Business as usual ahead of Dunfermline cup final

Celtic’s u-20 side will treat it as business as usual today as they prepare for the SFA Youth Cup Final with Dunfermline at Hampden.

The young hoops clinched the SPL title last week and go to Hampden aiming for a world record fourth consecutive double.

After back-to-back wins over the now liquidated Rangers in 2010 and 2011 Celtic turned on the style to beat Queen of the South 8-0 in last years final.

Celtic have beaten Dunfermline 2-1 and 1-0 this season with half of the Pars youth side promoted into first team duty with the club placed in administration.

“We treat this like any other game in terms of preparation and build up,” coach Stevie Frail explained. “We do the same sort of training with the only difference being that we’ll practise penalties because it’s a cup tie.

“We’ll do a bit more in depth analysis on the opposition because it’s a cup final.

“Yesterday we watched some clips of their semi-final win against St Mirren, which was a great win because St Mirren are a good side, and John (Kennedy) went to watch their first team on Saturday against Partick Thistle.

“He was impressed with what he saw. We know it will be difficult, five of the team that played St Mirren were in the first team on Saturday- that will give them confidence.

“It’ll be a tough game for us there’s no doubt about that. The Dunfermline side has given the club a lot of pride during a really trying time and given the supporters something to smile about. They’ll have a big support through and will be looking to lift the cup but we’ll be doing everything we can to win it ourselves.

Frail added: “Cup finals always bring different aspects, there’ll be a good crowd there, the stage of the national stadium, and the extra spice of trying to get a fourth double.

“That brings pressure and players at this club have to handle that. Hopefully it’s another stage in their development towards appearing on this stage for the first team.

“If we get a performance like last season against Queen of the South we’ll take it but come quarter past nine we want to be the side lifting the cup.

“This might be the only chance that some players get to play at Hampden and to win a national cup.

“I heard Gary Neville mention winning the FA Youth Cup as one of his favourite achievements, he’s won plenty of cups and lifted the Champions League but still rates winning the Youth Cup as one of his greatest achievements. That says a lot.”