Ultimate moment so shine in derby

Midfielder Callum McGregor rates scoring in Celtic’s 2-0 Scottish Cup semi-final win against Rangers on Sunday as the pinnacle of 14 years at the club.

The 23-year-old has been with the Hoops since he was nine, notwithstanding a loan spell at Notts County, and validated manager Brendan Rodgers’ lavish praise of him recently by sliding a shot past Gers goalkeeper Wes Foderingham at Hampden Park to set the treble-chasing Parkhead men up for a final against Aberdeen next month.

McGregor would not reveal the exact amount of times he had watched a rerun of the goal, but said: “I think it would be pretty close to my best moment.

“Just the whole day, getting the goal and the way we performed was top class.

“It was massive for me. I have been at this club since I was nine and dream of that, days at Hampden in semi-finals and finals and scoring against Rangers.

“It just doesn’t get any better for a young player coming through the system and that moment when the ball hit the back of the net was unbelievable.

“The manager has been praising me highly over the last few weeks, so it was great to go out and play like that and get a goal on a big occasion.”

Amid fierce competition he is glad to be featuring regularly in a Celtic side who are unbeaten domestically and who saved one of their best performances for the cup tie against their Old Firm rivals.

“Everyone in the squad this year has been outstanding,” he said.

“It’s hard to get in and stay in, especially with so many talented players and the way we have been getting result after result.”

Callum McGregor