Celtic vs St Mirren semi-final already under scrutiny after SFA officials call

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Celtic head to Hampden on 19 April for a Scottish Cup semi-final against St Mirren, with a full VAR team and referee Matthew MacDermid confirmed for the 2:00pm kick-off.

The Scottish Cup tie brings clear stakes for both teams. Celtic are in contention for a league and Scottish Cup double, and St Mirren could win an unprecedented domestic cup double.

But the tie also puts the officials firmly in the frame after the SFA announced the referee and VAR for the big Hampden date.

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Celtic’s Hampden test comes with familiar scrutiny

VAR has already shaped the conversation around Celtic, not just in recent weeks, but ever since the video referee technology was introduced.

This season however, a red-card decision involving Auston Trusty drew direct criticism and reinforced how quickly focus can shift from football to officiating.

The semi-final arrives with that context still fresh. Scrutiny is not hypothetical, it has already been applied to decisions involving Celtic.

The officiating team for the match is confirmed as follows:

• Referee: Matthew MacDermid
• Assistant Referee 1: Ross Macleod
• Assistant Referee 2: David Roome
• VAR: Kevin Clancy
• AVAR: Chris Graham

These appointments are part of the Scottish Cup semi-final officials confirmed list.

Celtic must control the narrative, not react to it

There is no consistency in how referees are viewed across different fixtures, especially when Celtic are involved.

Matthew MacDermid was the referee in charge when Trusty was controversially sent off in Celtic’s 2-1 defeat to Hibs at Parkhead.

Kevin Clancy was in charge of VAR when Celtic drew with Rangers 2-2 in March and he spotted the handball by Dujon Sterling which earned the Hoops a late match-drawing penalty.

For Celtic, this leaves a clear responsibility. Control the game early, remove doubt, and limit the number of moments that invite intervention.

Discipline and tempo matter more in this fixture. The fewer flashpoints, the less influence officiating has on the narrative.

The Hampden semi-final will carry pressure, expectation, and attention. The officiating framework is fixed, but how much it matters will be determined by Celtic themselves.