Celtic secure double after beating Dunfermline to win Scottish Cup

[p]Martin O'Neill's side swept into a two-goal lead before half-time thanks to goals from [a href="https://www.flashscore.ca/player/maeda-daizen/6kfQTp18/"]Daizen Maeda[/a] and [a href="https://www.flashscore.ca/player/engels-arne/K4dXXq9J/"]Arne Engels[/a] at Hampden Park.[/p][p][a href="https://www.flashscore.ca/player/iheanacho-kelechi/dIaES012/"]Kelechi Iheanacho[/a] struck after the interval to put the result beyond doubt, making Josh Cooper's late reply little consolation for out-classed [a href="https://www.flashscore.ca/team/dunfermline/Eg3xY5eg/"]Dunfermline[/a].[/p][p][b]It was a ninth consecutive win in all competitions for [a href="https://www.flashscore.ca/team/celtic/QFKRRD8M/"]Celtic[/a], who have timed their best run of form perfectly after being galvanised by interim boss O'Neill.[/b][/p][p]Celtic's 43rd Scottish Cup success capped an incredible end to the season for O'Neill.[/p][embed guid="2c9853ea-afa1-49e0-b791-67bdc6d71e4d" url="https://x.com/CelticFC/status/2058214983624773721" social-type="twitter" /][p]The 74-year-old now has nine major honours as a Celtic manager stretching over 26 years.[/p][p]It was Celtic's 14th top-flight and Scottish Cup double.[/p][p]O'Neill is in his second spell as caretaker boss of the Glasgow club this season and is yet to agree to return next term.[/p][p]So it was fitting that O'Neill's potential farewell came in against Dunfermline boss Neil Lennon, who was a key member of O'Neill's Celtic and Leicester teams earlier in his managerial career.[/p][p]Asked if he could be persuaded to stay, O'Neill said: [b]"Next week I might get to speak to the owner. Dermot Desmond brought me back in the first place, I owe him a great deal otherwise I wouldn't be here.[/b][/p][p][b]"If the season was to start tomorrow, I couldn't do it. But the season doesn't start tomorrow. The Scottish season does start quickly though, and I'm getting old.[/b][/p][p][b]"What I have is a passion for the game. I don't think that will ever leave me, even in my final days. That's always been me. I have a desire to win."[/b][/p][embed guid="96e81402-74fc-4ae8-9955-f95ab6347f8f" url="https://x.com/CelticFC/status/2058226143719780721" social-type="twitter" /][p]Celtic pipped Hearts to the Scottish Premiership title last weekend, coming from behind to win 3-1 against the Edinburgh club on the final day of the season.[/p][p]The Hoops needed late goals from Maeda and Callum Osmand to finish two points above Derek McInnes' side, who had led the table for months.[/p][p]Hearts were furious that Celtic had stayed in the title race with a helping hand from a debatable penalty that clinched a win at Motherwell in their penultimate game.[/p][p]There was, however, no need for any contentious drama in the final.[/p][p]Celtic took the lead in the 19th minute as Alistair Johnston's ball reached Maeda and he lobbed it over the stranded Aston Oxborough.[/p][p]They doubled their advantage in the 36th minute when Engels hit a powerful strike from 25 yards that left Oxborough flat-footed.[/p][embed guid="cb907672-234b-4ec6-828b-efca7198bf9a" url="https://x.com/ScottishCup/status/2058214684319236508" social-type="twitter" /][p]Iheanacho latched on to Benjamin Nygren's through ball and showed tremendous footwork to evade three defenders before slotting home in the 72nd minute.[/p][p]Cooper scored on the rebound after Charlie Gilmour's shot had been blocked in the 79th minute, but [a href="https://www.flashscore.ca/game/soccer/celtic-QFKRRD8M/dunfermline-Eg3xY5eg/?mid=ABIBqEb6"]Celtic were never in danger[/a] of surrendering their lead.[/p][p][b][a href="https://www.flashscore.ca/game/soccer/celtic-QFKRRD8M/dunfermline-Eg3xY5eg/?mid=ABIBqEb6"]Catch up with the match stats on Flashscore![/a][/b][/p]