Callum McGregor told young strikers Johnny Kenny and Callum Osmand they can "conquer the world" after both notched in the pulsating 3-1 Premier Sports Cup semi-final win over Rangers on Sunday.
Sligoman Kenny, signed for the Hoops from Sligo Rovers in 2022 with subsequent loan spells at Queen's Park and Shamrock Rovers, has recently been given his chance due to injuries to Daizen Maeda and Kelechi Iheanacho.
The 22-year-old scored twice in the 4-0 win over Falkirk in midweek and headed Celtic ahead after 25 minutes at Hampden Park before Rangers' Thelo Aasgaard was sent off before the break for a reckless challenge on Anthony Ralston.
Gers skipper James Tavernier's penalty in the 81st minute took the game to extra-time but McGregor thundered in a strike three minutes after the restart and 19-year-old substitute Osmand scored his first Celtic goal since signing from Fulham in the summer to set up a final against St Mirren.
"It's always an opportunity for every player when they come in," said McGregor.
"They're working so, so hard to develop and get to the level with the first-team boys.
"Johnny scores two during the week and you just know, when you've been around football a long time, I just knew he would have an impact on Sunday.
"He has taken himself to another level in terms of status now, scoring against Rangers, so he'll be brimming with confidence and the same with young Ossie.
"There's been times where he's been out the squad but he's a player who trains so hard every day and has a nice finish as well, so he's one that's just going to keep developing and strikers with confidence can go and conquer the world."
After Brendan Rodgers resigned as manager of the Parkhead club last Monday, 73-year-old Martin O'Neill, Hoops boss between 2000 and 2005, and ex-Parkhead player Shaun Maloney were appointed as the temporary management team.
The convincing win over the Bairns in their first game in charge was followed up by reaching a cup final in their second and McGregor noted the magnitude of the victory over their Old Firm rivals.
He said: "It's a big day. Obviously semi-final, if you win, you get a chance to go at the final and if you don't, then it probably just heaps more pressure on what's been a challenging start to the season.
"So the slate was cleaned. The performance on Wednesday night was excellent and then to come and deliver on a big day on Sunday, it shows me how much talent and ambition is in that dressing room as well."
McGregor is enjoying working under the new management team of O'Neill, Maloney, Mark Fotheringham and Stephen McManus.
He said: "It's a collective effort, always has been, always will be.
"The staff behind the manager have been so good this week just having that continuity of message and training level, everything, it's all interconnected.
"The manager can't do it on his own, he needs his backroom staff in the same way the players can't do it on their own. So it's a real collective effort and that's something I'm super proud of in the last week."
Listen to the RTÉ Soccer podcast on Apple Podcasts, Spotify or wherever you get your podcasts.
