Dunfermline Athletic

Archives | Celtic 3 Dunfermline 1

Dunfermline found Celtic`s quality just too much for them. Despite a goal from sub Josh Cooper, goals from Daizen Maeda, Arne Engels and Kelechi Iheanacho secured a domestic double for the Hoops.

Celtic and Dunfermline Athletic battled it out for the Scottish Cup in the season ending showpiece at Barclays Hampden. With Neil Lennon coming up against Martin O`Neill everyone hoped that this afternoon was to be a memorable climax to the Pars season.

Celtic were in search of a domestic double, with the dust having barely settled on a thrilling Scottish Premiership title win `“ Martin O`Neill`s side seeing off Hearts on the final day of the season. Defeat to Aberdeen on penalties at this very ground 12 months ago will have left a bitter taste, and the Hoops would be desperate to right that wrong and add a 43rd Scottish Cup to their collection.

Standing in their way were a Dunfermline Athletic side whose own place in football history beckoned. This was the Pars` sixth appearance in a Scottish Cup final and their fifth against Celtic, yet the black and white half of Fife have not lifted the trophy since defeating Heart of Midlothian back in 1968. From far and wide, 15000 Pars fans had travelled to Glasgow, hoping that a wait of 58 long years would finally come to an end on this May afternoon.

Neil Lennon made four changes from the team that lost to Partick Thistle eight days ago. Aston Oxborough returned from Motherwell to take over from Billy Terrell in goals. Chris Kane, Shea Kearney and Alfons Amade dropped out while John Tod, Nurudeen Abdulai and Tashan Oakley-Boothe started. Zak Rudden was fit to take a place on the subs bench.

Martin O`Neill`s Celtic side showed one change from that which kicked off against Hearts the previous Saturday. James Forrest being preferred to Sebastian Tounekti.

The pre match atmosphere built steadily ahead of kick off with the 16500 strong travelling support making their presence felt. The west end of the National Stadium was a sea of black and white with flags being waved as the Dunfermline players names were flashed up on the giant screens at either end of the stadium. The sponsors logo covered the centre circle and the Scottish Cup was brought out by Roy Barry and Paul Lambert.

Next the teams emerged out of the tunnel as the fireworks went off and the impressive Dunfermline tifo was revealed. It was certainly a huge output of volume from the Pars supporters as they greeted their team. It terms of excitement and display of support, Celtic were definitely second at this point. These were special scenes to move even the toughest Athletic man!

Benjamin Nygren kicked the final off with Celtic attacking the goal at the Dunfermline end. The play swung from end to end in the opening minutes with John Tod being called upon to make three telling interceptions before Jeremiah Chilokoa-Mullen conceded the first corner of the game in sixth minute. Oxborough dealt with the corner before Daizen Meada went down under pressure from J Tod but referee Steven McLean dismissed the penalty appeal. Then a mix up in the Celtic defence looked to have gifted Dunfermline the opening goal. Callumn Morrison pressed Alistair Johnston, keeper Viljami Sinisalo came out and Liam Scales had to pull off a last ditch clearance off the goaline to deny Morrison`s prod.

There followed a spell where Celtic kept possession and made it extremely difficult for the Fifers to regain the ball. The Pars had moved play to the Celtic end with Morrison pressing again but when Johnston was able to launch a high ball down the middle of the park, MAEDA cashed in when John Tod could not cut out the pass. It was 19th minute of the Cup Final when the Celtic striker composed himself to chip Oxborough from just outside the Dunfermline box. 0-1

Abdulai cleared from an Arne Engels corner as Celtic continued to take the game to the Pars. Martin O`Neill`s side stroked the ball around dominantly, the only interruption a long ball upfield by Matty Todd for Morrison but Sinisalo. In 33 minutes Oxborough was called upon to make an unconventional headed clearance. Three minutes later Celtic struck again. A simple pass from Forrest allowed McGregor to tee up ENGELS some 25 yards out, the 22 year-old Belgian`s shot finding the Pars net with Oxborough possibly unsighted. 0-2

It had been a first half in which Celtic had given Dunfermline a pretty torrid time. At the break the question was could this Dunfermline side grind out a second half comeback?

Half Time: Celtic 2 Dunfermline 0

Neil Lennon made three substitutions before the restart. Chris Kane, Zak Rudden and Shea Kearney were introduced for John Tod, Callumn Morrison and Tashan Oakley-Boothe. Immediately it looked much more positive for the Pars, forcing a corner within 90 seconds. Todd`s cross from the 47th minute corner evaded Kane but Abdulai`s header dropped wide right.

The aggression that was missing from the first half performance made it uncomfortable for Celtic and a couple of free kicks kept up the momentum but Celtic held out. Oxborough had to hold a decent effort before an Andrew Tod cross was tipped away by his opposite number. Alfons Amade had come on for Nurudeen Abdulai and it was the Mozambique midfielder whose 62nd minute shot from 25 yards out that fizzed narrowly wide right.

The Fifers had disrupted Celtic`s dominance but there was relief in 66 minutes when VAR confirmed that Yang was offside as the Hoops swept forward and Kelechi Iheanacho netted. Seven minutes later Celtic scored that third goal to really polish off any hopes of a Dunfermline revival. It was a Nygren run that made the opportunity for Kelechi IHEANACHO. The Celtic sub showed magnificent control to round Chilokoa-Mullen and the goalkeeper to stroke the ball home. 0-3

The substitution bringing on Josh COOPER for Andrew Tod in 79 minutes paid swift dividend. Kane played the ball wide right to Rudden and he got the ball into the box. Todd got the touch that caused the ball to travel left for the Dunfermline sub to slot home with his first touch. 1-3

The Pars battled on and rallied again urged on by their fans. A Todd corner was headed over the Celtic bar by Chilokoa-Mullen. Next a Kearney cross was touched back from Rudden to Kane but his shot did not have sufficient behind it to test the keeper. Celtic finished strongly but the Fifers defended well to keep them out.

In the end it was not the result that the large number of Pars fans in the stadium had wished for but thankfully they witnessed a much improved second half performance and a brilliant Josh Cooper goal. No third Scottish Cup for Dunfermline but what an achievement for the Championship club to make the season`s final spectacle.

DUNFERMLINE: Aston Oxborough: John Tod (Shea Kearney HT), Jeremiah Chilokoa-Mullen (c), Kieran Ngwenya, Robbie Fraser: Matty Todd, Charlie Gilmour, Nurudeen Abdulai (Alfons Amade 59), Tashan Oakley-Boothe (Chris Kane HT), Callumn Morrison (Zak Rudden HT), Andrew Tod (Josh Cooper 79).
SUBS NOT USED: Kyle Benedictus, Chris Hamilton, Lucas Fyfe, Billy Terrell (GK)
YELLOW CARD: Gilmour (40)
SCORER: Cooper (80)

CELTIC: Viljami Sinisalo: Alistair Johnston, Auston Trusty, Liam Scales, Kieran Tierney (Marcelo Saracchi 85), James Forrest (Kelechi Iheanacho 58), Callum McGregor, Benjamin Nygren (Alex Oxlade-Chamberlain 75), Arne Engels, Yang Hyun-Jun (Sebastian Tounekti 75), Daizen Maeda.
SUBS NOT USED: Callum Osmand, Dane Murray, Luke McCowan, Anthony Ralston, Ross Doohan (GK)
SCORERS: Maeda (19), Engels (36), Iheanacho (73)
YELLOW CARD: Trusty (53)

REFEREE: Steven McLean
ATTENDANCE: 49613
WEATHER: Sunny 17°C


Highlights ~ Celtic 3 Dunfermline 1



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