Flashback A bridge too far for Saints
St Mirren’s proud history in the Scottish Cup has seen them claim many a scalp.
Unfortunately it can’t always be cup upset after cup upset for the Buddies – as this past season proved at Aberdeen.
Up against top-flight opposition while plying your trade in the Championship will always be difficult. They were knocked out by Celtic the season before – although for a while Harry Davis’ header made you think that the mother of all upsets might just have been on.
However, in 2005 Saints headed to Easter Road confident of claiming the scalp of Tony Mowbray’s Hibs.
Sitting near the top of the First Division and on their way to title glory under Gus MacPherson the following year, everyone felt that St Mirren perhaps had a chance of doing something special.
With the likes of Simon Lappin and Stewart Kean in the ranks, many thought it was possible having seen Cup romance
St Mirren FC is a club with a proud tradition — and a history to match.
They have been at the centre of the Scottish game since their formation in 1877.
Today, we look back at a Scottish Cup quarter-final clash from the 2004/2005 season when Saints visited high-flying Hibs.
the side battle all the way through to the quarter finals in the first place.
But it was always going to a formidable task against a Hibs team full of talent, namely Scott Brown and Garry O’Connor.
Saints came out looking to take the game to their opponents and they weren’t frightened to leave the boot in the tackles.
But it was Hibs’ Antonio Murray that had the first chance as he hit the post with a fierce drive.
Unfortunately for St Mirren, Hibs always looked to be a step ahead and St Mirren stalwart Hugh Murray had to be at his best to make a crucial block, before Craig Hinchcliffe then made a fine save for the Buddies.
But the Edinburgh side made the breakthrough in first-half stoppage time when O’Connor slipped a pass through to Brown and the then-attacking midfielder fired the ball into the back of the net with a rasping effort.
Saints came back out looking to somehow worm their way back into proceedings, with Jon O’Neill and Brian McGinty both introduced to add some much-needed firepower to the visitors’ attack.
Unfortunately for St Mirren, this just left gaps at the back and Hibs took full advantage when O’Connor latched on to a long clearance and outpaced his markers to round Hinchcliffe and roll home.
It proved too much for Saints to handle as their Premiership scalp dreams ended for another year.
However, they didn’t have to wait long as a league and cup double were just around the corner.