Dunne hopes to end season with Scottish Cup win

Stevenage midfielder is on loan at St Johnstone and has the chance to pick up silverware this weekend

James Dunne has had to dissuade his parents to cut short a holiday in China to watch him play in Saturday’s Scottish Cup final.

Dunne was one appearance away from Stevenage having to pay £25,000 to his former club Exeter City when he joined St Johnstone on loan in January, but while Boro were relegated to League 2 this season the midfielder will this weekend walk out at Celtic Park in search of end of season honours.

Dunne is likely to start against Dundee United in what is the Saints’ first major cup final in the club’s 130-year history.

However, speaking to the Daily Telegraph newspaper the 24-year-old said that he has had to convince his parents not to fly back from Asia to watch him in action.

Dunne said: “My dad wanted to fly back from China for the game then fly back but I told him it’s too much money.

“They are travelling to Malaysia, China and Dubai, so it’s a fair trek to come back here.

“They’ll be in China at the time, but they’ll have wi-fi and get it on the Ipad, or more probably try to find a bar.”

Dunne has been a first-team regular at McDiarmid Park since his move, and last weekend he faced his former Boro team-mate Greg Tansey as his St Johnstone side were beaten 2-0 by Tansey’s Inverness Caledonian Thistle in the Scottish Premier.