Martin O’Neill’s Celtic Cup Final Record, Glasgow 2026

Key Points

• Martin O’Neill led Celtic into six major cup finals during his first spell as manager, winning four and losing two.
• These finals span the Scottish League Cup, the Scottish Cup and the UEFA Cup between 2001 and 2005.
• The period includes a domestic treble, a UEFA Cup final in Seville and a Scottish Cup triumph to cap his first tenure.
• O’Neill later guided Celtic into the semi‑final stage of the 2025 Scottish League Cup, but Wilfried Nancy was in charge for the final, so that match is not counted in O’Neill’s personal cup‑final record.
• O’Neill now has the opportunity to add to his tally this weekend when Celtic host Dunfermline at Hampden Park in the forthcoming cup tie.

Glasgow (Glasgow Express) May 21, 2026, cup‑final record as Celtic manager underlines his standing as one of the club’s most successful modern‑era bosses, even though he has expressed irritation at some media narratives about his time in the Parkhead dugout. During his first spell in charge from 2001 to 2005, he led the Hoops into six major cup finals across domestic and European competitions, lifting four trophies and finishing on the losing side twice. That aggregate record places him among the more decorated managers in the club’s recent history, with deep runs in the Scottish League Cup, the Scottish Cup and the UEFA Cup.

What cup finals did O’Neill reach with Celtic?

Under O’Neill, Celtic contested the Scottish League Cup final in 2001, 2004 and 2005, winning the trophy in 2001 and 2004.

They also appeared in the Scottish Cup final in 2002 and 2004, winning in 2004 as part of a domestic treble that season. In European competition, the Irishman took Celtic to the UEFA Cup final in Seville in 2003, where they lost on penalties to José Mourinho’s Porto after a 3‑2 defeat in extra time.

That European final, combined with the domestic treble and the Scottish Cup win in 2004, cemented his period in charge as one of the most successful spells in the club’s history.

How does the Scottish Cup triumph in 2004 mark the end of his first stint?

As reported by the 67 Hail Hail editorial team, the 2004 Scottish Cup final victory over Dunfermline Athletic served as the final trophy of O’Neill’s first tenure at Celtic Park.

The win completed a clean sweep of the domestic treble that season, as Celtic won the Premiership, the League Cup and the Scottish Cup, underlining the strength of the team he had built around players such as Henrik Larsson and Paul Lambert.

The 67 Hail Hail commentary notes that the Hampden Park success was a fitting coda to his first spell, even though O’Neill’s departure later in the summer of 2005 came amid growing speculation about conflicts with elements of the club’s hierarchy.

How does the 2025 Scottish League Cup affect his record?

O’Neill returned to Celtic Park in a senior‑team role in 2025, guiding the club into the semi‑final stage of that year’s Scottish League Cup.

However, as 67 Hail Hail observes, it was Wilfried Nancy who was in the dugout for the final, meaning the 2025 League Cup match does not count within O’Neill’s personal cup‑final tally as manager.

This technical distinction is important because some media outlets have occasionally conflated the two, but the Glasgow‑based outlet stresses that only finals where O’Neill himself was in charge should be included in his official record.

What cup final does O’Neill now have the chance to add to his record?

This weekend, Celtic are due to face Dunfermline at Hampden Park in an upcoming cup tie that offers O’Neill the opportunity to extend his tally of major cup finals. While details of the exact competition and stage are framed as a forward‑looking possibility rather than a historical fact, the 67 Hail Hail piece positions the fixture as a potential new chapter in his long‑running relationship with Hampden as manager and former target of criticism regarding the club’s cup‑final form.

The outlet notes that, should O’Neill lead Celtic into yet another final, it would reinforce his reputation as a manager who has consistently delivered at the knockout‑competition level during his Celtic career.

Background of Martin O’Neill’s Celtic cup‑final era

Martin O’Neill’s first spell at Celtic began in 2001, when he was appointed manager after a successful stint at Leicester City.

Within his first season, he guided the club to the Scottish League Cup final, which Celtic won, signalling the start of a period of sustained domestic success.

The 2002 UEFA Cup run, culminating in the Seville final, demonstrated that his rebuild of the squad could compete with elite European sides, even though the club ultimately fell short on the night.

By 2004, Celtic had assembled a team capable of winning the treble, with the Scottish Cup victory over Dunfermline the final component of that achievement.

O’Neill’s management style, characterised by high‑pressing football and an emphasis on attacking intent, resonated with fans and helped galvanise the club after a period of relative under‑achievement.

The 67 Hail Hail retrospective points out that his cup‑final record – four wins and two losses in six major showpiece games – reflects both the consistency of his teams in knockout football and the narrow margins that often separate success from disappointment.

The later 2025 League Cup semi‑final under his guidance, though ultimately managed to the final by Wilfried Nancy, illustrates that O’Neill still commanded respect within the club’s structures and remained a key figure in its cup‑campaign planning.

That semi‑final run is presented by 67 Hail Hail as evidence of his enduring influence on Celtic’s approach to knockout ties, even if it does not formally add to his personal cup‑final‑management statistics.

The outlet also notes that some supporters continue to view his reign through the lens of the 2003 UEFA Cup final, often framing it as a “near‑miss” rather than a full‑season triumph, even though the domestic treble and multiple cup wins complicate that narrative.

Prediction: How this development could affect Celtic fans and observers

For Celtic supporters, O’Neill’s cup‑final record remains a touchstone for measuring managerial success in knockout competitions, particularly at Hampden. If he is involved in another final in the coming weekend tie against Dunfermline, the narrative around his legacy may shift further away from the “near‑miss” label and towards a more rounded picture of a manager who repeatedly delivered major cup finals during his tenure. For media commentators and historians, the prospect of adding another final to his tally would give them a clearer statistical benchmark when comparing his era with those of other Celtic managers.

For younger fans who did not experience his first spell, a further cup‑final appearance under his guidance could reinforce his status as a key transitional figure between the club’s pre‑modernisation era and the current cycle of domestic dominance.

Neutral observers might also use his record to assess how managers at Celtic balance European ambitions with the pressure to win domestic trophies, especially given that his six finals included both a UEFA Cup final and a domestic treble‑season. For the broader Scottish football audience, the ongoing discussion of O’Neill’s cup‑final record and the possibility of another Hampden appearance keep his name firmly in the conversation whenever Celtic’s knockout‑run form is scrutinised.