Stokes sends Hoops through to Hibs final
Anthony Stokes' dramatic extra-time winner against Dundee United in a 4-3 victory at Hampden booked Celtic's William Hill Scottish Cup final date with Hibernian on May 26.
In a thrilling encounter where both teams swapped the lead, Celtic midfielder Kris Commons and United skipper Jon Daly grabbed doubles with goals from Tannadice winger Gary Mackay-Steven and Victor Wanyama ensuring 30 added minutes.
And in the 104th minute Stokes, who came on for Mikael Lustig in the second half, headed in a James Forrest cross to ensure the Hoops will return to the national stadium at the end of the month hoping to complete a domestic double with their Clydesdale Bank Premier League title all but clinched.
The game was less than two minutes old when Commons picked up the ball from Victor Wanyama and eased past United midfielder Marc Millar before lashing the ball from 25 yards past Radoslaw Cierzniak.
The Terrors struck back after 24 minutes as defender Kelvin Wilson failed to cut out a long ball, handing possession to Daly. The Irishman played Mackay-Steven down the right channel and, with the Hoops defence posted missing, he played an elongated one-two with teenager Ryan Gauld before bending a shot past Celtic keeper Fraser Forster from inside the box.
United's second goal came when Emilio Izaguirre clumsily bundled Mackay-Steven to the ground on the right touchline. When defender Barry Douglas's in-swinging free-kick arrived at the near post Daly dipped his head amid a packed six-yard box to send the ball past Forster.
The Taysiders' joy was short-lived, though, as just two minutes later Wanyama rose to bullet Izaguirre's cross past Radoslaw Cierzniak, after Commons had set the Honduras international free down the left.
There was an inevitability about Celtic's next goal which came in the 59th minute although it was a rather strange finish by Commons. Izaguirre again raced up the left, taking a Wanyama pass and when his cross came into the middle the Scotland international did not appear to know too much about it as it bounced off his chest and trundled over the line with Cierzniak's rescue attempt futile.
Just over 10 minutes later, there was even more drama at the other end when the unmarked Daly looped a header from Mackay-Steven's cross over Forster and in off the post.
Georgios Samaras replaced Commons just before the teams swapped ends in extra time, but it was Stokes who made the headlines when he headed Celtic in front from a James Forrest cross.
