WE HOPE IT’S THIRD TIME LUCKY
McGinn eyes revenge over Celtic for pain of previous final defeats
WITH one deadly crack of his right boot, Tom Rogic sent the ball into the Hampden net and his Celtic team into the Scottish football history books.
The Australian’s stoppage-time winner against Aberdeen in the 2017 Scottish Cup final ensured Brendan Rodgers’ Invincibles had completed an unprecedented, unbeaten clean sweep of Scottish football.
Their opponents from the Granite City had given their all but, at the end of a titanic tussle, the dazed Dons players were left nursing an unwanted treble of their own.
That narrow 2-1 loss meant Derek McInnes’ side had finished runner-up to Celtic in all three major competitions in the 2016-17 season.
Now, after beating Rangers 1-0 at Hampden on Sunday, they find themselves on a collision course with their old foes in a final once more.
A veteran of both Scottish and League Cup final losses two seasons ago, Niall McGinn has called on the team to harness the hurt of those occasions and use it to light their way to a third-time lucky victory over the double Treble winners.
‘We have huge motivation to get Celtic back,’ said the former Parkhead winger. ‘We want to use the heartache of losing previous finals to Celtic.
‘We want to use those experiences to our advantage and we are looking forward to the next final when it comes around in December.
‘Celtic are a good side, so we know it will be difficult. They have maybe not started the season as well as they would have liked but it’s a cup final and anything can happen.
‘A lot of players don’t get the chance to get back to finals and make amends.
‘But we’ve been fortunate enough at Aberdeen that we have had the chance to play in a few semi-finals and finals. And now we’re in another final.’
The last-gasp Scottish Cup final loss in 2017 certainly stung more for the Dons than their 3-0 Betfred Cup final defeat to Celtic in November of that same season.
What that one-sided occasion taught McGinn is that Aberdeen need to ensure they turn up with the right attitude if they are to have any chance of stopping Celtic winning their seventh domestic trophy in a row under Rodgers.
‘Oh, massively,’ agreed the 31-year-old Northern Ireland international, who believes that beating Steven Gerrard’s Rangers sent out a timely reminder of how big a club — and how good a team — Aberdeen can be.
‘We have to take confidence from beating an improved Rangers side who have started the season very well and done well in Europe. For us to beat them at Hampden is a massive scalp, I think.
‘Days like Sunday are why you play football. It was unbelievable. It probably wasn’t the greatest of spectacles and there were not too many chances in the game.
‘Rangers had maybe one shot on target but, to a man, we worked hard defensively and, when the opportunity came, Lewis Ferguson stood up to be counted with the winning goal.
‘I think maybe Rangers looked a wee bit tired towards the end and ran out of ideas.
‘We can’t compete with their budget — the money they have to spend — and the following they have, too.
‘We’ve always been a big club and we’ve gone about our business well in the league, cups and European matches.
‘We’ve put this club back on the map in recent years and Sunday is another day to remember.’
For Aberdeen, the task in hand now is to focus on getting back up the league. Scotland’s second force over the last four years, McInnes’ men currently sit eighth ahead of Hamilton’s visit to Pittodrie tomorrow night.
‘It’s been a stop-start season,’ said McGinn. ‘But that win over Rangers is the benchmark for what we should be aiming for the rest of this season.
‘We want to dust ourselves down and get our league form back on track.
‘It’s been an interesting start to the season. Hearts have done really well and got themselves in front. Hibs are strong again this season, and Rangers are stronger than they were.
‘We are strong, too, and Kilmarnock are doing well again. It’s going to be an interesting league this season with everyone beating everyone.
‘It’s still very early in the season but we don’t want a gap opening up on other teams. We can look forward to the cup final when it comes around in December.’
Meanwhile, Aberdeen defender Mikey Devlin could be forgiven for pinching himself at his remarkable rise over the last 12 months.
He didn’t play a single game last season due to a serious knee injury but was named man of the match by the sponsors in Sunday’s win over Rangers.
McInnes showed great faith in the 25-year-old by signing him from tomorrow’s visitors Accies in January, even though he knew he would not be fit until the summer.
But the gamble has paid off and Devlin has been exceptional at the back for Aberdeen.
After winning his first Scotland call-up for this month’s friendly defeat to Portugal, he is now looking forward to the first major final of his career.
‘It was a real honour to be called up by Scotland — and now Aberdeen are in a final,’ he smiled.
‘It’s fantastic and very special. I told myself before the semi-final
that this game is what you go through your rehab for. These are the occasions you try and work towards.
‘At Aberdeen, you are expected to reach semi-finals and finals, so this is brilliant.
‘But having a long-term injury maybe makes you savour it a little bit more.
‘I was also delighted to be called up by Scotland recently. That came after a few injuries to other people but sometimes that’s how you get your opportunity in football.
‘I’m so delighted and grateful to be part of it with Scotland and it’s whetted my appetite for more call-ups.
‘So on a personal note, and collectively, I’m delighted at how this season is going.
‘We all know it will be another tough task in the Betfred Cup final against Celtic, but we want to make sure we go one step further and win the cup.’