Celtic and Dunfermline Athletic named their line-ups for the Scottish Cup final at Hampden Park, with kickoff set for 3pm BST and silverware on the line for both sides. Celtic can seal a domestic double, while Dunfermline arrive chasing their first major trophy since 1968.
Martin O’Neill made one change from the side that beat Hearts last weekend, bringing James Forrest into midfield in place of Sebastian Tounekti, who dropped to the bench. Forrest, one of Celtic’s most experienced figures, could win the Scottish Cup for the ninth time with the club.
Kasper Schmeichel and Cameron Carter-Vickers remained sidelined for Celtic, but O’Neill still named a side with enough pedigree to chase another trophy. The final comes with Celtic already crowned Scottish Premiership champions, leaving the cup as the chance to finish the domestic campaign with a second piece of silverware.
Dunfermline, by contrast, arrived as a Championship side whose promotion hopes ended in playoff semi-final defeat against Partick last weekend. Neil Lennon, in charge for 14 months, handed starts to Aston Oxborough in goal, Andy Todd, Tashan Oakley-Boothe and John Tod, while Billy Terrell was among the substitutes after that setback. Andy Todd lined up alongside his brother Matty Todd in a family pairing that added another layer to the occasion.
Lennon also had Zak Rudden available again after three months out with a shoulder injury suffered in an earlier Cup tie against Kelty Hearts. Dunfermline were still without Graham Carey, Freddie Turley, Olly Thomas and Ewan Otoo through injury, leaving Lennon with a thinner hand as his side tried to halt Celtic’s momentum.
The final had the feel of a meeting between two clubs at very different points in their seasons. Celtic were trying to turn championship form into another trophy, while Dunfermline were playing for a prize they have not lifted in 57 years. Lennon said the occasion would be “be surreal considering how long I’ve known [Martin], what he’s done for my career and what influence he’s had on me,” underlining the personal edge to a final that carries far more than a line in the record books.
For Celtic, the task is straightforward: finish the job and confirm the double. For Dunfermline, the hope is that a difficult season can still end with a day that changes how the club remembers 2025.
