- The Celtic defender and the Rangers midfielder clashed in the closing stages of the Hampden final before the Ibrox star was substituted.
- Taylor admitted he was infuriated by some of Cantwell’s on-field comments before Celtic sealed the win with a last-minute goal.
- The feud continued on social media over the weekend when Taylor liked teammate Alistair Johnston’s cheeky Shushburger reference to Cantwell.
Greg Taylor has revealed how Todd Cantwell’s on-field taunts cheered him up before Celtic’s dramatic Scottish Cup win.
The pair clashed in the closing stages of Saturday’s final, with the Celtic full-back booked for bringing down the Rangers midfielder and then pushing him.
Cantwell was substituted a minute later, but the verbal volley he launched at Taylor as he left the field also earned him a yellow card from referee Nick Walsh.
The England midfielder was a spectator as Adam Idah dramatically capitalized on Jack Butland’s loose ball in the 90th minute to ensure Brendan Rodgers’ men finished a challenging season with the double.
Rangers manager Philippe Clement also had to pull Cantwell away from the match referee after the final whistle.
While Taylor has no problem with the turmoil that comes with Old Firm games, he clearly felt some of Cantwell’s comments crossed the line.
Taylor and Cantwell clash in closing stages of Hampden Cup Final
Celtic defender Taylor and Rangers midfielder Cantwell exchange heated words
Taylor holds the Scottish Cup with match winner Adam Idah
“I definitely like to play on the edge,” said the winger. “He said some things that I didn’t like. It was a good battle in the game, but it was important to get the victory.
“I don’t want it to be a headline or anything; I just didn’t like a couple of things he said.” But it’s okay, we move on.
‘We moved on and did the business, so it’s important we focus on ourselves and the success we’ve had in winning a cup. “Adam was key to that.”
The row continued on social media throughout the weekend, with Taylor’s Instagram account showing a photo of Celtic celebrating with the trophy. His teammate Alistair Johnston responded, asking Taylor if he would “have a burger tonight, little one.”
This was an apparent reference to Cantwell’s post on the same platform last week which showed his celebration after his goal against Hearts and a caption reading: ‘Shushburger please’ accompanied by a laughing face emoji.
He quickly deleted his post after angry Rangers fans reminded him he still had a cup final to play. Cantwell later reposted the image without the unusual message.
Johnston’s comment on Saturday was liked by her teammates, including Taylor and Idah.
Former Celtic striker Chris Sutton also wrote: “Celtic and Adam Idah played well. Maybe I’ll celebrate with a Shushburger tonight.
Dujon Sterling sits on Taylor’s back during a critical point in the match
An ecstatic Taylor leads the celebrations in the Celtic dressing room at Hampden
Celtic’s on-loan striker Idah wrote his name into Celtic folklore by following Paulo Bernardo’s shot and converting once the ball was released.
While it wasn’t the prettiest display of the season, Taylor felt the win showed that Rodgers’ team is capable of achieving big wins even when below their best.
“We were a little exhausted and on our feet, so I was glad it didn’t go to extra time,” he smiled. “I looked at the clock and it said 83 or 84 minutes and I thought, ‘Oooft, my legs are pretty done here.’
‘It was a hot day and a tense occasion. We had the chance to beat our biggest rivals, win a cup and make it a really special season, not just the league title, and we did it.
“I think in the first half we controlled the ball a lot without doing much with it, really. The field was a little dry, although it had a really good surface, and there weren’t many clear chances in the game, but in the big moment, Adam scored.
‘We were saying in the locker room that the cup final was a pretty accurate (reflection) of how the whole season has gone. It hasn’t always been pretty, but we have a very strong mentality in the group, a winning mentality, and in the big moments we have been present.”
