Dons spot on in shoot-out
● Aberdeen head to Hampden for semi-final clash with Motherwell after beating Killie on penalties
Aberdeen claimed the last spot in this season’s Scottish Cup semi-finals with a dramatic penalty shoot-out triumph over Kilmarnock at Rugby Park.
Derek Mcinnes’ side will face Motherwell at Hampden on 14 April as they attempt to reach Scottish football’s showpiece occasion for the second consecutive year.
Steve Clarke’s hopes of crowning his impressive transformation of Kilmarnock with a place in the last four for the first time in 21 years appeared likely to be fulfilled when Stephen O’donnell put his side ahead six minutes into extra-time of the quarter-final replay.
But Kenny Mclean levelled from the spot seven minutes later and it was Aberdeen who came closest to snatching a winner before the end of the additional period.
Freddie Woodman proved the match-winner for the Dons as he made three saves in the shoot-out, keeping out efforts from Eamonn Brophy, Greg Taylor and Greg Kiltie. The on-loan Newcastle United goalkeeper, who previously had a temporary spell at Kilmarnock, was mobbed by his team-mates at the conclusion of the contest.
Graeme Shinnie, Mclean and Greg Stewart all scored for Aberdeen in the shoot-out, ensuring Niall Mcginn’s miss was not costly. Lee Erwin and O’donnell were the only successes from the spot for Killie.
The victory came at a cost for three of Aberdeen’s players – Mclean, Shinnie and Shay Logan will all miss the semifinal through suspension after collecting their second bookings of the competition last night.
But that is a problem manager Mcinnes will be happy to contend with as he looks to reach another major cup final at the helm of the Pittodrie club.
took them 210 minutes and penalties to get there on this occasion but Aberdeen maintained their Scottish Cup stranglehold over Kilmarnock as they claimed a place in the semi-finals in dramatic fashion.
On-loan goalkeeper Freddie Woodman, who had a spell at Rugby Park last season, was the Dons hero as he made saves from Eamonn Brophy, Greg Taylor and Greg Kiltie in the shoot-out which saw Derek Mcinnes’ men prevail.
The teams could not be separated before then, Kenny Mclean equalising from the spot in the first half of extratime after Stephen O’donnell’s breakthrough for Killie.
It ended the Ayrshire side’s dreams of a first semi-final since they won the trophy back in 1997 and they have now lost to Aberdeen on all 10 occasions the clubs have met in the Scottish Cup.
It was palpably evident just how pivotal a contest this was for both clubs in terms of shaping the perception of their respective seasons. It was tetchy and fraught, the tension seemingly getting the better of both sets of players as they eyed the prize on offer.
Kilmarnock, with Kris Boyd deployed as the lone central striker in a shift away from Steve Clarke’s regularly favoured 4-4-2 set-up, resorted to a direct approach in the first half which caused the visitors few problems.
There was one early sight of goal for Killie’s in-form top scorer when he turned away from Anthony O’connor but his tame shot was gathered with ease by Woodman.
Without producing much in the way of cohesive or progressive play themselves, Aberdeen carried a slight edge in terms of carrying a threat in a largely forgettable first half.
Adam Rooney would have expected to do better than slash a shot wildly off target in the 15th minute when he was picked out on the edge of the six-yard box by Ryan Christie’s knockdown from a Gary Mackay-steven cross.
Tempers flared midway through the opening period when Rory Mckenzie showed more enthusiasm than was necessary in trying to retrieve the ball from under the prone figure of Mackay-steven. Mckenzie’s rugby-style rucking attempts to gain possession incensed Aberdeen and there was a melee involving players from both sides before referee Steven Mclean restored order and decided that a booking was sufficient punishment for the Killie midfielder.
Youssouf Mulumbu was struggling to make his mark in a creative sense for the hosts and his frustration boiled over when he conceded a dangerit ous free-kick on the edge of his own area with a needless foul on Graeme Shinnie. Aberdeen were unable to take advantage as Niall Mcginn scooped the ball way over the top.
Kenny Mclean came much closer to a breakthrough for the Dons when he drilled a low shot narrowly wide of Jamie Macdonald’s left-hand post from around 25 yards, then Scott Mckenna hooked an effort just over following a corner as Mcinnes’ side tried to build some momentum. But the general standard of play remained defiantly grim and there was little sign of improvement after the break. Kilmarnock had an optimistic claim for a penalty correctly dismissed by the officials as O’connor made a well-timed challenge on Boyd early in the second half.
Clear cut chances were at an absolute premium and Boyd was unable to manufacture one when he got on the end of a
Gary Dicker free-kick and saw his attempt to loft the ball back across the six-yard box cut out by Woodman.
Jordan Jones, so often the man capable of providing a creative spark for Killie, had been seldom seen until he burst into life with a run and shot which at least forced a save from Woodman.
That began a sustained spell on the front foot for Clarke’s team as they increased the tempo of their work and Woodman was genuinely extended for the first time when he leapt to his right to keep out a stinging drive from Stephen O’donnell.
Aberdeen responded with Christie coming close when he crashed a half volley just wide from 20 yards but there was to be no escape from extra-time which had seemed an inevitability for so long.
The tie finally burst into life with Killie taking the lead six minutes into the added period. Countering from an Aberdeen corner, Jones launched the ball for Brophy to chase and the substitute held off Shay Logan before sliding a pass into the path of O’donnell, who coolly beat Woodman.
Having waited so long for an advantage, Kilmarnock surrendered it cheaply just seven minutes later. Kirk Broadfoot’s senseless challenge on Stevie May conceded a clear penalty kick which Mclean dispatched expertly beyond Macdonald. Mclean and Chidi Nwakali both came agonisingly close to winning it for Aberdeen but instead the tie went the full distance into the shoot-out.