Darren O'Dea dedicates cup win to Tommy Burns

Cup Final hero Darren O'Dea has dedicated his moment of glory to Tommy Burns.

The former Celtic boss lost his battle with cancer in May of last year, with O'Dea especially close to the man that took him from Home Farm to Glasgow.

When Celtic dramatically won the title last season against Dundee United two days after Burns's funeral, O'Dea was inconsolable amidst the celebrations.

The defender's extra-time header against Rangers sent Celtic on their way to lifting the Co-Operative Cup at Hampden but moments after lifting the trophy he was quick to remember the man that brought him to the club.

O'Dea told the Evening Herald: "There was only one man that I was looking to impress today and that's Tommy, he's always in my thoughts.

"Every time I pull on a Celtic shirt or training jersey I think of Tommy, he's a man that I aspire to. Everything that I do is for him."

Typically of recent Old Firm matches, there was little between the sides with both teams starting out with 4-5-1 formations.

Celtic were slightly the more adventurous, with Aiden McGeady given a free role behind Scott McDonald, but chances were at a premium with neither 'keeper over worked.

Gordon Strachan's men were a constant threat at set-pieces with Glenn Loovens twice coming close, forcing Pedro Mendes into a goal-line clearance in the 69th minute.

Celtic introduced Georgios Samaras to help McDonald, with Rangers also changing things around with Nacho Novo and Kris Boyd paired up front as both sets of supporters sensed extra-time.

Fifty seven seconds into extra-time the game turned Celtic's way when O'Dea steered his header beyond Allan McGregor from an inviting Shunsuke Nakamura free-kick.

The goal hero explained: "Naka's free-kicks are brilliant and luckily enough I got my head on the end of it. The ball was so good that I just needed to get my head on it.

"I had a chance with a header during the second half as well. I always like to think that I'm a threat at corners, as is every other player that comes up for them.

"I found out an hour before the kick-off that I'd be playing. I wouldn't say that I was scared about building my hopes up, I prepared for the game as if I was playing then it was just a case of waiting for the manager to give me the nod.

"I'm obviously grateful for him for keeping me in and I like to think that I've repaid him.

"We were the better team overall but Rangers had their spells, it's just a case of riding them out and taking our chances, so it's great to come out on top."

After O'Dea's goal Celtic really should have had the game sewn up with Samaras having two great opportunities, as well as chances falling to McDonald and man-of-the-match Scott Brown.

Cramp set in on O'Dea towards the end of the first period of extra-time with Mark Wilson moving on at left-back for the final 15 minutes.

Celtic had a clear edge in fitness during the extra-time, with Nakamura and McGeady posing serious questions of the Rangers defence with their accurate use of the ball.

It was typical cup-tie football till the end before McGeady raced away from the Rangers defence before being crudely felled by Kirk Broadfoot, who was red-carded.

McGeady took the penalty himself sending McGregor the wrong way before racing off to celebrate with his jubilant team mates before the final whistle was blown.

Just over a week after tumbling out of the Scottish Cup to St Mirren, it was Stephen McManus that collected the first trophy of the season as he raised the Co-Operative Cup to the Celtic support.

It was the first time in 20 years that Celtic had beaten Rangers in a major final, although the focus will now quickly switch to the battle for the SPL title where Celtic have a three point advantage with 10 games left to play.

O'Dea savoured the moment and the celebrations but knows that the next game, and trophy is always the most important for Celtic.

He added: "It's a great feeling, I'm absolutely delighted. We'll enjoy the celebrations but we know that there's still the run-in to the league ahead of us.

"For me it's a massive achievement but the only thing that matters is that Celtic won and hopefully that will kick us on for the rest of the season."

Two months ago O'Dea felt that his League Cup hopes lay south of the border with Burnley.

Owen Coyle was desperate to get the defender in on loan with a deal all but agreed with Gordon Strachan who accepted the need for O'Dea to play regular football.

The move could have gone through in time for O'Dea to play against Spurs in the Carling Cup but injury worries over Stephen McManus and Lee Naylor forced Strachan to backtrack on his promise to the young defender, who watched Celtic send Cillian Sheridan and Paul Caddis out to Motherwell and Dundee United while he waited on the sidelines.

O'Dea admitted: "A lot of people told me that things can change in a day and I struggled to believe them when I was out of the side.

"The move to Burnley was as close as you can get. It was all agreed but people had little niggles which stopped me going. It was literally down to the last day of the deadline and it looked like I might go. There were a few clubs interested in taking me on loan but it was Burnley that I had decided on.

"They are doing great down there but I'd much rather be here and this means much more to me. I thought I might have gone before the Carling Cup semi-final. Burnley were trying to rush it through but it didn't happen and I'm just glad I had a chance to stay."

Manager Strachan was thrilled to see O'Dea get rewarded after missing out on his loan move.

The Celtic boss said: "If anyone deserved something today it was Darren, I couldn't be more pleased for him.

"He's had disappointments. He wanted to go on loan, just to be a better player and come back and be a better player for us but I thought we were going to need him between then and the end of the season.

"He was disappointed but didn't let his disappointment affect himself or the squad. And it's great when you see young men getting their rewards like that."

Level-headed O'Dea knows that he has a battle on his hands to stay in the team and is already looking ahead to the next match. He added: "All I'm thinking about is next week and facing Dundee United. Who knows if I'll play?"

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