Celtic shoot-out hero Conor Hazard admits he and his defence could have done better against Hearts as he reveals the key to his penalty stops.
The Downpatrick youngster remained between the posts for the Scottish Cup final but conceded three times in a ding-dong encounter at Hampden.
Former Cliftonville man Hazard didn't cover himself in glory for the Josh Ginnelly goal that made it 3-3 while centre-back Shane Duffy struggled too.
And the Northern Irish goalkeeper admits it was some sloppy play that set up his Hampden heroics.
"I don't think it's sunk it yet, and it's been a crazy week and a half now," he told The Daily Record.
"Three weeks ago, I would never have pictured this moment, so I'm just trying to take it all in my stride and take each day as it comes.
"In the course of the game, there were goals that we could have stopped but at the end of the day, we're just delighted with the result and the momentous occasion, and I'm delighted, absolutely delighted."
Celtic were two goals up after a dominant first-half display but Liam Boyce headed a goal back and Hearts twice equalised following set-piece goals to take the game to penalties.
Former Hoops goalkeeper Craig Gordon saved first, from Ryan Christie.
But Hazard immediately denied both Kingsley and Craig Wighton before Kristoffer Ajer drove home to take the cup back to Parkhead for a record fourth successive season and the 40th time in all.
Hazard said: "It doesn't go through your mind becoming a hero. You just try to save each penalty as it comes, so I'm really delighted.
"There's always a plan to try and make them go a certain way, and I'm just delighted it paid off. Woodsy (goalkeeping coach Stevie Woods) and I worked on it really hard ahead of the game, and did a lot of work on it, so I couldn't be happier.
"It was a crazy day for me, but I'm glad it worked out. You don't want to know what was going through my head at that point (after the third goal).
"I was quite angry at the time but it was all about bouncing back and trying to get my composure back as quick as possible, which, thank God, I did."
