Semi Stories: Scottish Cup Semi-Final Victories

Our series leading up to this Sunday's Scottish Cup semi-final begins with a seven goal thriller in 2013.

Neil Lennon's Celtic team in 2012-13 were at times extremely inconsistent. Capable of fantastic results - the 2-1 victory over Barcelona - or very very poor ones - the 3-2 league cup semi-final defeat to St Mirren. Both sides of the team were on display in this pulsating cup clash.

The game started with a bang, as Celtic took the lead after only 83 seconds. A Kris Commons shot from 25 yards giving Cierzniak in the United goal no chance. The perfect start for Celtic, and we really should have doubled our lead after 20 minutes, when an Izaguirre cross found Lustig unmarked at the back post but his header hit the post when it seemed easier to score, and United had got away with it.

The failings in the Celtic side were evident when United three minutes later. Wilson completely misjudging a ball gifting it to Daly who set up Gary Mackay-Steven who after a one-two with Gauld swept home the equaliser.

Just six minutes later United were in the lead. Daly heading home a free-kick after some statuesque defending. Celtic were in real trouble now, could we respond? Thankfully, yes we could. A minute after United's goal Wanyama powered home an Izaguirre cross with a bullet header to level the game at 2-2, which was how the game ended at half-time.

Celtic began the second-half strongly, and after Ledley had headered a good chance over the bar, we regained the lead in the 59th minute, Commons scoring his second of the game, shouldering in an Izaguirre cross which just crept over the line. Celtic continued to dominate, and Commons was denied his hat-trick firstly by a Dillon clearance then a Cierzniak save.

Incredibly in the 71st minute United levelled again, and again there was poor defending involved, as Daly drifter away from his marker Izaguirre and headed home a GMS cross in off the post.

The end of the game was frantic, as both sides searched for a winner, Celtic coming closest as in a huge penalty box STRAMASH, Cierzniak saved from Mulgrew then Dillon made another last ditch clearance, this time from Forrest, so the game ended 3-3 and we were headed to extra time.

United started extra time the better team, and they almost took the lead in the 100th minute, Daly's header hitting the post with Forster well beaten. That was the wake up call Celtic needed, and after Forrest had spurned the chance to give Celtic the lead he made amends in the 104th minute as his cross found super sub Anthony Stokes who headed home to put Celtic 4-3 up. Samaras missed a glorious chance to kill the game off in injury time but in the end it didn't matter, as Celtic were in the Cup Final after an almighty struggle.

Bizarrely enough, the previous day's semi final also ended 4-3, with Leigh Griffiths getting the winner for Hibs over Falkirk. As for the final itself, match winner Anthony Stokes would play a prominent role, but that's a story for another day...

Dundee United 3 (Mackay-Steven 24' Daly 30' 71') Celtic 4 (Commons 2' 60' Wanyama 31' Stokes 104')