KRIS COMMONS doesn't give a hoot about a Hampden hoodoo.

Sure, the Celtic midfielder knows all about his club's recent unhappy history at the National Stadium, where they have lost their last three games in the past 13 months.

Throw in bitter disappointments while on international duty with Scotland at Hampden this season, and the tag 'bogey ground' starts to carry a certain credence.

But for Commons, it will always be a place to aspire to play, not somewhere to approach with trepidation.

It is, after all, where final places are booked, and trophies won.

It is also where the 29-year-old made his debut for Celtic within a day of arriving in a £300,000 transfer from Derby in January 2011, marking the occasion by curling the ball into the Aberdeen net after just five minutes of the League Cup semi-final they went on to win 4-1.

A few months later, after scoring once more against Aberdeen in the semi-final of the Scottish Cup, Commons climbed the famous staircase at the National Stadium to collect his first winner's medal with the Hoops after helping them beat Motherwell 3-0 in the final.

Of course, there have also been unhappy experiences at Hampden, and Commons has felt the pain inflicted by every defeat suffered there.

But as he approaches the stadium for Sunday's Scottish Cup semi-final against Dundee United, his experience will ensure he filters out all the bad memories and focuses fully on the good times and celebrations he has enjoyed there.

It's hard to tell if it is gamesmanship or selective amnesia he is employing when the subject of Celtic's recent hat-trick of Hampden disappointments is broached.

"Is it three games since we last won there?" he asked, something akin to incredulity crossing his face.

He quickly replaced this with a confident assurance: "It's not been ideal. But if we play anything like we did on Saturday against Hibs, and if we up our game a slight notch, we will win.

"However, we know everyone will be looking for an upset."

Of that there is no doubt, especially given the run of results posted by Neil Lennon's side when they have made the short journey to the Mount Florida district of the city.

Hampden is the closest ground to Celtic Park, but their success rate at the two venues is light years apart.

Student though he is of the game, the articulate Commons does not profess to know the answer to why this should be, especially as the last three defeats have been against Kilmarnock, Hearts and St Mirren, sides they more often than not defeat when they meet at venues other than Hampden.

Dundee United fall into the same category. Jackie McNamara's side have lost heavily in their last two SPL games against Celtic, shipping 10 goals in the process.

But the Tannadice club are on a high after snatching the final top six spot with nearly the last kick of the game against Aberdeen at the weekend.

On the same afternoon, Celtic thought they had clinched the championship itself, only to find that another late goal, this time for Motherwell against St Mirren, delayed the celebrations until after the split.

COMMONS acknowledges United will come to Hampden feeling good about themselves, but harbours no concerns that Celtic will be feeling deflated because their title party has been put on hold.

Asked if he is confident the weekend's mixed fortunes will not be a factor, the man from Mansfield said: "Yes, because this a one-off game.

"There is no league form attached to it. I don't think you look at previous performances when you go into a semi-final. But we know United have some very good individuals.

"They are every effective, and, with a new manager coming in, they have started to play a bit better football.

"So they are going to be dangerous. But if we are at the races, we should not have any problems."

It is unusual to hear any player speak in such matter-of-fact terms. It is, at once, refreshing and commendable, and reflects the confidence Commons is showing in his performances on the field.

He is not just talking the talk, but walking the walk, and firing the ball into the net.

Four goals in his last three appearances, against Aberdeen, St Mirren and Hibs, have marked him as Celtic's main strike threat at the moment, something which Dundee United are sure to have identified.

He banged in two against them when they last met, at Parkhead on February 16, a goal-fest which finished 6-2.

McNAMARA was not long in the Tannadice door, having replaced Peter Houston, who was in charge when Celtic won 4-0 against United at the same ground a month earlier.

Commons remains steadfast in his conviction that league form has no bearing in cup semi-finals.

But he does strike a note of caution when he recalls what happened in the other meeting between the teams this season, at Tannadice back at the start of November.

"Both of our big wins against United recently were at Celtic Park," he said. "But, the game I do remember was at their place the first time we played them this season.

"A deflected header for them made it 2-2 really late on (the ball striking Efe Ambrose on the way into the net in injury time, Gary Mackay-Stevens having scored United's first just two minutes earlier).

"They certainly have a habit of scoring late goals, as they showed again on Saturday, and have a never-say-die attitude. So, we are going to have to try and get this semi-final out of sight."

If Commons and Co. are successful, it will mean another potentially-hazardous trip to Hampden for the final on May 26, where either Hibs or Falkirk will lie in wait, ready to cause yet another upset at the Hoops' expense.

But that's a risk the Scotland cap is willing to take.