I've got a Celtic Hampden scalp on my CV already but it's something else that's spurring me on for a St Johnstone repeat

Saints are out to topple the Hoops again and reach the final of the Scottish Cup for the second time in four years

Graham Carey already has a shock Hampden semi-final win over Celtic on his CV.

But it’s the big-game regrets from his career that are powering him to perform to his peak on Sunday.

Carey was a St Mirren hero in 2013 when boss Danny Lennon upset namesake and Celtic counterpart Neil in the League Cup last four before beating Hearts in the final.

The midfielder is desperate to sample that successful semi-final feeling again at the age of 35 with St Johnstone on Sunday. But the Irishman admits he’s still nagged by nightmares from years gone by when other major prizes were at stake.

Carey says crashing 2-0 to AFC Wimbledon in the 2016 League Two Play-Off final for Plymouth still rankles. And so does a 1-0 loss with CSKA to rivals Levski Sofia in the Bulgarian Cup Final of 2022.

Carey has been passing on the benefit of his experiences to younger Perth team-mates all week. And the message is not to let the magnitude of the match get to them. Carey said: “I’ve told them just to have no regrets.

“In Bulgaria I played in a cup final and, after the game, I thought there was so much more I could have done. I didn’t have enough impact on the game and it was a big derby.

“It was a weird game; neither team played well. But it didn’t end well and it was tough. We’d won the cup the year before but losing a final is the worst feeling.

“It was the same when I played Wimbledon in the play-off final. I was maybe trying too hard in both games. When you’re in it, it’s sometimes hard and big games can pass you by a bit.

“As you get older you realise it’s just another game. You just need to stick to the game plan and give 100 per cent. Even league games now, I still get excited but don’t feel nervous like I did when I was younger.

“Hopefully that rubs off on our players to play the game and not the occasion. Because it IS a big occasion. When you walk out at the start, it will be a shock.

“Just because the atmosphere is different. Even though you have maybe played at Celtic Park, when it’s at Hampden it’s totally different.

“And it’s a chance to get to a final, something you don’t really get in your career much. Hopefully on Sunday, I can make amends and help the team win.”

Carey’s 35–yard cracker against Livingston in the last round secured Saints their Hampden place. And he provided a superb set-piece assist a fortnight ago as Simo Valakari’s side shocked Celtic in the league with a Daniels Balodis winner.

The veteran is still producing big moments with his lethal left foot and hopes to conjure another tomorrow. bHe said: “I don’t know if it’s a good thing or bad thing we beat them two weeks ago!

“They’re obviously going to come out the traps fast and try and stamp their game on us. We need to be brave and solid to withstand that.

“Set-pieces is one department we need to get better at. We have people who can attack the ball. As long as the delivery is good enough, we can cause them problems.

“Playing against really good teams you’re not going to get a lot of chances. Set-pieces become crucial, so we need to make the most of them.

“I thrive on the responsibility to create and score goals. But I think we can get others contributing in the final third.

“We know we’re a good team. We’ve done well in a lot of games, but we’ve needed to be more clinical all season.”