ABERDEEN manager Derek McInnes says he will be interested to see if the SFA take disciplinary action against Celtic following the sectarian abuse he was subjected to in the second-half of the William Hill Scottish Cup semi-final at Hampden.

McInnes admitted that he had been wrong to make an offensive gesture towards fans of the Parkhead club – an incident he was immediately ordered off by referee Craig Thomson for - as his side lost 3-0.

However, the Pittodrie boss revealed the chants of "Orange b******" that were directed at him would be included in the match delegate’s report and confessed he is intrigued to find out if the Scottish champions are punished as well.

He said: "It will be interesting to see if everybody gets punished for the incident. It’ll be in the delegate’s report, which is refreshing as it’s not always in their report, when they hear sectarian singing."

It was a tough day for the Dons but striker Sam Cosgrove insisted Aberdeen did not lose control against Celtic despite having two men sent off and the management team sent to the stand.

The striker felt his team were hard done by with the red cards shown to Dominic Ball and Lewis Ferguson. McInnes and assistant Tony Docherty were also sent from the touchline by Thomson.

Cosgrove said: “It looks from the outside like we have lost control, which we absolutely haven’t." He added: “I thought there were a few the officials missed, a few ones off the ball, that they got away with. We just weren’t getting the run of the green today."

Neil Lennon, meanwhile, stressed there is still no guarantee he will be appointed Celtic manager at the end of the season - despite leading the Parkhead club to within 90 minutes of a historic treble treble.

Lennon said: "I’ve had no guarantees, no reassurances, no promises. I’m here to do a job and I’m taking it game by game."

Matthew Lindsay says Celtic must make Lennon their next manager - whether he lands the treble or not. Lindsay says: "Lennon is the smart choice for a multitude of reasons. He wants the job, has a proven track record both at home and abroad, positively revels in the spotlight and has, with the help of the club recruitment staff, unearthed a few gems in the transfer market as well."

And the battle between Callum McGregor and James Forrest for the player of the year award may just have been settled in the latter’s favour – according to McGregor himself.

Forrest scored an absolute peach of a goal to give Celtic the lead yesterday. McGregor said: "I think he’s just won it with that wonder goal. I’m claiming the assist on it."

Here are five things we learned from Sunday's semi-final - including that Ball deserved to be sent off.

And did you think Forrest or McGregor had a better game at Hampden? Well, have a look at our Celtic player ratings here.

Aberdeen player ratings can be found here. 

One man who really enjoyed his day out at Hampden was Jonny Hayes. The Irishman is targeting more happy Hampden memories after putting some of his Scottish Cup heartache behind him by playing a starring role in Celtic's semi-final win over Aberdeen.

The winger scored against his current club when he was an Aberdeen player in the 2016 final but still wound up on the losing side. He then had to sit out of last season’s final after breaking his leg playing for Celtic against Dundee earlier in the campaign.

And Hayes said: "I was at the final against Motherwell last year with my little boy but I’m looking forward to playing in it this season."

Celtic face Hearts in that May 25 final and Craig Levein says he is confident the Tynecastle club are in safe hands on and off the park with Ann Budge calling the shots. 

Hearts also won 3-0 in their semi-final, against Inverness Caledonian Thistle, and Levein said: "Most people tend to judge progress on what goes on out on the park and that isn’t always the best indicator. From the moment Ann asked me to come back here she talked about long-term planning and getting the club to a place where we can regularly compete at the top end of the league and in cup finals."

Levein's summer signing Peter Haring has hit back at the critics who doubted Hearts’ Scottish Cup credentials in the wake of their derby defeat to Hibernian.

Levein’s side came in for some unfriendly fire from their own supporters and some pundits after losing to their Edinburgh rivals.

Haring said: "Before the game I read some papers and a lot of ‘experts’ were expecting Inverness to win so I was wondering why? Why do you expect Inverness to win?

“With all due respect to them they are doing quite well but we are still Heart of Midlothian."

Tynecastle goalkeeper Zdenek Zlamal hopes he can become a Hearts legend by winning the Scottish Cup - just like former Jambos hero and countryman Rudi Skacel.

Zlamal said: "Rudi Skacel is a hero and a lot of people in the Czech Republic know about his Scottish Cup wins and how prestigious this competition is. I hope I can do the same and be part of a Hearts team that wins the Scottish Cup."

Meanwhile, Chris Jack says all eyes will be on Mark Allen as Rangers prepare for a decisive summer in the transfer market. Jack writes: "If Rangers are to regain the Premiership title, lift domestic silverware and compete in Europe on a regular basis, they need a higher calibre of player. And it is Allen’s job to find them and sign them."

Jack also feels Rangers and Celtic youngsters should be hearing the Hampden Roar at the upcoming Scottish Youth Cup Final. The only fans inside the National Stadium will be proud parents and recipients of tickets through the clubs’ community projects. Jack writes: "Surely 5,000 fans in each end of the Hampden bowl could have been policed accordingly? Banning supporters is the easy way out, and an opportunity missed."

Partick Thistle may have picked up a valuable point in the Ladbrokes Champinship at Ross County on Saturday but results elsewhere saw them plummet to the foot of the table. After being relegated with Torquay, Sean McGinty says he can't face another "horrible" relegation. McGinty commented: "I got relegated last year with Torquay. I was captain as well and we went down from the National League.

“I don’t want it to happen again. I’m sure that there is more than enough in the dressing room to make sure it doesn’t."

Elsewhere, The Mirror report former Celtic striker Moussa Dembele is on the wanted list of Manchester United - with Arsenal also interested in a move. Dembele moved from Celtic to Lyon last summer for £20million.

And, of course, the most incredible sporting story for a long time - maybe of all time - took place at the weekend. Tiger Woods held his nerve on a wonderfully chaotic final day at Augusta National to win his 15th major title, and a first in 11 years, in the 83rd Masters.

Golf correspondent Nick Rodger says Woods completed a comeback for the ages. Rodger writes: "Miraculously, magically, momentously, he’s alive and kicking again after this astonishing Masters conquest. The scenes of rampant exultation as he putted out on Augusta’s 18th green to complete his fifth win in this corner of Georgia were something else. This truly was one of sport’s greatest ever stories."