Celtic

For Heart of Midlothian, the tantalising, scarcely-believable, bottom line is this: after 66 years they may be crowned champions of Scotland on Wednesday.

A large asterisk must sit beside that sentence, of course. For history to happen, Hearts must beat Falkirk at Tynecastle and Celtic lose to Motherwell at Fir Park.

Few can see it turning out this way, but Hearts’ home record is exceptional and Motherwell have already beaten Celtic this season. Schooled them, in fact.

That was in Wilfried Nancy’s time, though. A relative lifetime ago.

There’s been so much change at Celtic, Martin O’Neill’s wise counsel dragging the team forward and back into contention after the dismal days under Nancy.

They’re still playing catch-up, though. Still chasing and knowing all the while that one slip of their own against Jens Berthel Askou’s impressive and dangerous side and it could be curtains.

Despite trailing Hearts by a point, Celtic are the bookies’ favourite to win the title again. The cold-blooded odds-layers have rarely bought into the Hearts fairytale, most of them reckoning that Celtic would come good in the end.

The mere fact that Hearts have come this close is trippy. Thirty-six games played, 3,240 minutes across 10 months, table toppers since September and they have arrived at this point.

In their greatest league season since falling on the last day 40 years ago, they’ve been doubted along the way. Laughed at in the beginning when Tony Bloom bought into the club and said they could split the Old Firm in one season, and questioned in December when they dropped points in four games in a row.

Scepticism came in waves in late spring when they lost to two of the bottom six and then drew with Livingston, plumb last in the Premiership.

Injuries hampered them then as they hamper them now, but Hearts kept the show on the road. ‘Believe’ is the Tynecastle mantra, the gospel the manager Derek McInnes has preached.

In the Celtic dressing room, there is experience of reeling off wins to secure a title.

Winning their last five league games nods to the defending champions’ ability to harness experience.

They might not have been challenged to the final day much before, but in contrast to Hearts their winning experience is considerable.

“I honestly do feel that Celtic will be calm, just because they’ve been in this situation so many times before,” Halliday said.

“Now, some people don’t think that counts for much. For me, I personally do.

“Hearts have felt the pressure of being the team that’s been hunted for 30 weeks consecutively now, and they’ve handled it already extremely well.

“You talk about a manager’s role, I’ve no doubt whatsoever that Derek McInnes has played a huge part in that.”

O’Dea also believes that however different players and managers handle these situations, neither Celtic nor Hearts, who have come from behind to take points in their last five games, have shown signs of toiling.

“Both teams have an abundance of character,” he said.

“I don’t know if I could pick a winner in terms of the character from both groups, they’ve both shown it, so it makes for a good ending.”

Over his two spells in charge this season, 74-year-old O’Neill has averaged more Premiership points per game than any of his peers.

He has been more successful than Celtic could have hoped for when they brought him out of retirement after Brendan Rodgers’ acrimonious departure, and again following Wilfried Nancy’s ill-fated eight-game spell.

There is at least an arguable case that had he been in charge since Rodgers left, Celtic would be strong favourites to win the league by now.

On that basis, has O’Neill done enough to return as manager next season? Is his future contingent on winning the Premiership? Should Celtic look to the future? Does O’Neill want to keep managing in such a harsh environment at 74?

Right now these are unanswered questions, at least outside the walls of Celtic Park.

“I feel a sense of renaissance, coming back and working with young people, it’s really, really terrific,” O’Neill told talkSPORT on Tuesday when asked about the future.

“We’ll have to see see how we stand at the end of the season, and that’s nearly upon us now. “

While grateful to O’Neill, who was already a legendary figure, some Celtic supporters feel a fresh face in the dugout is needed.

Paul John Dykes, from A Celtic State of Mind podcast, believes O’Neill “should go and chill out and just enjoy retirement” at the end of the season.

“Martin O’Neill has been dreadfully let down by the Celtic board,” Dykes told the BBC’s Scottish Football Podcast.

“There’s no way he came to Celtic in January, one week into a January transfer window, on the promise of four loanees and an out-of-contract player to win the double. No chance.

“So regardless of what happens, Martin O’Neill’s legacy is intact.”

Celtic scored twice in extra time to book their place in a first Women’s Scottish Cup final in three years as they defeated Glasgow City for the first time since August 2024.

Saoirse Noonan’s first-half header seemed set to be the winner for Grant Scott’s Celtic in regulation time, but Linda Motlhalo’s powerful strike with seven minutes remaining forced the extra 30 minutes.

It looked like City – who had hopes of completing a domestic treble after lifting the SWPL Cup earlier this season – would have their tails up in extra time, but Celtic, who won this competition back-to-back in 2022 and 2023, did not allow them to settle.

Amy Gallacher – who delivered the enticing corner for Noonan’s nodded opener – netted a pinpoint strike two minutes in to puncture the feelgood factor among the City ranks and restore Celtic’s lead.

In a disjointed game plagued by stoppages, Scott’s side extended their lead deep into first-half additional time.

Scotland international Shannon McGregor, making her Hampden bow, was alive at the back post to take a touch and blast a brilliant third into the roof of the net.

That looked to be that, but City reduced the deficit in the final minute as substitute Emily Grey eventually stroked home after a stramash in the box.

It made for a tense final roll of the dice, but it was ultimately too little, too late for Leanne Ross’ side, whose sole focus will now be overturning the four-point deficit they have in the SWPL behind leaders Hearts.

Celtic though will return to Hampden on Sunday, 31 May for the final. They will face the winners of Rangers and Montrose, who meet on Sunday at 13:30 BST – live on BBC One Scotland.