KILMARNOCK..1 ABERDEEN..1
Woodman the hero as Dons sneak shoot-out
THE Cheltenham Festival is in full swing but the only hurdle Aberdeen care about is the one between them and the Scottish Cup Final after this shootout win.
The Pittodrie men galloped into the last four in dramatic fashion after a photo-finish following 120 nerve-shredding minutes.
It was far from a canter as both sides found the going tough on a wild night in Ayrshire in front of a 9000-strong crowd as Stephen O’Donnell pounced in extra time only for Kenny McLean to level from the spot after Kirk Broadfoot tugged at Stevie May in the box.
It took penalties to finally spilt them with Freddie Woodman securing hero status with three terrific saves to break Killie’s hearts.
The Newcastle loan star saved from Eamonn Brophy, Greg Taylor and Greg Kiltie while Graeme Shinnie, McLean and Greg Stewart scored to fire the Dons into their sixth semi-final in five seasons under Derek McInnes.
They did it the hard way but they have form over this course. The Pittodrie men have now gone 19 games without defeat against Killie and have not lost in Ayrshire in 11 games going back to 2011.
The hoodoo continued – but in the most painful fashion. Not that the Dons will give a jot. They are going back to Hampden to face Motherwell and can end a jinx of their own with the Scottish Cup absent from the Pittodrie trophy cabinet for 28 years.
Killie were quickly into their stride last night although boss Steve Clarke chucked an early curveball with his pre-match chat about Jordan Jones’ fitness. No better than 50-50 he said.
Pull the other one Stevie. Of course the winger was going to be unleashed against Aberdeen after the furore following the first clash between these sides. The spat between the managers only added an extra layer of intrigue.
The punters seemed to think so as well, given the bumper turnout on a chilly night. The Rugby Park faithful have been in slumber for donkeys – and the away end pointed that out.
“Where were you when you were s***?’, came the cry. It’s a fair question, with an obvious answer. Folk prefer watching a winning team and Clarke couldn’t have rallied the troops any better if he’d gone around town ringing doorbells.
It was Killie who were doing the knocking early on and Kris Boyd spun just inside the box but his shot didn’t bother Woodman.
Aberdeen had a threat of their own, though. Adam Rooney fired in a half-volley after Ryan Christie nodded down Gary MackaySteven’s ball and wasn’t far away.
It was mostly tense and tetchy though and tempers started to fray. It boiled over when MackaySteven took a tumble and kept the ball between his legs. Rory McKenzie had a couple of nibbles and the bodies piled in until it looked more a rugby scrum than Rugby Park. Ref Steven McLean untangled the snarl-up but the tone of the clash had shifted to more snarky territory. McKenzie was booked, Gary Dicker joined him soon after before Rooney cemented Jamie MacDonald.
The Dons came close when Christie’s wicked low curling cross almost found Andy Considine at the back post only for O’Donnell to intercept before McLean picked up the loose ball and lashed wide.
Scott McKenna then hooked over the bar while at the other end Boyd drilled a free kick wide. The midfield was so congested the foul meter was spinning and when not bumping into opponents there were times teammates ran in to each other.
The break didn’t interrupt the flow – or lack of it. The game was just as gritty and grumpy with whistler McLean taking flak from the Killie support. At one point he got pelters as he couldn’t get out of Dicker’s way but it was only because he was struggling for space as much as anyone else.
Mackay-Steven then shuffled free and his ball in behind was tasty but had no takers. On the opposite flank Jones was having to come deep for the ball when he’d rather be going the other way.
Boyd then snuck in around the back but Woodman cut out his cross and Jones then hit one but the keeper wasn’t troubled.
Soon after Logan and Christie both had a go at halting Jones illegally. The first failed, the second got him, and both got booked for their efforts.
O’Donnell then forced Woodman to beat out his drive as the home side pressed with sub Eamonn Brophy blocked and Stuart Findlay prodding wide as the game headed into extra time.
And it was advantage Killie when O’Donnell kept his cool midway through the first period after Brophy teed him up.
However, a moment of madness let the Dons back in. Broadfoot tugged back May in the box when his back was to goal and McLean slammed home from the spot. The same man scudded the bar soon after.
Brophy then thought he had won it when he headed home only for the flag to go up before McLean again went close for the Dons.
But they were not to be denied when it came to the crunch.