Now only Hibernian or Ayr United stand in the way of the Gers’ first trophy in two years.

Konterman smashed in a memorable winner to take the honours in a pulsating encounter that had seen Bobo Blade cancel out Peter Lovenkrands normal-time opener, with Shota Arveladze also missing a penalty for Rangers with the score 1-1.

New Rangers manager Alex McLeish had been bold in his first Old Firm team selection, relegating Tore Andre Flo, Scottish football’s most expensive signing, to the bench to accommodate Ronald de Boer.

Konterman and Arthur Numan also returned, the latter after a long absence through injury.

Numan was immediately involved and almost gifted Celtic a first-minute lead.

For reasons best known to himself, he elected to pass back towards Lorenzo Amoruso only to see John Hartson intercept and take the ball round goalkeeper Stefan Klos.

The Welshman diverted it goalwards and was foiled only by the outstretched leg of Amoruso, who had anticipated superbly.

At the other end, Balde deflected an Arveladze effort just past Robert Douglas’ near post and from the corner Claudio Caniggia rose unchallenged to head straight into the goalkeeper’s arms.

The match was not yet seven minutes old when Henrik Larsson was denied by Klos’ legs after the Swede had taken down a long ball that Amoruso had misjudged completely.

Larsson fired through the German’s legs but the slightest of deflections saw the ball bounce inches wide.

A furious fusillade of Celtic shots followed in a matter of seconds, with Klos parrying two and Arthur Numan getting in the way of the other.

Then Larsson hit the outside of Klos’ left-hand post with a free-kick from just outside the area.

It was a sensational start and only 11 minutes were on the clock when Paul Lambert misdirected a header straight to Lovenkrands, who scuffed a good chance harmlessly away from goal.

The giant Balde misdirected a similar header soon after but de Boer’s bicycle kick was always going over.

Didier Agathe had been one of four regulars recalled by Martin O’Neill and it was the winger’s first outing since suffering a leg injury in November.

He made an impact in the 20th minute by winning a free-kick that Alan Thompson floated to the back post where Hartson got a touch among a cluster of players, with the ball skimming just past the upright.

At the other end, Fernando Ricksen - so often the Old Firm fall guy - cut inside from the right to fire across goal and just wide.

The chances were no longer coming at such a frantic pace but there was no shortage of incident or hot-blooded challenges.

Agathe showed great pace to speed past Amoruso down the right wing and Larsson was there ahead of Ricksen to head just wide.

Rangers’ retort saw Arveladze tread on the ball on the byline just as he was attempting to play it past Douglas, who had come out to challenge at his heels.

A goal had to come eventually and it was Lovenkrands who supplied it in first-half stoppage-time from a free-kick move following Balde’s reckless flattening of de Boer.

At first it seemed as though Rangers had messed up when Ricksen merely flicked it off the top of the wall, but first Barry Ferguson and then Arveladze won headers to allow the Dane to squeeze in the loose ball from the left of the six-yard box before Johan Mjallby could clear.

It was the first time Rangers had been ahead in an Old Firm game since their 5-1 Ibrox win in November 2000.

Tempers boiled over six minutes after the restart and both Ferguson and Neil Lennon were booked following a clash. Straight after, Rangers swapped de Boer for Flo.

Craig Moore was injured just after the hour mark in a collision with Klos as Larsson challenged. He was stretchered off to be replaced by Tony Vidmar.

Celtic also made a change, with Chris Sutton replacing Hartson.

The game was now a war of attrition and O’Neill sought to increase the footballing content by replacing Paul Lambert with Lubo Moravcik with 18 minutes remaining.

It worked straight away as Celtic equalised, albeit in a scramble from a corner-kick.

The ball found its way to Mjallby at the far post and although he was twice blocked, Balde stuck out a leg to poke the ball past a crowd of players and over the line.

But Balde’s joy was short lived as he conceded a penalty within a couple of minutes, pushing Lovenkrands over as the two chased a long ball into the box.

Referee Kenny Clark had no hesitation in pointing to the spot but when the kick was eventually taken, Arveladze fired it over off the crossbar.

Flo almost put his side ahead from Ferguson’s quality ball, lifting the ball past Douglas from an angle, but Balde, the game’s most captivating individual, was there to clear.

Arveladze, Konterman and Numan were all booked before the 90 minutes were up.

The first minutes of extra time were uneventful but Balde livened things up by flattening Flo to earn a booking. Balde then deflected a Ferguson long shot wide.

Numan poked into the side-netting as Rangers dominated but could not break through until Konterman struck in the final minute of the first extra period.

The midfield workhorse had tried to put Arveladze through but when the ball bounced straight back to him off a defender the Dutchman smashed a rising drive past Douglas from fully 25 yards.

Klos parried a Moravcik piledriver and Celtic’s frustration cost Larsson and Sutton bookings for late challenges and the Swede went unpunished for an elbow in Lovenkrands’ face, just as Lennon had earlier for kicking the Dane.

Celtic threw men forward and when Klos fumbled a Larsson cross it needed Konterman to hack clear before Balde could pounce.

Rangers sought the knockout blow and Lovenkrands beat three men to force Douglas into a near-post parry.

But the final whistle was not far away and Rangers had at last ended their Old Firm hoodoo.