Del backs his troops to deliver this time
GARY RALSTON
DEREK McINNES watched Aberdeen breeze into the last eight of the Scottish Cup and vowed to end 28 years of heartache.
The Dons swept aside Dundee United at Pittodrie to set up another home quarter-final clash against Kilmarnock.
Aberdeen lost the Final last season to a last-gasp strike from Tom Rogic and haven’t lifted the trophy since Brian Irvine’s penalty sealed victory against Celtic in 1990.
McInnes admits his side
From Back Page have never been closer to the fabled piece of silverware – and is brimming with confidence they can deliver at the National Stadium in May.
He said: “We’ve put ourselves up there. I said before the competition started there will be loads of teams who will feel this is their year.
“But there are only a few clubs – and I include ourselves in that – who will be disappointed if they don’t win it.
“I feel we are a team that can go and win it. We need to use recent experiences, good and bad, of Hampden and semi-finals and finals.
“We visited Hampden four times last season and that is great in terms of familiarity.
“The quarter-final draw is one that both ourselves and Kilmarnock will see as a great opportunity to get to the semi-final. It will be a tough game.
“Last season we came up against a special Celtic team and there was no shame in coming second best to a very good side.
“It took until the 93rd minute to separate us and I liked the attitude of my team and our support that day.
“I just want to get back there again and hopefully go one better and bring the trophy home.”
Gary Mackay-Steven returned to haunt his former club yesterday as he scored twice and assisted in Adam Rooney’s opener, with Kenny McLean also finding the net.
United tried hard to make a decent fist of the match with goals in each half from Sam Stanton and Paul McMullan but the Championship chasers were well beaten.
Csaba Laszlo said before the game Aberdeen are only second best in Scotland because of the absence of others.
McInnes hit back with a barbed criticism of the job the former Hearts coach is doing as he bids to return the Tannadice club to the top flight.
The Dons boss said: “If we said before the game we’d score four goals at home again and get into the next round we’d have taken that.
“I was surprised they played so defensively in the first half.
“They were level on points at the top of their league when their manager came in and to see them so far behind is a surprise.
“I know the players mentioned the comments made before the match. Sometimes you need to make players aware but I knew the motivation of my men was there anyway.”
United have never won a Scottish Cup tie at Pittodrie and now are free to focus on trying to overhaul St Mirren at the top of the Championship.
Laszlo said: “We gave away two easy goals in the first half and it killed us. I’m satisfied with our second-half performance though. ”