NEIL LENNON has happy memories of games against Aberdeen since his return as Celtic manager a year ago.
The Irishman led the Hoops to last season’s historic Scottish Cup Final triumph against Hearts via a 3-0 semi-final victory over the Dons.
And he saw the champions clinched their eighth successive title with another 3-0 win over Derek McInnes’ men at Pittodrie on May 4.
The gaffer now has the chance for three cheers against the same opponents, but he admitted he did NOT want to face them again after last night’s Scottish Cup semi-final draw paired the holders with the north east outfit for another showdown at Hampden next month.
And Lennon reckoned his opposite number McInnes had similar thoughts about the ballot that also saw Hearts and Hibs squaring up in the other last-four encounter.
An 81st-minute free-kick from Ryan Christie somehow came through a ruck of players to nestle behind the helpless Zander Clark to give the Hoops a 1-0 win over St Johnstone in Perth to set up the duel with the Dons.
Lennon, speaking to Premier Sports, admitted: “I think both myself and Derek would have liked to have avoided each other.
“But you’ll have an Edinburgh derby semi-final and Celtic- Aberdeen .
“It doesn’t matter who you’re drawn against, you’ve got to win it to get to the Final, so we’ll be, hopefully, at full throttle by then.”
The semi-finals are due for the national stadium on the weekend of April 11/12.
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