Dons sparked into life by sub McGinn

ABERDEEN 4 QOS 1

Half-time substitute Niall McGinn was the star of the show as Aberdeen comfortably overcame Queen of the South to move into the quarterfinals of the Scottish Cup.

McGinn netted the opener, and though Stephen Dobbie’s stunning strike briefly brought parity, the Dons winger turned provider for Andrew Considine and Sam Cosgrove to head the Dons into a 3-1 lead.

Cosgrove would then add a fourth from the penalty spot.

The Dons started brightly, with Shay Logan heading wide from a Greg Stewart cross after eight minutes, but the game developed into a scrappy midfield battle.

The best effort of the opening half fell to the Doonhamers, with Michael Doyle’s break on the counter seeing him play in left-back Jordan Marshall who took a touch before unleashing a 30-yard rocket that had Joe Lewis at full stretch to push over.

Indeed, it was injury time before Queens keeper Alan Martin was tested again, his claim from Max Lowe’s right-footed shot all too easy.

If the first half had failed to kick into life, the second started in top gear.

McGinn replaced Stevie May at the break, and within two minutes he had opened the scoring, firing high into the net.

The lead lasted only three minutes, though, Dobbie unleashing a 30-yard snap-shot into the top-left corner for his 38th goal of the season.

McGinn turned provider when his cross after a short corner was powered into the net from six yards by Considine.

Cosgrove made it 3-1, McGinn crossing from the right for the prolific Dons hitman to head home his 15th of the campaign.

The striker found the net again after 73 minutes, this time from the penalty spot after Andrew Stirling was harshly adjudged to have handled a Logan shot.