Celtic will take on Aberdeen in the Scottish Cup final after defeating Rangers 2-0 in a one-sided semi-final.
Callum McGregor gave Celtic an early lead in a first half they dominated from start to finish before Scott Sinclair doubled the advantage from the penalty spot six minutes after the break.
It was the first time Celtic had defeated Rangers in a Scottish Cup semi-final since 1925 and the Hoops will now take on Aberdeen for the trophy at Hampden on May 27.
Celtic made three changes from the side that drew 2-2 with Ross County with Dedryck Boyata, Mikael Lustig and Patrick Roberts coming in for Erik Sviatchenko, Tom Rogic and James Forrest.
This was Pedro Caixinha’s first Old Firm match as Rangers manager and he opted to make two changes with Andy Halliday and Joe Garner replacing Jon Toral and Barrie McKay.
Moussa Dembele had netted five times against Rangers already this season and was gifted a free header at goal inside two minutes but was unable to find the target from Scott Sinclair’s floated corner.
Stuart Armstrong went close with a curling effort from distance before Celtic opened the scoring after only 11 minutes.
A searching pass from Mikael Lustig was controlled by Dembele who laid the ball into the path of McGregor to side-foot into the corner of the net from 20 yards.
But, with 34 minutes gone, Celtic were forced into an early change after Dembele pulled up with a hamstring injury while winning a corner and was replaced by Leigh Griffiths.
Myles Beerman was fortunate to avoid being sent off eight minutes before the break when he tripped the advancing Patrick Roberts only a minute after having been cautioned for a foul on the same player.
It took Rangers 41 minutes to register their first attempt on goal but Kenny Miller’s effort from the edge of the penalty area flew wildly over the crossbar.
Caixinha made a double change at the break in a bid to get his side into the game with Barrie McKay and Joe Dodoo brought on for the ineffective Andy Halliday and Joe Garner.
But within five minutes of the restart the Hoops had the chance to double their lead when James Tavernier conceded a penalty for a last-ditch foul on Griffiths following a swift counter-attack.
Wes Foderingham got a full hand to Sinclair’s spot-kick but was unable to prevent the ball hitting the back of the net with the aid of the post.
Rangers were on the ropes now with Griffiths and Roberts both testing the reflexes of the badly exposed and overworked Foderingham.
Craig Gordon was called into action for the first time in the 61st minute to keep out a downward header from Miller.
The Rangers attacker went closer with 13 minutes to go but his lobbed effort finished on the roof of the net.
The Ibrox side were getting closer to a goal but Miller again found Gordon too big an obstacle to overcome with appeals that Jozo Simunovic had handled in the resulting scramble falling on deaf ears.
Celtic were becoming sloppy in defence and Martyn Waghorn should have got on the scoresheet as time ticked down but headed over from close range.
The Hoops almost grabbed a third in the final minute with substitute Tom Rogic striking the post from distance but it mattered not as his side saw out the victory.
