Coach Steven Smith has enjoyed the challenge the competition poses for his players in a more experienced environment but hopes they can rise to it once again in the final.
Speaking exclusively to the club website ahead of the match, he said: “I am expecting a tough game, the players are obviously excited because it is a cup final and a chance to win a trophy, but they also know it is going to be tough. They are going to need to turn up and perform, and hopefully that bit of luck you need in a cup final goes our way as well.
“In this season’s competition we have gone a wee bit younger, which if I am being honest, I quite enjoy. We need to challenge the players at an earlier stage if we want to get them ready for the first-team quicker, so for me it is a good thing.
On the competition, Smith continued: “I have been involved in three games in this competition, and it has been good, the games feel real. When you add in experienced players, whether it is opposition, or you get one or two more experienced players in the squad it makes a difference.
“Even boys like Findlay Curtis and Paul Nsio, they are not relatively experienced, but they are training with the first-team and they are training with men, and I think that makes the environment feel more real.
“That expectation you try and put on them in the under-18 league probably isn’t the same as when you are playing against men, and that demand comes from the dressing room.
“We just have to prepare for a Celtic team, they are quite clear in terms of their style and how they play so tactically I don’t think they’ll do anything we don’t expect but personnel that is obviously up to them and what age and stage they are at.”
On being holders of the trophy, Smith continued: “Whether you are holders or not, there is still the same expectation and same aim which is to win it. I think the players enjoyed it when they won it last year so to have that winning feeling is obviously a good thing and they want to keep that.”
The match will be available to watch live on RangersTV and Premier Sports with a 7pm kick-off. Please note there is no public sale of tickets for the game.