
06, A. Trusty,53′, Yellow Card at 53 mins
02, A. Johnston
27, A. Engels
42, C. McGregor (c), Captain
13, Yang Hyun-Jun, subbed for S. Tounekti at 75 mins
08, B. Nygren, subbed for A. Oxlade-Chamberlain at 75 mins
49, J. Forrest, subbed for K. Ịheanachọ at 58 mins
38, D. Maeda
Subs:
31, R. Doohan
14, L. McCowan
47, D. Murray
19, C. Osmand
21, A. Oxlade-Chamberlain
56, A. Ralston
36, M. Saracchi
23, S. Tounekti
17, K. Ịheanachọ
Goals:
D. Maeda (19′)
A. Engels (36′)
K. Ịheanachọ (73′)
Assists:
A. Johnston (19′)
C. McGregor (36′)
B. Nygren (73′)
Dunfermline
Manager: Neil Lennon
Formation: 3 – 4 – 1 – 2
Starting lineup
13, A. Oxborough
03, K. Ngwenya
31, J. Tod, subbed for S. Kearney at 46 mins
02, J. Chilokoa-Mullen (c), Captain
47, R. Fraser
08, C. Gilmour,40′, Yellow Card at 40 mins
18, N. Abdulai, subbed for Alfons Amade at 59 mins
10, M. Todd
35, T. Oakley-Boothe, subbed for C. Kane at 46 mins
26, A. Tod, subbed for J. Cooper at 79 mins
38, C. Morrison, subbed for Z. Rudden at 46 mins
Subs:
14, Alfons Amade
04, K. Benedictus
33, J. Cooper
34, L. Fyfe
05, C. Hamilton
20, C. Kane
11, S. Kearney
09, Z. Rudden
40, B. Terrell
Goals:
J. Cooper (80′)
Match Officials
Referee: Steven McLean
Video Assistant Referee: Matthew MacDermid
Assistant Referee 1: Frank Connor
Assistant Referee 2: Scott Robert Anderson
Fourth Official: Euan Anderson
Assistant VAR Official: Gary Hilland
Venue:Barclays Hampden
Attendance:49,613
Articles
- Match Report (see below)
Pictures
Match Links
Basic Stats
Overall possession
Celtic 67.8%
Dunfermline Athletic 32.2%
Shots
Celtic 8
Dunfermline Athletic 9
Shots on target
Celtic 5
Dunfermline Athletic 3
Goalkeeper saves
Celtic 1
Dunfermline Athletic 1
Fouls committed
Celtic 8
Dunfermline Athletic 7
Corners
Celtic 3
Dunfermline Athletic 2
In-depth match stats
Attack
Shots
Celtic 8
Dunfermline Athletic 9
Shots on target
Celtic 5
Dunfermline Athletic 3
Shots off target
Celtic 1
Dunfermline Athletic 4
Defence
Fouls committed
Celtic 8
Dunfermline Athletic 7
Total yellow cards
Celtic 1
Dunfermline Athletic 1
Articles
Celtic set the seal on an incredible season with Scottish Cup triumph
https://www.celticfc.com/news/2026/may/23/celtic-set-the-seal-on-an-incredible-season-with-scottish-cup-triumph/
First Team
By Paul Cuddihy, Celtic View Editor
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23 May 2026, 4:57 pm
Scottish Cup Final
Saturday, May 23, 2026
Hampden Park, Glasgow
CELTIC…3
(Maeda 18, Engels 35, Iheanacho 72)
DUNFERMLINE ATHLETIC…1
(Cooper 79)
Martin O’Neill guided Celtic to a memorable league and cup double, with the Hoops securing the Scottish Cup in the sun at Hampden to add to the Premiership trophy they lifted last weekend.
The Hoops beat Dunfermline Athletic 3-1 thanks to goals from Daizen Maeda, Arne Engels and Kelechi Iheanacho to cap off an incredible season.
Celtic, full of confidence following their incredible Premiership triumph last weekend, started the game on the front foot, and James Forrest tested the Dunfermline goalkeeper with a shot after just five minutes.
However, three minutes later it was Neil Lennon’s side who almost took the lead. A long ball over the top of the defence was stabbed goalwards by Callum Morrison, and Liam Scales just managed to scramble the ball off the line.
And on 18 minutes, Martin O’Neill’s side took the lead. This time it was Celtic with a ball over the top of the defence, with Alistair Johnston playing a long pass for Daizen Maeda.
John Tod failed to clear the ball and it fell for Maeda, who coolly lobbed the keeper from the edge of the area to make it 1-0.
From that point on, it was one-way traffic for the remainer of the first-half, with Celtic constantly pressing forward.
But it took until the 35th minute before they doubled their lead, and it was another superb goal from outside the area.
Callum McGregor rolled the ball into the path of Arne Engels, and the Belgian midfielder fired in an unstoppable shot from 25 yards to make it 2-0.
68%
Possession
32%
8
Shots
9
5
Shots On Target
3
3
Corners
2
8
Fouls
7
1
0
Cards
1
0
Neil Lennon made three changes at half-time, and Dunfermline certainly posed more of an attacking, and physical threat as they looked to find a way into the match.
Celtic were forced to deal with several set-pieces, before Alfons Amade came close with a shot from the edge of the box which went just wide of the target.
The Hoops did have the ball in the net on 65 minutes when Yang set up Kelechi Iheanacho, but the South Korean winger was adjudged to be offside and the goal was ruled out.
However, the Nigerian striker was not to be denied a Hampden goal and he duly obliged in the 72nd minute.
Benjamin Nygren threaded a ball through the inside-right channel for Iheanacho, and he jinked his way past two defenders and the keeper before slotting the ball home to make it 3-0.
At that point, the Celtic supporters packed into Hampden knew they were going to be celebrating a Double success this season.
Dunfermline did manage to pull a goal back with 11 minutes remaining when Josh Cooper knocked the ball home from close range, but it was no more than a consolation for Neil Lennon’s side.
And the final whistle signalled scenes of jubilation around much of Hampden as the Celtic support celebrated another Double success, with Martin O’Neill’s name ringing round the National Stadium.
Celtic: Sinisalo, Johnston, Trusty, Scales, Tierney (Saracchi 85′), McGregor, Engels, Forrest (Iheanacho 58′), Nygren (Oxlade-Chamberlain 75′), Hyunjun Yang (Tounekti 75′), Maeda
Subs: McCowan, Iheanacho, Osmand, Oxlade-Chamberlain, Tounekti, Doohan, Saracchi, Murray, Ralston
Dunfermline: Oxborough, Chilokoa-Mullen, Tod (Kearney 45′), Ngwenya, Todd, Abdulai (Alfons Amade 59′), Gilmour, Fraser, Oakley-Boothe (Kane 45′), Morrison (Rudden 45′), Andrew Tod (Cooper 79′)
Subs: Benedictus, Hamilton, Rudden, Kearney, Alfons Amade, Kane, Cooper, Fyfe, Terrell
Martin O’Neill: I could never have dreamt of being a double winner with Celtic again
https://www.celticfc.com/news/2026/may/23/martin-o-neill–i-could-never-have-dreamt-of-being-a-double-winner-with-celtic-again/
First Team
By Paul Cuddihy, Celtic View Editor
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23 May 2026, 6:43 pm
Martin O’Neill lifted the Scottish Cup for the fourth time as Celtic manager, and the first time in 21 years, having last guided the Hoops to success in the competition back in 2005.
And not surprisingly, he was delighted to see his side win the final and seal a memorable league and cup double.
Celtic beat Dunfermline Athletic 3-1 at Hampden thanks to goals from Daizen Maeda, Arne Engels and Kelechi Iheanacho.
And the victory capped a memorable seven days for the club, having secured the league title with a dramatic victory over Hearts at Paradise last weekend.
And speaking to Celtic TV after the game, Martin O’Neill said: “I feel ecstatic. I never thought that I’d manage Celtic again, but to end up winning the double is just the best feeling in the world.
“It was lovely to get on the field there and see the Celtic fans, and us winning the game, which was a culmination of the second part of the season, and we ended up winning the league a week ago, and you just couldn’t make it up.
“I thought we had a lot of possession in the first half, Daizen scored again, and I thought we should have pushed on more strongly when we got the first goal.
“We didn’t and we took the sting out of the game, which was absolutely fine. Then we got the second goal and you feel you’ve got a bit of a cushion.
“We took that into the second half but I knew Neil Lennon wouldn’t lie down but would come roaring back, and the first 10 or 15 minutes belonged to Dunfermline.
“Iheancho scored the third goal, and he’s become a cult hero, so we were able to withstand the goal that Dunfermline scored.
“It does actually feel great, I must admit. I genuinely does. To come back and manage Celtic is like something I could never have dreamed of, but to come back and be part of a winning team is just brilliant.”
Callum McGregor: This is a special group of players who deserve Double success
https://www.celticfc.com/news/2026/may/23/callum-mcgregor–this-is-a-special-group-of-players-who-deserve-double-success/
First Team
By Paul Cuddihy, Celtic View Editor
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23 May 2026, 7:09 pm
It was a familiar sight for Celtic supporters to see Callum McGregor lift another trophy at Hampden, and it’s one that they and their captain will never tire of.
Once again, McGregor was an inspirational figure in the heart of the Celtic midfield as the Hoops defeated Dunfermline Athletic 3-1 to win the Scottish Cup and secure a memorable domestic double.
Speaking to Celtic TV after the game, the Celtic captain said: “I think that’s probably been the beauty of it that so many people had written us off. The reason we did it was because the group stayed together, they trusted each other, kept working and put everything into it.
“We knew, coming back from the international break that we had to be pretty much perfect, and we did that.
“Now we get our rewards over the last eight days, so it’s been an amazing week to be a Celtic player and a Celtic supporter, and we’re thankful everybody stuck with us and trusted us to get it over the line.
“What we’ve got in there is a real group of men who take responsibility, stand up and even in the difficult moments, everyone’s together, so that fills me with immense pride that we have a changing room that’s so together and fighting for the one cause, which is Celtic Football Club.”
Callum McGregor is now the second most decorated Celtic player in the club’s history, having now picked up 26 winner’s medals to surpass the legendary Bobby Lennox. Only his team-mate and friend, James Forrest, is ahead of him with 28 honours.
“It fills me with immense pride,” he said, “and it’s something I know my family and everybody that knows me properly, my real close circle, will be so proud and so happy for me as well.
“But you can’t do this job on your own, and so to have the group of players I’ve got, and the staff and the manager, everybody at Celtic Park, we can’t do that without them, so it’s the togetherness that’s brought us the success, and I just get to be the lucky one that goes and lifts the trophy.”
And the captain also paid tribute to Martin O’Neill and the impact he made in guiding the squad through the final stretch of the season.
‘He’s been amazing. He’s someone with a huge personality, charisma, calmness and he’s brought all of that to the group.’
“He’s hugely experienced, he was already a legend at the club, and this just cements it.
“He got a tune out of us again, and we all managed to come together again to collect a Double at the end of the season, so huge credit has got to go to him and his staff.”
Celtic win Scottish Cup and clinch double – with implications for Rangers and Hibs
https://www.scotsman.com/sport/football/celtic/latest-celtic-news/celtic-win-scottish-cup-and-clinch-double-with-implications-for-rangers-and-hibs-8638523
Mark Atkinson
By Mark Atkinson
Head of Sport
Comment
Published 23rd May 2026, 16:53 BST
Another trophy for Celtic as they take down second-tier Pars
Celtic have won the Scottish Cup after a 3-1 win over Dunfermline Athletic at Hampden Park.
Goals from Daizen Maeda, Arne Engels and Kelechi Iheanacho sealed the victory for Celtic and landed them a domestic double a week on from clinching the Premiership title.
The win over the Pars concluded a fairytale return to Celtic for veteran manager Martin O’Neill, who came back to the club not once but twice this season on an interim basis to rescue them from a potentially trophyless campaign.
It now remains to be seen what the future holds for O’Neill, 74, with Celtic now primed to make a decision on who leads them going forward.
They were too strong for Championship outfit Dunfermline Athletic, who are managed by former Celtic boss Neil Lennon. He was coming up against his old head coach from his days as a Leicester City and Celtic player, but was unable to get one up on him.
Celtic’s victory has implications for two other top-flight teams in terms of their European commitments for the 2026/27 campaign.
The Europa League second qualifying round spot is now reserved for the third-placed team in the league, meaning Old Firm rivals Rangers will start off in that competition rather than the Conference League.
Hibs also benefit from Celtic’s victory as the fifth-placed team in the Premiership. They will join Motherwell in the Conference League second qualifying round.
A near sold-out Hampden was decked out in green and white and black and white. The match started evenly and Dunfermline came so close to taking the lead on nine minutes when Callumn Morrison nipped in between Celtic defender Alistair Johnston and goalkeeper Viljami Sinisalo to prod the ball towards an empty goal, only for centre-half Liam Scales to clear the ball off the goalline.
Nine minutes later, Celtic broke the deadlock. In-form striker Maeda latched on to a long Johnston ball forward and with Dunfermline defender John Tod missing his clearance, the Japanese went clean through on goal and chipped the stranded goalkeeper Aston Oxborough.
Celtic added a second strike on 36 minutes when midfielder Engels whipped the ball beyond a static Oxborough from outside the penalty box.
Dunfermline rallied at the start of the second period and forced a handful of half-chances through striker Chris Kane, who had come on at the break, and Matty Todd, while Alfons Amade saw a 62nd-minute strike whistle inches past Sinisalo’s post.
Substitute striker Iheanacho had a goal disallowed for Celtic on 66 minutes due to offside. However, the Nigerian was not be denied and scored from close range on 73 minutes to put the outcome in no doubt.
Dunfermline did land a consolation strike on 80 minutes when another replacement Josh Cooper netted a rebound from close range after Charlie Gilmour’s goalbound effort was blocked.
Neil Lennon gives Dunfermline future update, says dog is in trouble and reacts to Celtic chant
Mark Atkinson
By Mark Atkinson
Head of Sport
Comment
Published 23rd May 2026, 18:27 BST
Champions’ quality shone through against the Pars
More in hope than expectation, Dunfermline Athletic fans travelled in their thousands to Hampden for a Scottish Cup final for the first time since 2007.
The Championship club had already scalped three top-flight sides in Hibs, Aberdeen and bitter rivals Falkirk. In the end, taking down Premiership title winners Celtic proved a step too far, going down 3-1. The Pars, however, left Mount Florida with their heads held largely high.
The biggest regret for manager Neil Lennon was a lull during the first half where Celtic netted twice. It appeared the exertions of a gruelling season – including last weekend’s play-off defeat by Partick Thistle – had taken its toll. Daizen Maeda and Arne Engels found the net and the chance that came Callumn Morrison’s way on nine minutes, when his shot was cleared off the line by Liam Scales, felt a long time ago.
Rather than completely fold in the second half, Dunfermline came out swinging. Nothing to lose. Neil Lennon sides don’t go down without a fight and with their front line replenished by Chris Kane and Zak Rudden, they ruffled Celtic feathers.
So when Josh Cooper landed a consolation goal on 80 minutes, it was cheered warmly by the Dunfermline faithful. There was no mass exodus from their supporters when Kelechi Iheanacho put the tin lid on proceedings a few minutes earlier. They deserved the goal.
This has been a splendid campaign under Lennon and the goal now for Dunfermline is to finally rejoin Scottish football’s elite. The cup final was reminder of the potential lurking in Fife.
None of that was much consolation to Lennon, though. A born winner, the defeat clearly stung – even if it came against his old boss Martin O’Neill.
“I thought we started okay,” said Lennon. “Once Celtic scored we got a little bit discombobulated. I didn’t think we were brave enough on the ball. Mentally we sank a little bit in terms of our aggression dropped off and we were a little bit dispirited.
“We changed at half-time. Told them you’ve got to be braver. You’re going to have to play a lot more aggressively. To be fair, we played particularly well in the second half. I think we deserved the goal. The quality was with Celtic. We just lacked that quality today.
“I’ll give you an example. Engles scores a great goal. We get the chance, Alfons [Amade] in the exact same position. He can’t hit the target. It’s just moments like that you think, that’s the difference.”
What the future holds for Pars
Lennon is now 54, yet despite the glut of trophies he has won both as a player as a manager, he is up for more. He knows next season will be challenging, with a number of players out of contract.
“In terms of the team, we have a major rebuild coming up,” continued Lennon. “A lot of these players will not be here next year. We’ve offered them contracts and they’ve stalled so I’m assuming they’re going to go elsewhere.
“A lot of players we’ve given free transfers to already. Before this final. It’s not going to be the team that we saw today. There’s going to be a lot of changes. Hopefully we can build on the nucleus of the squad that we have.
“I was really disappointed in the play-offs as well. I felt we were the better team against Thistle in the two games. Our finishing let us down. I just thought today, the occasion startled them a little bit. That’s okay, because it’s their first final. I remember my first final with Crewe, it was the same thing. I hope we get the opportunity to come back again and learn from that experience.
“We’ve got a young, hungry squad that have excelled themselves this year. They’ve had a real taste of success. We’ve got to try and build on that, but there’s no guarantees. We’ve got to get recruitment right and build on what we achieved this year.”
Lennon gave a further insight into how he is feeling. “I see a lot of pundits speaking about wins, every club loses titles and cups,” said. “I lost a cup final in the last minute to Tottenham, I have lost cup finals at Hampden. If you have got the right attitude you want to come back for more. I believe in what I am doing.
“All the great managers have had incredible highs and incredible lows but they keep coming back for more. That is because it (winning) is the best feeling in the world. It just makes you so proud for everyone associated with the club. I hate losing. Even at 54. I am quite mellow at the minute but the dog is in trouble when I get home!”
Lennon and O’Neill shared an embrace at the end. “I just said congratulations,” said Lennon. “I’m delighted for you. Well done. It was a nice moment.”
Lennon was also serenaded by the Celtic fans as he went up to get his medal. They sang “one Neil Lennon” – the irony wasn’t lost on the manager, who quipped: “They weren’t singing it five years ago [when he was sacked].”
The final word went to the Pars fans, who enjoyed one of their best days out in years. “I’ve got to pay tribute to the supporters today, there was a hell of a turnout,” Lennon added. “It was magnificent. I’m glad they got to see a goal at the end of it.”
Martin O’Neill expecting next Celtic manager ‘interesting conversation’ with Dermot Desmond
https://www.scotsman.com/sport/football/celtic/latest-celtic-news/martin-oneill-expecting-next-celtic-manager-interesting-conversation-with-dermot-desmond-8638603
Alan Pattullo
By Alan Pattullo
Chief Football Writer
Comments
Published 23rd May 2026, 20:22 BST
Manager’s future comes under microscope after Scottish Cup triumph
Martin O’Neill expects to meet Dermot Desmond, Celtic’s largest shareholder, in the coming days to discuss the possibility of the 74-year-old remaining in charge of the Parkhead club next season.
“I must be in consideration,” said O’Neill, whose success since replacing Brendan Rodgers on a supposedly temporary basis in October has been remarkable.
A 3-1 victory over Dunfermline in Saturday’s Scottish Cup final secured the club’s 14th Double and O’Neill’s second as a Celtic manager.
In normal circumstances, the Northern Irishman would be attracting admiring glances from elsewhere. No longer in contract, Celtic would be fearful of losing him.
But he is now in his mid-70s, with a lot more life behind him than in front of him. It’s Celtic or back to being a grandfather – and he doesn’t even know yet if he will have that choice to make.
The players are due back in training in just over a month. If it’s someone to oversee a project that’s required by Celtic, with Hearts’ stated ambitions over the next decade perhaps helping concentrate minds at Parkhead, O’Neill questions whether he is the man,
“I would have thought in the last few weeks that they would be looking at options,” he said. “They have to be because pre-season is coming.
“The advantage of us winning the league gives us an extra week. Instead of starting back on the 19th, we start back on the 26th. So Shaun (Maloney) was telling me. But it’ll be an interesting conversation, so we’ll see.
“I don’t think I’ll ever lose the hunger or the passion for the game,” he added. “Honestly, I really don’t.
“When they’re putting a lid on top of me I think I’ll jump up and say ‘what’s the score?’ And hopefully Celtic have scored! But if you’re saying we’d start back in a week’s time, I genuinely couldn’t do that. I’ll have to have a think and I think in the next week I’ll meet up with the owner and see what he’s saying.”
O’Neill in the dark over Celtic plans
O’Neill claims to have little or no idea about the club’s intentions. Celtic have been linked with the likes of Robbie Keane, who has recently left Hungarian side Ferencvaros, Craig Bellamy and Roberto Martinez, with the latter two already in employment at Wales and Portugal respectively. One reported target, Motherwell’s Jens Berthel Askou, has already moved to Toulouse in Ligue 1.
“He (Desmond) hasn’t said anything to me, and I don’t know if that’s good news or bad news,” said O’Neill. “But I will genuinely have a wee look at it to see.
“I’d be thinking, though, that for the football club to go forward properly then they’d probably looking at somebody younger. If you’re asking me if I’d have a project or something like that, no, I couldn’t do that. I wouldn’t have it.”
He conceded he needed to re-charge, like every manager after a demanding season. Although O’Neill was hired only in the Autumn before being handed a rest during the Wilfried Nancy experiment, he returned to take part in a gruelling fight to the finish with Hearts. He has also overseen every game of Celtic’s successful Scottish Cup run, including a penalty shootout victory over Rangers at Ibrox.
“There can be no one in this room my age and you’ve got to consider that,” he said. “I can pass it off as a joke, but I really don’t know. I think I must be in consideration for the job, even though it might be for a very short term. I couldn’t do a project.”
Even another 12 months might risk harming his legacy, he mused. “The point is this… it’s all right saying a year and it sounds great today. I am not sure if we lost three of the first five, I’d be welcome. It doesn’t matter who you are. You have to win football matches.”
He did though reveal something worth sticking around for. Asked for an update on Kieran Tierney, who was treated for a long period on the pitch and then limped off in the second half to be replaced by Marcelo Saracchi, O’Neill revealed it was nothing too serious, which will be music to the ears of Scotland manager Steve Clarke.
“One of the things I’d like to stay for next season is so that Kieran completes a game!” smiled O’Neill. “I love him to bits and Shaun keeps coming to me at 55 minutes about him. He is doing my brain in! No, he is fine. He has done brilliantly. I think a real pre-season with him will suit him down to the ground.”
As for Neil Lennon, the defeated manager and O’Neill’s former on-pitch lieutenant, there were some warm words – eventually. Lennon had forced O’Neill’s left arm into the air at the end in an emotional scene between the pair.
“I know he is a wee fat lump, but I love him,” said “O’Neill. “I love him. He pulled me out of the quagmire at Leicester City, honestly, and went on to become a big, big player for the next three or four years. I took him to Celtic and he was really fantastic. He played a major part in proceedings. I don’t think there is anyone better with his career as a player and as a manager (at Celtic). There isn’t.”
BBC
Kheredine Idessane
BBC Sport Scotland at Hampden
Celtic finished a haphazard season as double winners under interim manager Martin O’Neill by cruising past Dunfermline Athletic in a one-sided Scottish Cup final, after dramatically winning the Premiership last weekend.
Daizen Maeda’s clever lob and a powerful long-range shot from Arne Engels – both in the first half – put Celtic well on their way to a record 63rd Scottish Cup.
A superb solo effort from substitute Kelechi Iheanacho, weaving his way through the Dunfermline defence, put the outcome beyond doubt before Josh Cooper scored with his first touch to give the Championship side a consolation.
It’s unclear what the future holds for 74-year-old O’Neill, but the clamour for him to remain beyond the summer may now grow after his stewardship extended the club’s recent dominance of the Scottish game to a 23rd trophy from the last 30 available.
It could have been different in the evenly contested opening stages but for some fine defending by Celtic’s Liam Scales. He recovered wonderfully to clear Callumn Morrison’s early toe-poke off the line after Alastair Johnston and goalkeeper Viljami Sinisalo got themselves in a bit of a mess.
Neil Lennon’s Dunfermline were left disappointed and things quickly got worse when John Tod failed to deal with a long ball. That allowed Maeda to run through and lift the ball over a stranded Aston Oxborough.
Does O’Neill want to stay? And can Celtic afford to let him go?
Published
1 hour ago
Was cup final fond farewell for Larssonesque Maeda?
Published
3 hours ago
Final proves one mountain too many for Lennon’s Dunfermline
Published
1 hour ago
00:24
Figure caption,
Celtic lift the Scottish Cup after sealing a domestic double
A ninth goal in seven games for the Japan international came in what could well be his last match in a Celtic shirt.
Celtic’s continued dominance was then reflected in the scoreline when Engels claimed his second goal in as many games. His shot from the edge of the area was firm and true and flew past a seemingly unsighted Oxborough.
A triple substitution by Lennon at the break gave Dunfermline hope. Zak Rudden, Chris Kane and Shea Kearney all made an immediate difference before fellow sub, Alfons Amade, whistled a shot narrowly wide.
Iheanacho thought he had put the game beyond doubt only for his effort to be ruled out for an offside decision against Hyun-jun Yang, who had provided the assist.
The former Nigeria international didn’t have to wait long for his moment of glory, though, finishing off a good Celtic move with some nifty footwork inside the box to claim Celtic’s third and put the game well beyond a tiring Dunfermline.
After the nail-biting drama of the title win over Hearts last Saturday, this was a more comfortable afternoon for Celtic, but the victory will feel just as sweet. They have now won seven of the last 10 Scottish Cups.
If this turns out to be O’Neill’s swansong, he has left the club with another two trophies to celebrate long into the summer.
00:32
Figure caption,
Maeda opens scoring at Hampden
Analysis: Celtic’s staying power gets job done
You have to admire Celtic’s fitness, drive and determination. This was their ninth consecutive victory in both league and cup.
Catching Hearts in such dramatic, late fashion could have left them physically and mentally drained. But there was absolutely no sign of that as they bossed their Championship opponents and eased to a two-goal lead well before the interval.
Celtic were knocked out of their stride for a while at the beginning of the second half after Dunfermline made their changes, but were able to compose themselves to see the match out.
It’s the third consecutive season in which the club has won a league and cup double. The fact O’Neill has managed to steer the side to such success in a campaign of managerial flux and fan discontent is all the more commendable.
00:27
Figure caption,
Engels doubles Celtic’s advantage
Dunfermline started well enough and their outlook could have been very different had Morrison been able to convert his early chance.
The late arrival of Scales to clear off the line was crucial in subduing the Pars’ early energy and maintaining a platform on which Celtic could build.
Perhaps Lennon picked the wrong team. He certainly didn’t hang about when it came to make changes, bringing on three substitutes at half-time who made an immediate difference in giving Dunfermline and their supporters some hope.
They deserved a goal and got one, albeit just a consolation after Celtic had gone three clear.
What they said
00:31
Figure caption,
Iheanacho solo goal seals Celtic win
Celtic manager Martin O’Neill: “It’s definitely not my final, it’s Celtic’s final. I have had a bit-part to play in proceedings.
“The game has changed a wee bit since I first managed and some of the things we coach so I’ve had to learn. I’ve been doing a lot of learning in the last three or four months.
“You’re on the periphery then suddenly you’re thrown into the middle of it and you get a perverse enjoyment from it when you win things.”
Dunfermline Athletic manager Neil Lennon: “The better team won. Quality counts and I think that was the difference today.
“We got a little bit spooked first half after the first goal and were a little bit off the pace and didn’t pass it anywhere near well enough.
“We played ever so well second half but we just lacked that quality. We’re a Championship team and we have moved mountains this season and it was just one mountain too many for us.”
Does O’Neill want to stay? And can Celtic afford to let him go?
https://www.bbc.co.uk/sport/football/articles/cgqpkyzj48jo
ByKheredine Idessane
BBC Sport Scotland at Hampden
Published
1 hour ago
Martin O’Neill was only supposed to be in charge of Celtic for a few weeks in the autumn. An emergency measure. Yet he ended up doing a double stint across nearly two-thirds of a season.
Now the 74-year-old club legend walks away – if indeed he does walk away – with a Premiership and Scottish Cup double which will go down as one of their sweetest, given the circumstances.
Which all begs two very obvious questions: Can Celtic really afford to let O’Neill leave? And does the man himself want to stay?
“If the season was to start tomorrow, I couldn’t do it,” he told BBC Sport Scotland in the immediate aftermath of the 3-1 victory over Dunfermline Athletic at Hampden.
“But the season doesn’t start tomorrow. It does start quickly, though, and I’m getting old. I’ve done the learning in the last three or four months. Some tactics I saw befuddled me, but it’s good at my age.
“In the next week, I’ll meet with the owner. He hasn’t said anything to me – I don’t know whether that’s good news or bad news. I will have a wee look at it but I would think the club would probably be looking at somebody younger.
“It’s nice today to think ‘I’d love to do that again’ but I really do not know whether I could be at it every day. I know I can pass it off as a joke but I genuinely don’t know.
“I think I must be in consideration for the job, even though it might only be for a very short time. Even at that, I couldn’t do a project. My daughters would be all for it but I’m not sure if my wife would.”
Celtic beat Dunfermline to complete double
‘Maybe next week I’ll speak to the owner’
‘I can see him coming back’ – what the players said
O’Neill’s discussions with Dermot Desmond should be absolutely fascinating.
One thing the majority shareholder could do before those talks is take a poll of the Celtic players. They were all of a similar mind after the cup final victory.
“Everyone here knows how much we appreciate him. He has earned the right to take a couple of weeks to think about it,” right-back Alistair Johnston said. “He’s got the energy for it, I can see him coming back for sure.”
Goalkeeper Viljami Sinisalo added: “He’s not bad is he? What he’s done to the group in terms of instilling that confidence and belief is a job like no other. We all love him. We’ve been really glad to have him.”
Captain Callum McGregor chimed in too: “Martin O’Neill has been fantastic and he’s been backed up by amazing staff members. I’m sure he will be involved in some capacity. He drove this team on and he can enjoy his summer.”
So much has happened in this most turbulent of Scottish football seasons that it is worth recalling the circumstances of O’Neill’s unlikely – indeed sensational – return to the manager’s office.
He was sitting in a coffee shop on London’s King’s Road on an October day when the phone rang. It was Desmond. Brendan Rodgers had just resigned.
Would O’Neill, Desmond wondered, hold the fort for a few weeks while Celtic got their ducks in a row with a permanent successor. Oh, and he had about 10 minutes to think about it.
Needless to say, O’Neill couldn’t resist. Aged 73 at the time, he was a hero to the Celtic fanbase after his first spell in charge of a star-studded team that included the likes of Henrik Larsson and Chris Sutton.
00:34
Figure caption,
‘O’Neill has earned right to do what he wants’
The problem this time around was that he didn’t have anywhere near the same standard of player, nor was there harmony at the club. Open fan revolt. Poor recruitment. A stiff challenge from a new-look Hearts.
And yet O’Neill couldn’t say no to Celtic. After back-to-back domestic defeats at the end of Rodgers’ reign, his fellow Northern Irishman embarked on a run of five league wins and a League Cup semi-final victory over Rangers.
Calamitously, the club thanked O’Neill for his renewed service and pressed ahead with the appointment of Wilfried Nancy in December.
O’Neill was back by January, trying to preside over a chaotic transfer window while picking up the pieces of a badly damaged league campaign. Celtic were level with Rangers but six points behind Hearts.
They very nearly went out of the Scottish Cup at home against Dundee but O’Neill’s Celtic are made of strong stuff. Junior Adamu’s late, late equaliser effectively paved the way for the sun-lit Hampden triumph the club has just enjoyed.
The cup, however, is mere icing on the cake. The bigger feat was defending their league title. O’Neill achieved it with a win rate of well over 80 per cent. Here are his Premiership numbers: played 23, won 19, drawn two, lost two.
Impressive by any standards. But, amid a season of flux and chaos in Glasgow’s east end, they are utterly remarkable.
By common consent, this is a Celtic squad well past its sell-by date. But O’Neill’s man-management skills have won them two big trophies when neither looked particularly likely.
00:24
Figure caption,
Celtic lift the Scottish Cup after sealing a domestic double
But does O’Neill have the energy?
All of this leaves the club in a somewhat awkward situation: could they really let O’Neill leave if he feels he still has the energy and the desire to continue?
Not according to a raft of ex-players and managers, who are all mightily impressed by the veteran’s achievements this season.
Former Ireland manager Stephen Kenny is clear on whether O’Neill should get the chance to stay on.
“The answer is yes,” he said. “You can’t do any more than he’s done. It’s an exceptional achievement. If he wants to do it, he should stay, and I don’t see why they wouldn’t keep him.”
No-one knows the demands of Celtic more than former club captain Scott Brown, who was more than happy to share his views on O’Neill.
“It all depends if he’s got the energy,” he said. “He’s talked about that in the past, it is burning a lot of energy. He’s getting a bit older. It’s up to Martin what he does.”
It may not be solely up to him, though. The Celtic hierarchy need first to decide in which direction they want to proceed – and with whom.
Should they decide to give O’Neill the option, let’s ponder one final question.
With a crack at the Champions League just one play-off tie away – and having answered Celtic’s call three times in his career – could O’Neill really resist a fourth and final spell?
Was cup final fond farewell for Larssonesque Maeda?
https://www.bbc.co.uk/sport/football/articles/cr7p1ney5j7o
Daizen Maeda lifts the Scottish CupImage source, PA Media
By
Tom English
BBC Scotland’s chief sports writer at Hampden
Published
3 hours ago
Everyone at Celtic is reluctant to compare any mere mortal to Henrik Larsson, a saintly figure of the club’s past. If you go there and mention a player in the same light then you’d better have credibility and an unarguable case.
Martin O’Neill fits the bill on both counts.
When he said the other day that Daizen Maeda’s contribution in the nerve-jangling final weeks of the league season was “absolutely Larssonesque” it was a mighty claim, but could any Celtic fan argue the point? Hardly.
All the indications are that Maeda will leave Celtic this summer, exiting with a crash, a bang and a wallop.
His latest, and probably last, act was his lobbed opener that set Celtic on their way at Hampden. A ball dropping, a defender flailing and a striker as cool as can be, cushioning the ball up and over a stranded goalkeeper.
It might have been too early to say that the Scottish Cup final and the double was done at that point, but the writing was on the wall for Dunfermline. It was Maeda’s 17th goal of the season and his ninth goal in his last seven. Larssonesque was not hyperbolic.
The post-final songs and celebrations, as Celtic enjoyed the fruits of their 3-1 victory, had O’Neill at their heart, understandably. It’s hard to know just yet whether he’s managed Celtic for the last time or not, but the fans weren’t taking any chances. They serenaded him just in case this was the end.
Maeda took a back seat in ovation terms, but what a force he has been in a season that has lurched from the chaos of Brendan Rodgers’ exit, to the embarrassment of Wilfried Nancy’s time, to the undiluted fury of Celtic fans railing against the board, and onwards to glory under the great redeemer, O’Neill.
Celtic have had many doubles, but they haven’t won one like this, a surreal experience.
Maeda was a central character. Before his goal-fest in the toughest weeks of the season, he went 17 games without scoring. That was 17 games of hard running but little return, 17 games when he looked at times like he had little left to offer and was already thinking of new climes.
Then, he turned up. On the title run-in, Maeda was a devastating presence, a ruthless finisher – something he hasn’t always been renowned as.
Three shots on target against Falkirk and two goals; one shot on target against Hibs and one goal; two shots on target against Rangers and two goals; one shot on target against Motherwell and one goal; one shot on target in the denouement against Hearts last weekend and yet another goal.
His first chance on cup final day hit the back of the net. A goodbye goal, most probably. Celtic fans are wondering about what will become of O’Neill and who will replace him if he goes. They’d be as well as asking the same questions about Maeda.
He was 24 when he arrived on loan from Yokohama Marinos in January of 2022, one of a succession of bullseye signings in the days of Ange Postecoglou.
The Japanese international had two caps to his name and a big reputation as the J-League’s leading scorer in the season just gone. Postecoglou raved about him in his own inimitable way.
Four minutes into his debut against Hibs, he scored. He scored seven more in his next 21. Celtic had an obligation to buy him that summer, as if they would do anything else. They spent around £1.3m, a deal to beat most deals.
Graphic with picture of Celtic players and the script “Celtic fans are wondering about what will become of O’Neill and who will replace him if he goes. They’d be as well asking the same questions about Maeda.”
Pound-for-pound, Maeda has been an extraordinary bit of business, a nuisance that goes after defenders like a bullet train heading out of Tokyo, a player of energy and relentlessness that must have kept opponents awake, both before a game and after.
He had 13 goal involvements in his first half-season; 18 in 49 in his second; 14 in 36 in his third; 45 in 54 in his fourth, and 28 this season. He’s a natural wide player but he’s dug Celtic’s slapstick recruitment out of a hole since Kyogo Furuhashi departed and the club was so unimpressive in trying to replace him.
Maeda did the job instead. He stepped into the void, then expected to be allowed to leave last summer.
By all accounts he was given the assurance that he could go. Germany was the suggestion, Wolfsburg the club involved, or so O’Neill inadvertently revealed at the start of the year.
“I had an offer and had consistently communicated to my club that I wanted to take the next step in my career,” he said, after Celtic informed him that their efforts to find new blood had failed and that he could go nowhere.
“Celtic ultimately couldn’t secure the necessary reinforcements and told me they couldn’t let me go. Personally, I had come to an understanding with the club. I’d been in constant talks.”
A player could sulk in those circumstances. A promise broken, family plans put on hold. And maybe – maybe – he did sulk, but if he did it was only for a little while.
When the chips were down he was a colossus for Celtic, driven, focused, as hungry as anybody to get his team over the line and more influential than most in ensuring it happened.
If he goes, they will miss him. They’ll miss his goals, yes, but also his energy, his honesty, his work-rate, his capacity to run and run and run. He never stopped.
At one point in the aftermath he took the Scottish Cup in his hands and waved it at the Celtic fans, a scarf around his neck, a smile across his face. If this was his goodbye, he couldn’t have imagined a fonder one.
Final proves one mountain too many for Lennon’s Dunfermline
https://www.bbc.co.uk/sport/football/articles/c62rk4kezm0o05:24
Figure caption,
ByAmy Canavan
BBC Sport Scotland at Hampden Park
Published
1 hour ago
“Bedraggled” is how former player Ian McCall described Dunfermline Athletic in the first half of this Scottish Cup final.
The Championship side were “pulled all over the shop” by a hungry Celtic in the opening 45 minutes and went into the interval two goals down and with their Hampden hopes already all but gone.
There was a genuine fear things could get ugly for Neil Lennon and his side but a half-time cajoling – rather than a scolding – and a bold triple substitution paved the route for an unforeseen response and respectable showing.
“We got a little bit spooked first half after the first goal and were a little bit off the pace,” Lennon told BBC Sport Scotland.
“We got them in at half-time and we played ever so well second half but we just lacked that quality. There’s not many teams who have it like Celtic have it, but second half we did ourselves justice.”
Although Dunfermline didn’t return to the Kingdom with the trophy in tow, the underdogs heading home with their heads held high after a positive season.
Dunfermline beaten by Celtic in final
‘Celtic can discombobulate you’
In the build-up to this story-laden final – Martin O’Neill against Lennon, the shared ties with Jock Stein, and the David v Goliath nature of the Premiership champions against the Championship side – Lennon met his former Celtic captain Scott Brown for a BBC interview.
In that chat, Lennon admitted that upon his appointment at East End Park 14 months ago, he never could not have imagined leading them to Hampden.
The sleeping giants of Scottish football were in a Championship relegation scrap and devoid of direction. Miles away from a first Scottish Cup final in 19 years.
But by beating three top-flight sides – Hibernian, Aberdeen and Falkirk – they made it, all while throwing all their energy into a promotion push.
Lennon has never hidden that was the main aim of the season, repeating as much after the painful play-off semi-final defeat against Partick Thistle last Friday.
And at times in the first half here, it looked like Dunfermline were still suffering from their gruelling league exploits, combined with a little stage fright.
Lennon was left “disappointed with their mentality” in the first half, but insisted there was “no berating them” at the break.
“I took a few batterings myself as a player – sometimes you come up against a quality team who, when they’re in their groove, can discombobulate you,” the former Celtic captain and manager said.
“We needed to get them in at half-time and say ‘come on, you’re better than this’, ‘be braver on the ball, you’re just giving it away’.”
Better in the second half they were. Dunfermline forced O’Neill out of his seat a fair few times as he could sense them growing in the game and the angst in the stands.
Josh Cooper slid home just a matter of seconds after his introduction to give the healthy support from Fife something to cheer about late on, but it was not enough to affect the outcome.
“We were much, much better second half and I’m delighted we got the goal because I thought we deserved something from the game,” Lennon added.
“We’re a Championship team and we have moved mountains this season and it was just one mountain too many for us.”
‘A taste of what can be’
Failing to scale the Celtic mountain is nothing to be ashamed of. It’s a tough old ask. Just ask Hearts.
But Lennon hopes his young side will learn from this experience and understand what it takes to dine at the top table.
“It’s the first cup final for many, they’ve got to learn from it,” he said. “That is the standard you’re going to come up against if you develop into the players we think you can be.”
Whether they continue that education at Dunfermline remains unclear, with Lennon admitted that “a major rebuild” will be coming.
It would be safe to assume among those likely to leave is classy defender and captain at Hampden, Jeremiah Chiloka-Mullen.
The Scotland youth international has strolled it in the second tier this season and will surely be eyeing up a return to the national stadium in years to come with the big national team.
Lennon said he’s “enjoyed this season” and the love from the support, too. He was also touched by his name being sung from all quarters of Hampden as he headed for his runners-up medal.
It’s not something he’s used to, being second best, but he’s heading home with the hope this campaign has provided “a little taste of what can be.”