The Championship side triumphed 5-4 on penalties, with Tashan Oakley-Boothe converting the decisive spot-kick to send his team to their first final in 19 years. Dunfermline's victory continued an impressive cup run that has seen them defeat Falkirk and two Premiership clubs – Hibernian and Aberdeen – en route to the showpiece event.
Manager Neil Lennon, whose father Gerry died in December, dedicated the emotional achievement to his family. According to his post-match press conference, Lennon said he was thinking about his father after the shootout, describing him as the biggest influence in his life and hoping the family would take solace from the victory. Lennon also praised his team's performance, stating they had the better chances in what he called an attritional match and highlighting the players' mentality and fitness levels as amazing.
The match itself was a turgid affair with few clear-cut chances, though Dunfermline created the better opportunities. Callumn Morrison and Lucas Fyfe both had chances for the victors, with Fyfe hitting the crossbar in extra time. Falkirk's Brad Spencer and Liam Henderson missed their penalties in the shootout, with Falkirk boss John McGlynn admitting his team was poor in the final third. Multiple reports indicated Falkirk did not play with the same pace and ambition they have shown this season.
Dunfermline's path to the semi-final was complicated by fixture congestion, having played four matches in the last 14 days including two midweek fixtures. Lennon made wholesale changes for their 2-2 draw with Airdrie on Tuesday to manage player fatigue, with Nurudeen Abdulai being the only player to keep his place from that match for the semi-final.
In the other semi-final, Celtic advanced to the final with an explosive extra-time performance against St Mirren. According to BBC reporting, Celtic scored four goals in six minutes during extra time – in the 96th, 98th, 100th, and 102nd minutes – with the outlet describing the sequence as remarkable. Daizen Maeda had opened the scoring for Celtic in the first minute, with Anthony Ralston extending the lead before halftime. St Mirren equalized in the second half to force extra time, before Benjamin Nygren scored Celtic's sixth goal late in the match.
Dunfermline will now face Celtic in the Scottish Cup final on May 23, though the exact date and time of the match have not been confirmed. The final represents a significant challenge for the second-division side against the Scottish Premiership champions, but Lennon expressed confidence in his team's abilities while acknowledging they need to manage recovery carefully. The attendance figures for the semi-final at Hampden Park have not been released, and specific tactical adjustments Lennon made for the Falkirk match beyond squad rotation remain unclear.