“We found a way to save the game and we found a way to win it,” Martin O’Neill | OneFootball

A delighted Martin O’Neill spoke to the mainstream media* after Celtic’s 2-1 win after extra-time against Dundee in the Scottish Cup fifth round tie at Celtic Park yesterday afternoon...

Junior Adamu of Celtic Celtic v Dundee, Scottish Gas Scottish Cup, Fifth Round, Football, Celtic Park, 07 February 2026. Photo Stuart Wallace IMAGO/Shutterstock

Q: Martin, what do you make of that performance and display from start to finish?

Martin O’Neill: “Well, I’m naturally delighted to be in the hat for the next round. It seemed a long, long way away from what was it, the 97th minute? But we showed, I know it’s the usual thing, but I definitely think that we showed a determination to go to the very, very end, try and create something. We had a problem with that there during the course of the afternoon. But yeah, just so pleased with the team, naturally. And yeah, they were, I thought they were brilliant, really, really brilliant to see that through, despite the mistakes that we made during the game.”

Q: Did you think you were down and out when you were playing in stoppage time?

Martin O’Neill: “It’s easy for managers to say, oh, we thought that this would be the case. While the ball was probably in the penalty area, then something might still materialise, as Sebastian Tounekti had it. I thought his introduction was probably key, really, as much as anything else. So yeah, I thought, naturally, you would think that the game’s gone beyond you. If, for instance, Dundee kicked the ball clear, that’s probably the game over. But we found a way to save the game and we found a way to win it.”

7th February 2026 Celtic Park, Scottish Cup, Celtic versus Dundee. Junior Adamu of Celtic celebrates after scoring an equaliser for 1-1 in the 97th minute. Photo David Young IMAGO

Q: Dream debut for Junior Adamu as well?

Martin O’Neill: “Yeah, naturally, I’m delighted for him and he’ll be delighted for himself, because he wants to do well here, as they all do. He, in particular, was delighted to come, he wants to be a part of proceedings. And yeah, really pleased for him.”

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Q: Incredibly ice-cool finish at that stage of the game?

Martin O’Neill:  “It was an ice-cool finish for him, I didn’t feel ice-cool myself, but there’s no doubt! No, great. And naturally, that relief to get the goal and then the momentum carrying on just into the start of extra time kept us going.”

7th February 2026 Celtic Park, Glasgow, Scottish Cup Football, Celtic versus Dundee Large empty areas in the home section of the ground. Photo David Young IMAGO

Q: Obviously, the fans at that point really rallied behind the team, and the atmosphere got a little bit better towards extra time?

Martin O’Neill:  “I do genuinely understand frustration at times when we’re trying to be patient, but at the same time, we’re chasing the game. Then, you know, we maybe take two steps forward and then one going back when you think to yourself, well, let’s continue going forward. And I think that naturally frustrates the fans. But it worked out in the end. And as you say, they stuck with it and then they showed a lot of strength themselves in the extra time.”

Celtic goalkeeper Viljami Sinisalo watches a shoot from Ethan Hamilton of Dundee fly into the top corner of his goal as Hamilton scores to give Dundee a 0-1 lead. Celtic v Dundee, Scottish Cup, Fifth Round, Celtic Park, 7 February 2026. Photo Stuart Wallace IMAGO/Shutterstock

Q: Do you think the fact that there weren’t as many people in the stands today played any part at all in that first 90 minutes?

Martin O’Neill:  “No, I don’t think so. I don’t think so at all. I think it’s just that that was the nature of it. We kind of knew that there beforehand. And also, for instance, I don’t think that the cup games are in the season tickets. So it’s expensive to travel. You know, you’re talking about a 5.30 kick-off on a Saturday evening. And for instance, if supporters were travelling from Ireland, they would find that really difficult. So yeah, so I was pleased with the crowd. I was pleased with the number that did turn up. And yeah, I’m naturally delighted to be in there.”

New signing Alex Oxlade-Chamberlain of Celtic is paraded in front of the fans ahead of kick off at Celtic Park. Celtic v Dundee, Scottish Cup, Fifth Round, Celtic Park, 07 February 2026. Photo Stuart Wallace Shutterstock/IMAGO

Q: Obviously, you’ve got Oxlade-Chamberlain in now. You can be pleased with that. But how long do you think it will take him to get going?

Martin O’Neill:  “It’s a good point. He will start training now with us. And we would know in a couple of days. He looks in really decent shape. He’s not carrying any weight and things like that. He’s raring to go. So I think I said this pre-match, if he shows that hunger that he’s had for his career and a determination. And I think that in terms of options, you know, he could have hung around the London area at the end, even if Arsenal weren’t to take him. He could have. He didn’t. And so he’s decided to come up and throw himself forward here. So that would be great.”

Q: Would you he be in contention at all for an involvement on Wednesday?

Martin O’Neill:  “For Wednesday? I will have a look at that and see how he does in the next couple of days. But yeah, the sooner he’s in a bit of shape, the better for us.”

Q: Can I just quickly ask, Daizen Maeda and Arne Engels, were they rested today?

Martin O’Neill:  “Just rested, yeah. Just rested. There were moments when I thought, hmm, not great decisions, you know!”

*The Celtic Star together with all other fan media outlets are still subject to a disgraceful ban from the club despite no wrong doing on the side of The Celtic Star or to the best of our knowledge all other outlets who were part to the agreement with the club that was axed by the club as an attempt at censorship.

In recent days Brian Wilson, the interim Chairman at Celtic has reached out to selective supporters groups but not the Celtic Fan Media.

This afternoon Celtic FC Women are playing, most reading this will have absolutely no idea who they are playing, where they can watch it and the significance of the game for the new Celtic FC Women manager, who most won’t even know who that is….

Celtic in the Thirties by Matt Corr. Click on image to order

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