O'Brien to miss out on cup final

Jim O'Brien helped Dunfermline during a fine end-of-season run

Gordon Strachan has confirmed that on-loan winger Jim O'Brien will not be allowed to play for Dunfermline against Celtic in the Scottish Cup final.

There had been reports of a gentleman's agreement to allow the 19-year-old to play at Hampden Park on 26 May.

But Celtic manager Strachan said: "The arrangement was that Jim could not play against us at all this season.

"It's unfortunate and it wasn't an easy decision to make, but Jim was very philosophical about it."

Interview: Dunfermline manager Stephen Kenny

Interview: Celtic manager Gordon Strachan

Strachan confirmed that Dunfermline manager Stephen Kenny had telephoned in the hope that O'Brien would be allowed to play.

But the Celtic manager thought it would not have been fair to put O'Brien under the pressure of playing against - and possibly helping to beat - his own employers.

It was a little bit of a surprise because the indications were that Jim might be allowed to play Dunfermline manager Stephen Kenny

And he believes that everyone in football will agree with his decision.

"Our priority is to win trophies," said Strachan, who cleared himself to sit in the dugout by appealing against a touchline ban.

"I hope that Jim can continue to improve and get himself to more cup finals."

Kenny, meanwhile, says he was slightly surprised by Celtic's decision.

The player's loan agreement stipulated that he would not be allowed to play against the Glasgow side and he missed the 2-1 defeat at Parkhead in March as a result.

Reports indicated, however, that Strachan was contemplating allowing the Republic of Ireland Under-21 cap to play at Hampden.

Kenny said: "I wasn't sure what was going to happen, but it was a little bit of a surprise because the indications were that Jim might be allowed to play.

"It's disappointing because he has been an important player for us, but we just have to get on with it and look for somebody else to come in."

O'Brien has made 18 appearances for Dunfermline since being farmed out to East End Park in January.

He was forced to miss the 2-1 league defeat at Celtic Park in March.

But he helped inspire an improvement in form that took the Pars to the cup final and to a late run that almost avoided relegation.

Dunfermline must also do without Tam McManus for the Hampden showpiece.

The striker was cup-tied after being an unused substitute for Dundee earlier in the competition.

And the Scottish FA refused to relent on their rules, despite Jamie Adams playing for Queen of the South against Cowdenbeath and Hibernian after being an unused sub for Kilmarnock.

It said it was a clerical error that did not set a precedent.

On-loan Hibernian midfielder Stephen Glass is also cup-tied for the final.