Scottish Cup Semi-Final Weekend: The Full Overview
All the key stats, prize money earned and the impact on European qualification
Reaching a Scottish Cup Final is a tremendous achievement for any club. Fans of both Dunfermline - who reached their first in 19 years - and Celtic - who reached their first in 11 months - will be at the showpiece occasion in Mount Florida on Saturday 23rd of May.
It’s one of the biggest days in the footballing calendar, and it’s not just the oldest national trophy in world football that they will be playing for. The winners also receive Scotland’s third European entry point, and the fact that Celtic are still involved has a fundamental impact on the teams chasing European football in the Premiership.
This article will provide all the statistics following the two Semi-Finals, including prize money earned for all clubs, before explaining the permutations for Scotland’s European entrants this summer.
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DUNFERMLINE 0-0 FALKIRK
(Dunfermline progress 4-2 on penalties)
After the 28th draw between the sides across 121 meetings in the three major competitions, Dunfermline Vs Falkirk became just the 6th Scottish Cup Semi Final in history to be decided by a penalty shootout.
After a 120 minute contest lacking in quality, Dunfermline progressed 4-2 on penalties - the 11th time they have won a penalty shootout from the 16 in their history.
For Falkirk, it was their third penalty shootout this season but their first defeat. The Bairns have now lost 7 penalty shootouts out of the 16 they’ve been involved in.
Dunfermline will play in their sixth Scottish Cup final: having won 2 of the previous five. Neil Lennon’s men will be attempting to win Dunfermline’s first Scottish Cup since 1968, and their first against Celtic since 1961 - having lost the most recent three Finals against the Hoops!
The pars also become just the 13th side in history to reach the Scottish Cup Final after being drawn as the ‘home’ side in every tie, including the semi final. Four of the previous 12 then lost the final (Queen’s Park 1899/00, Hibs 1922/23, Rangers 1976/77, Rangers 1981/82) while 12 won the Cup (Celtic 2017-18, Celtic 1988-89, Celtic 1966-67, St Mirren 1958-59, Hearts 1955-56, Clyde 1954-55, Celtic 1910-11, Queen’s Park 1881-82)
Although Dunfermline have clearly made the most of their home advantage on their journey to Hampden, to reach the final they still had to beat three top-tier sides en route. This is a regular achievement for finalists - it’s happened 109 times - but it’s incredibly rare for a non-top tier side to achieve it.
Dunfermline are only the sixth non-top tier side to reach a Scottish Cup final having beaten three top-tier sides en route.
Overall Dunfermline will be the 18th club to play in the Scottish Cup final while not being a top-tier side. Only three of the previous 17 have won the final, with Hibernian the most recent such winner in 2016.
CELTIC 6-2 ST. MIRREN (a.e.t)
After Daizen Maeda opened the scoring in the opening minute, and Anthony Ralston made it 2 in the last minute of the first half, Celtic looked to be on track to a straightforward victory, avenging the defeat in the Final of the League Cup just five months ago. They have never lost a cup Semi Final after leading by two goals at any stage, after all.
St. Mirren though, had other ideas. The buddies produced a fine second half comeback to level the match 2-2 thanks to a Mikael Mandron double.
It was just the fourth time in Scottish Cup history that both Semi-Finals of the Scottish Cup went to extra time (also 2013, 2016, and the two replays in 1968)
However Celtic comprehensively blew St. Mirren away in the first half of extra time, scoring four goals in a six minute period, winning 6-2 to earn their place in May’s Final against Dunfermline.
Celtic become the second Scottish team to score 4 goals in six minutes this century after Stirling Albion 7-0 Montrose in 2016 (includes goals before & after half time interval). When only counting goals scored in the same half, the closest I can find is four goals in seven minutes (e.g. Hearts 10-0 Cowdenbeath in 2015 and Hearts 0-4 Hibs in 1965), but my database does not have the minutes of goals in all matches.
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