McInnes hopes Dons learned from last cup final defeat

Aberdeen manager Derek McInnes is intent on making amends for the pain of their last cup final defeat by Celtic when they attempt to win the Scottish Cup against the Hoops on May 27.

The Dons were brushed aside 3-0 by Brendan Rodgers’ side in the final of the Betfred Cup in November.

The Reds are aiming to win the Scottish Cup for the first time since 1990, when Brian Irvine’s spot-kick gave them a shootout victory against Celtic.

McInnes hopes his class of 2017 can be driven by the hurt of their last final outing.

“We were disappointed about our last cup final appearance at Hampden. It was the most sobering experience. There’s nothing worse than when you know you haven’t turned up and haven’t played anywhere near how you can,” he said.

“Celtic were way ahead of us on the day. We wanted the game to go a different way, we wanted to be more aggressive than we were, and show our intent and impose ourselves.

“For whatever reason, it just didn’t happen for us. Sometimes that happens.

“We spoke about that immediately afterwards.

“The only way we can start to feel better about it was by immediately getting back to a final.”

It will be McInnes’s third final since taking over at Pittodrie in 2013, with the Dons manager looking to add to the League Cup triumph over Caley Thistle at Parkhead which he enjoyed the following year.

McInnes hopes his players’ increasing experience of big occasions can boost their chances against a Hoops side looking to secure a domestic treble in Rodgers’ first season at Parkhead.

McInnes added: “I’m hoping the experiences we’ve gained over the last wee while, and the experience of that cup final, will help us going into the game on May 27.

“We are more familiar with finals and dealing with everything that goes with it, and all the hullabaloo that goes on in the build-up to a final.”

Hoping his Dons make amends: Derek McInnes.