Image source, SNSImage caption, St Mirren won their second League Cup with a 3-1 win over Celtic in December
ByGeorge O'NeillBBC Sport Scotland- Published7 hours ago
Scottish Cup semi-final: Celtic v St Mirren (14:00 BST)
Hampden Park, Glasgow
19/04/26
Listen on SoundsA little over four months ago, Hampden Park was the scene of unbridled joy for St Mirren and of crushing disappointment for Celtic.
The Paisley Saints outplayed and outfought Wilfried Nancy's Celtic to claim the Scottish League Cup for just the second time.
The Frenchman scratched his head and tried to impart instructions from his technical area, but as was the case too often during his 33-day tenure, his words failed to have the desired impact.
A second-minute header from Marcus Fraser and a second-half double from Jonah Ayunga will forever be etched in St Mirren history.
Nancy trudged onto the pitch at full-time, consoling his players as black-and-white celebrations went on around them.
It was his third defeat in his first three matches - a terrible opening week from which he would never recover.
Celtic looked dead and buried in a season of turmoil on and off the park, whereas St Mirren continued to enjoy heady heights under manager Stephen Robinson.
The teams will meet again at the national stadium on Sunday, albeit in very different circumstances, with a final against Dunfermline Athletic at stake.
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Image source, SNSThe most obvious change from then to now is in the Celtic dugout.
Nancy lasted just eight matches - 33 days - and was dismissed along with head of football operations Paul Tisdale.
His successor was also his predecessor, as Martin O'Neill took interim charge for the second time this season.
Performances have sometimes been lacking and Celtic's squad is evidently flawed, but O'Neill has maintained a title challenge and taken his team back to Hampden.
One of those questionable displays was the one that got Celtic to this semi-final.
In a backs-against-the-wall effort at Ibrox, Celtic had just one shot in 120 minutes against their great rivals Rangers before triumphing 4-2 on penalties after a drab goalless draw.
Still, being the better side is secondary to winning and few of a Celtic persuasion will criticise their style if they win league and cup come May.
That said, the fact O'Neill has said his side aren't good enough for him to think about lifting the trophy is hardly a rousing battle cry from a man who first won the competition with Celtic in 2001, before further wins in 2004 and 2005.
Still, he hopes a Hampden victory would provide a springboard for a pivotal run-in.
"If we could win the game, it definitely would have a positive effect," he said. "No question about that.
"Quite the opposite I suppose really, it [defeat] could have a poor effect on us. But we're going all out to try and win the game."
Cup double would be 'the stuff of legends'
Image source, SNSImage caption, Stephen Robinson, right, left St Mirren to join Aberdeen in March
St Mirren also have a different man in charge, four months on from the League Cup final.
Robinson joined Aberdeen last month after a hugely-successful four-year stint in Paisley, guiding the club to three straight top-six finishes before topping it off by lifting silverware earlier this season.
Craig McLeish - part of the St Mirren academy for several years - has stepped up to lead the team until the end of the season and has made no secret of his desire to do so longer-term.
In contrast to the past three seasons, the Buddies are battling to avoid the drop, but McLeish has won two of his four matches and was unfortunate to take nothing away from Parkhead when the teams met in the Premiership last weekend.
He believes that display and the memories of beating Celtic at the national stadium in December will stand his players in good stead before Sunday's semi-final.
Six of the team from that final started last time out - although goalkeeper Shamal George is a doubt after going off injured against Celtic in the league.
Captain Mark O'Hara is also back after missing the previous Hampden visit and Manchester United loanee Jacob Devaney has impressed since joining in January.
"We've got a real chance to make a successful season and to do a cup double, which I think would be the stuff of dreams and the stuff of legends," O'Hara said.
"We've beaten them at Hampden already this season and our performance last week, especially the second half, has proved we can match them.
"We're confident we've got enough in the building to go and cause an upset."
McLeish too is bullish before such a big game.
"I think it's probably controlling our emotions as well of the occasion, carrying out our game plan," he said.
"It's us going there and going toe-to-toe with them and being brave, not trying to hang onto a game or not trying to nick things just on a counter-attack - we're absolutely going there with the intention to win the game."
