Celtic will be furious with SFA’s announcement on Matthew MacDermid

Celtic are set to take on St Mirren on Sunday in the semi-finals of the Scottish Cup.

It is a massive game for Martin O’Neill’s side, not because this is potentially the only trophy they could win this season, but lifting it would also guarantee at least Europa League football.

However, St Mirren will be a tough test. On Sunday, the Hoops only narrowly came away with a 1-0 victory at Celtic Park.

Earlier this season, St Mirren also beat Celtic 3-1 in the Premier Sports Cup final.

Now, Celtic’s hopes of lifting the Scottish Cup could be dashed after the appointment of Matthew MacDermid, who has made plenty of contentious decisions this season.

Matthew MacDermid has been at the centre of Celtic controversy this season

So far this campaign, MacDermid has been the main man for three Celtic fixtures in the Scottish Premiership, all coming under three different managers.

The first was a 2-0 defeat to Dundee at Den Park near the start of the season under Brendan Rodgers.

Following this, he oversaw a 4-2 Celtic victory against Livingston under Wilfried Nancy before refereeing the 2-1 defeat to Hibernian under Martin O’Neill.

However, it was the latter game that was the most controversial, with MacDermid making many questionable decisions.

Firstly, the referee chose to send off Auston Trusty for slapping his opponent’s arm at a set-piece situation.

While the Hoops did appeal this decision, it was rejected, and he was banned for three matches.

“That can’t be a red card… it’s a big call and an important call” 🗣️@jmcginn7 weighs in on Auston Trusty’s sending off against Hibernian at the weekend 🟥

Presented by @sbk | 18+ | Please Gamble Responsibly pic.twitter.com/zZem8WJhAv— Premier Sports (@PremSportsTV) February 24, 2026

On top of this, there was widespread belief that Celtic should have been awarded a penalty for Jack Iredale’s challenge inside the box on Liam Scales.

Both of these decisions led to a shock defeat and could eventually cost the club the title.

Therefore, for MacDermid to be in charge of such a big game, given his recent controversies, Celtic will be fuming, as it is simply a match they cannot afford to lose.

Celtic could miss out on several key stars without Scottish Cup success

Football Insider exclusively revealed that Celtic are chasing Kasper Hogh ahead of the summer transfer window.

However, with the striker after Champions League football, convincing him to move to the Hoops may be a tall ask.

On top of this, if they only manage to qualify for the Conference League, it is hard to see any of their targets joining.

With Rangers also sniffing around many of their potential signings, the Scottish Cup may be key no matter what happens in the league.

Therefore, O’Neill has to ensure he gets his team right on Sunday, or it could be a long summer.

The post Celtic will be furious with SFA’s announcement on Matthew MacDermid appeared first on Football Insider.