Aberdeen will play in the Scottish Cup final next month after Jonny Hayes’ late deflected strike gave them a 3-2 victory in a thrilling last four tie against holders Hibernian at Hampden Park.
The Dons stormed into the lead after just 12 seconds thanks to Adam Rooney’s swift opener, with Ryan Christie adding a second with a superbly-executed free-kick midway through the first-half.
The Reds could not hold on until the break, with Hibs substitute Grant Holt pulling a goal back on 36 minutes, with Dylan McGeouch levelling on the hour mark.
With the tie looking destined for extra-time, Aberdeen had the last laugh when Hayes saw his long-range strike take a huge deflection off Hibs’ Darren McGregor before nestling in the net, with the Dons now 90 minutes away from winning the Scottish Cup for the first time since 1990, when they face the winners of Sunday’s tie between Celtic and Rangers at Hampden on Saturday, May 27.
Derek McInnes made one change from the side that defeated St Johnstone 2-1 the previous weekend, with Anthony O’Connor dropping to the bench and replaced by Mark Reynolds, who played for the first time since February. Niall McGinn was also not risked having only recently recovered from a groin injury, with Ryan Christie keeping his place.
Hibs came into the game buoyant from winning the Championship title the previous weekend, and having ended their 114-year wait to lift the trophy last season the pressure was off Neil Lennon’s side.
The Dons could not have planned a better start in even their wildest of dreams, with only 12 seconds on the clock when they took the lead through Rooney. Aberdeen instantly dispossessed the hosts from their own kick-off, with Shinnie charging upfield. Although he eventually lost the ball, Rooney was rapid in intercepting Darren McGregor’s sloppy ball towards Efe Ambrose, with the Reds’ leading scorer clinical in shooting past Ofir Marciano from 16 yards.
The goal settled any pre-match nerves that may have crept into McInnes’ men as they took great confidence from their early strike against a rattled Hibs outfit. It was little surprise when they doubled the lead on 26 minutes thanks to an exquisite free-kick from Christie from a wide position near the corner flag, with the on-loan Celtic player catching out Marciano by squeezing his effort in at goalkeeper’s near post.
Aberdeen looked firmly in the mood, with Hayes shooting into the side netting shortly afterwards after cutting in from the left.
Hibs manager Lennon opted to shake things up on 34 minutes, withdrawing Aberdonian midfielder Fraser Fyvie, who was already on a booking, for Grant Holt to the resentment of the former Dons player. It proved an inspired substitution by Lennon however, as within minutes his side pulled a goal back from nowhere when another Aberdonian, Martin Boyle, crossed for Holt to rise above Ash Taylor and head past Joe Lewis to give the Edinburgh men a huge lift ahead of half-time.
The Reds started the second-half brightly, with Shay Logan sending a low effort wide from long-range on 55 minutes, however Hibs stunned the Reds on the hour mark when they pulled level. McGeouch worked a neat one-two with Holt before marauding into the Dons’ penalty area and firing under the body of Lewis, to swing momentum firmly in their favour.
Having seen their lead pegged back, the Dons were desperate to get back in front and they continued to dominate, with Shinnie seeing a powerful effort from the edge of the box deflected into the hands of Marciano.
Clear cut chances were at a premium at both ends though, with Cummings seeing his free-kick blocked by the wall, while at the other end Kenny McLean blasted well over with a dead ball from a similar position.
The Dons regained their lead thanks to a massive slice of good fortune five minutes from time however. Hayes took aim with a low shot from 25 yards which looked to be heading straight for Marciano, before it took a wickedly unfortunate deflection off McGregor and trundled inside the goalkeeper’s right-hand post.
Hibs rallied for another equaliser, with goalkeeper Marciano seeing his header saved by opposite number Lewis after coming up for a late corner, however Aberdeen held on to reach their first Scottish Cup final since 2000.