Celtic hit St Mirren for six in extra-time blitz to reach Scottish Cup final

Martin O’Neill will face his former captain Neil Lennon in the Scottish Gas Scottish Cup final after Celtic booked their spot in the showpiece against Dunfermline with an eventful 6-2 extra-time win over St Mirren.

A horror mistake by Saints stand-in goalkeeper Ryan Mullen saw Daizen Maeda give the Hoops a first-minute lead at Hampden and to add to the Buddies’ woes the errant number two picked up an injury and had to be replaced after just 14 minutes by 17-year-old debutant Grant Tamosevicius.

Right-back Anthony Ralston added a second on the stroke of half-time, but St Mirren striker Mikael Mandron reduced the deficit in the 53rd minute with a header and then took the game to extra time with a deserved 90th-minute leveller.

However, two goals from Kelechi Iheanacho, one either side of a strike from fellow substitute Luke Cowan, and a finish from Benjamin Nygren in a ruthless seven-minute spell in the first additional period pulverised the Paisley side.

Lennon’s Dunfermline side from the Championship beat Falkirk 4-2 in a penalty shootout on Saturday and he will relish taking on his former manager, under whom he enjoyed success at Leicester and Celtic, in next month’s final.

Fans were still taking their seats when Celtic took the lead. Mullen was in for the injured Shamal George and endured the worst possible start.

The 24-year-old had the ball at his feet from a back pass but was caught out by the onrushing Maeda’s speed and succeeded only in striking an attempted clearance off the Japan striker’s leg, with the ball rolling over the line.

St Mirren goalkeeper Ryan Mullen's attempted clearance is blocked by Daizen Maeda of Celtic and deflected into the net. Photograph: Stuart Wallace/Shutterstock

St Mirren’s nightmare start boosted the Parkhead side and in the eighth minute midfielder Arne Engels curled a shot from 25 yards against the outside of a post.