CUP WIN’S A HOLY GRAIL FOR MCGINN

NIALL MCGINN has admitted one of his career aims is to lift the Scottish Cup with Aberdeen.

The Northern Irish international has already won the League Cup with the Dons in 2014 but so far Scotland’s major other knockout trophy has evaded him.

Derek Mcinnes’s (inset) men, who travel to St Mirren in the quarterfinal this weekend, haven’t won the

Scottish Cup since 1990 and Mcginn was a loser to Celtic in the 2016-17 final.

Mcginn admitted: “I’ve been lucky enough to be involved in plenty of semi-finals and finals with the club and lucky enough to win a trophy early on.

“I came here to win trophies and have been fortunate to do that in the League Cup final a few years ago.

“But the Scottish Cup is the one that I always wanted to get my hands on with Aberdeen.”

The Tyrone man knows the incentive is there for Aberdeen to do the business in Paisley and to get back to Hampden for the semi-finals.

Aberdeen’s cup form has been the source of their main highlights of 2020 with wins over Dumbarton and that dramatic extra-time triumph over Kilmarnock in the last round.

Mcginn hopes the Rugby Park clash where they scored two late, late goals is an omen for what is to come.

“There’s another chance to do that now as we are in the quarter final again and we all want to get back to Hampden,” the former Celtic player stated.

“We have a good opportunity to do that on Saturday night and that is something we’ll be ready for.”

Mcginn is also aware that the prize of a potential Hampden return could also kick-start their drive to finish third in the Premiership. That is why he knows that the St Mirren clash can be pivotal to the remainder of Aberdeen’s season.

“It is a game that can judge the rest of our season,” the winger confirmed.

“The league games are running away from us quick and fast. Motherwell have not really capitalised on us losing points so we just need to get back to winning ways as quickly as possible.”