Colette Carr, Celtic Fc Women’s media officer has outlined below her I’ve reasons why Celtic Fans should head over to Firhill next Sunday to watch the Hoops play in the first of two Cup finals in December when Fran Alonso’s exciting Celtic side take on the SWPL Champions Glasgow City in the 2021 SWPL Cup Final.

Celtic got here the hard way. After safely negotiating the group stages in the summer, the last eight knock-out round saw Celtic given a trip to Murray Park to play current league leaders theRangers in the Quarter Finals. That match was decided by speculative Charlie Wellings strike that embarrassed theRangers keeper and had her crying her eyes out at the final whistle.

Charlie Wellings gets the ball, scores a goal…

Celtic celebrations as the Ghirls knock theRangers out of the Cup on their home patch…

Fran Alonso and Jodie Bartle celebrate the win over theRangers. Photo courtesy of Celtic FC Women

That set Celtic up for the semi-final against four in a row Cup holders Hibs at Forth bank a fortnight ago. The Edinburgh side were in determined mood and went in a half time a goal to the good and it was a pretty spectacular strike.

News broke among the Celtic Family at Forthbank that afternoon that Lisbon Lion and Celtic legend Bertie Auld had sadly passed away and there were a few tears shed as that second half got underway. Maybe Bertie had a hand in what happened next, a goal down at the interval never worried him – it certainly didn’t in Lisbon on 25 May 1967, and the Celtic ghirls paid their own tribute by scoring two to earn their place in the Cup final being played in Maryhill, Bertie’s home patch.

Celtic Women FC Ahead of the Scottish Women’s Premier League Cup match between Celtic Women and Hibernian at Forthbank Stadium, Stirling, Scotland on 14/11/2021.

Jacynta Galabadaarachchi (#8) of Celtic Women FC & Alexa Coyle (#18) of Hibernian FC during the Scottish Women’s Premier League Cup match between Celtic Women and Hibernian at Forthbank Stadium, Stirling, Scotland on 14/11/2021.

Charlie Wellings (#21) of Celtic Women FC & Amy Gallacher (#15) of Hibernian FC during the Scottish Women’s Premier League Cup match between Celtic Women and Hibernian at Forthbank Stadium, Stirling, Scotland on 14/11/2021.

Glasgow City are a decent side, they had a two goal half time lead against Fran Alonso’s Hoops earlier in the season but the fight in this Celtic side was there for all to see in that second half with Celtic getting the score back to 2-2 and were unfortunate not to have grabbed a late winner. So Sunday is winnable especially if the Celtic Support rally and get along to cheer on the Hoops.

I’ve been to quite a few of the Celtic Fc Women games this season and plenty last year. Each time it’s been a great afternoon, the football has been good and as the Celtic crowds have got bigger the atmosphere is tremendous.

Listen we are CELTIC. Earlier in the season Hibs entertained Hearts in an SWPL league match and attracted over 5000 supporters to Easter Road. Hearts plan to to beat that record when the two sides meet at Tynecastle in the return fixture.

GOAL! 2-1 Charlie Wellings (#21) of Celtic Women FC scores from close range to give her side a late lead during the Scottish Women’s Premier League Cup match between Celtic Women and Hibernian at Forthbank Stadium, Stirling, Scotland on 14/11/2021.

So if the Edinburgh sides can do this is it too much for Fran Alonso and his splendid Hoops side to expect a very decent Celtic Support to turn up next Sunday afternoon and hopefully see Celtic Fc Women lift their first piece of silverware sine 2010.

Celtic are away to Dundee United in the Scottish Premiership on the same day. Unless you are one of the three or four thousand Celtic Fans with tickets for the game at Tannadice, you’re likely to be watching on TV. That game kicks off at 12 noon so will be finished by around 1.50pm, giving you two hours and twenty minutes to get to Firhill in time for the kick-off of the 2021 SWPL League Cup Final between Celtic and Glasgow City.

Tickets can be purchased HERE and are priced at just £8 for adults and £2 for concessions – take the kids or the grandkids – they’ll absolutely love it! Remember, we are CELTIC. Let’s get this done, get Firhill packed with the Celtic Support and let’s roar the team on to cup glory! COYGIG.

We will hand over to Colette Carr from Celtic Fc Women who has written this feature on Sunday’s cup final as the team are desperate to get the Celtic Support out and along to do our bit in winning this cup…

***Five reasons to back the Hoops in the all-important SWPL Cup Final next Sunday, 5 December at Firhill* against *Glasgow City…***

We are just over a week away from Celtic FC Women’s first cup final since 2018 and tickets for what manager Fran Alonso hopes will be a historic evening of thrills at Firhill are on sale now! And if you needed any encouragement to get out and back a Celtic side in a Cup Final, here are five reasons to get down to Firhill and support the Ghirls who need your support now more than ever.

Festive family fun at the football

Goalscorers Jacynta Galabadaarachchi (#8) of Celtic Women FC & Charlie Wellings (#21) of Celtic Women FC celebrate following their victory during the Scottish Women’s Premier League Cup match between Celtic Women and Hibernian at Forthbank Stadium, Stirling, Scotland on 14/11/2021.

With the final kicking off the festive period, it’s given Scottish Women’s Football the perfect excuse to deck the halls of the Jackie Husband stand and transport fans to a Winter Wonderland ahead of kick-off.

Their festive-themed fanzone will pull together live music, face-painting, club mascots, an exhibition on the 100 year anniversary since the ban on women’s football and so much more to keep the whole family warm and entertained ahead of the all-important first whistle and will all be topped off with a visit from the man in red himself. Entertainment starts from 2pm with match tickets providing access to all activities to help you make a day of it!

The rocky, rocky road to Maryhill

GOAL! 2-1 Charlie Wellings (#21) of Celtic Women FC celebrates with team mates after her late winner during the Scottish Women’s Premier League Cup match between Celtic Women and Hibernian at Forthbank Stadium, Stirling, Scotland on 14/11/2021.

Should Celtic get their hands on the League Cup come the final whistle, the feat would be a result of arguably the most difficult run the competition’s history. The campaign began with comprehensive wins over Partick Thistle and Hearts, but with the drawing of (the)Rangers away in the quarter-final stages, the campaign suddenly intensified and excitement kicked in.

The tie of the round drew plenty of eyes to see Wellings’ second-half strike sweep (the)Rangers’ hopes of progression aside and send the Celts into raptures registering another famous win.

Next came the four-in-a-row holders and Cup competition commandeers Hibs. Until the 2019 Scottish Cup final, the Edinburgh side had had the monopoly over the two cup competitions since 2016, and the task of prying the trophy from Hibs’ clutches was never going to be easy. With the holders pouncing on the opportunity to take an early lead in the semi-final and go 1-0 in front, their expected resolve fired an early warning shot to the Hoops.

But despite controlling the first half without finding a way back in, the Celts stepped it up a gear from the restart with Jacynta drawing it level within the first minute before Wellings’ stunner sealed Celtic’s slot in the final with just over ten left to play.

Now all that stands between Celtic and their second ever trophy is the last of the top four and 14-in-a-row League champions Glasgow City. Having knocked out two huge challengers already, it’d be a fitting victory to secure silverware having beaten all of the best that Scotland has to offer.

Harkes heralded for a return?

Celtic Women v Hibernian Scottish Womens Premier League 1 26/09/2021. GOAL 1-0 Sarah Harkes 14 of Celtic Women FC with a strike from outside the box during the Scottish Womens Premier League 1 match between Celtic Women and Hibernian. Photo Colin Poultney PSI

Fan-favourite Sarah Harkes made her return to action coming from the bench in Celtic’s 3-1 rescue mission over Aberdeen on Sunday, and the tenacious midfielder could be in line for more game-time in the final. The versatile midfielder had been out of commission since lashing in an electric volley in September’s 2-1 win over Hibs and was missed after an impressive run of form following a lengthy stretch out recovering from a knee injury.

The American’s ability to marry the pretty with the ugly makes her cut a formidable figure in the middle, with the loss of her tactical awareness, technical ability and aggression all a blow for the Celtic management team.

While facing stern competition to get back into the starting eleven’s midfield two from impressive summer signings Shen, Olivia Chance and Tyler Toland, Harkes’ availability can give Alonso another welcome selection headache ahead of kick-off at Firhill.

Down, but never out

Rachael Boyle (#23) of Hibernian FC slides in while Jacynta Galabadaarachchi (#8) of Celtic Women FC has the ball during the Scottish Women’s Premier League Cup match between Celtic Women and Hibernian at Forthbank Stadium, Stirling, Scotland on 14/11/2021.

Despite going a goal down four times this season, Celtic have only recorded one domestic defeat this term, flexing their credentials as a true force to be reckoned with regardless of setbacks. Their road to the final began with the Hoops trailing by a goal after only just six minutes at Petershill Park, and their most recent SWPL1 fixture had them 1-0 down at the break. But crucially the other similarity the matches four months apart from each other share is both ended 3-1 in favour of the Celts.

Much has been noted of Celtic’s regularly-seen “until the death” quality this season, and be it full-throttle engines, highly tuned concentration levels, or simply a relentless desire to take away a result, Alonso’s squad’s knack for battering down the door until the end has played it’s part in reaching the first cup final of the season, and may be a key difference once again.

Over a decade’s wait

Tyler Toland (#16) of Celtic Women FC blocks the ball during the Scottish Women’s Premier League Cup match between Celtic Women and Hibernian at Forthbank Stadium, Stirling, Scotland on 14/11/2021.

Since their formation in 2007, Celtic FC Women have only lifted silverware once, when they won this very trophy all the way back in 2010. It’s been a long eleven years since Celtic beat Spartans 4-1 to raise the cup, and Celtic fans can be there to help push the Ghirls onto hopefully a magical moment of history after an agonising wait for more silverware success.