Matches like Sunday are why Graeme Shinnie and Jonny Hayes came back to Aberdeen.
Cup final appearances are big days out for supporters, but for players, winner’s medals are what they truly cherish.
In the Aberdeen ranks, few know what it means to lift silverware. Those who do are key for a manager.
It is why Barry Robson turned to his trusted lieutenants for the final in captain Graeme Shinnie and Jonny Hayes.
It is fair to say they are in the veteran stages of their careers, but both ran themselves into the ground for an ultimately lost cause in Glasgow.
Both players were in their fourth final in the red of Aberdeen with the sum tally of those finals producing one winner’s medal between them.
They deserve more, of course… but football has a way of not always giving you what you deserve.
Shinnie and Hayes have cup final history
Shinnie and Hayes were rivals for that one medal, with the Dons captain representing the red and blue of Inverness Caley Thistle when Derek McInnes’ Aberdeen lifted the League Cup in 2014.
Hayes may have left Celtic Park with a medal to show for his efforts, but his contribution lasted mere minutes.
A bad fall meant he was left watching from the sidelines from the sixth minute with an injured shoulder, as the Dons brought the League Cup back to the Granite City following a penalty shoot-out.
The two players were then team-mates as they finished runners-up to Celtic in the 2016-17 season, before Hayes moved on to the Hoops.
That left Shinnie with one last final to lead his side out in, where – again – he had to settle for a runner-up medal as Celtic lifted the League Cup in 2018.
Now 32 and 36 respectfully, Shinnie and Hayes are cast in the role of elder statesmen at Pittodrie and, given their cup final experience, it was understandable why both were given starting roles by the Dons manager.
Dons stuck to a successful formula at Hampden
Rangers’ renaissance under Philippe Clement, coupled with the first silverware of the season at stake, ensured the ante was upped significantly for the third meeting of the sides this term.
But the Dons arrived at Hampden boosted by a win and a draw against the Gers so far this season, and having had that success, the Aberdeen manager saw no reason to deviate from the script at the third time of asking.
That 6-0 mauling by Celtic in the league apart, Aberdeen have shown a canny knack of being competitive in the big game environment this season.
They arrived at Hampden having had a respectable European run, too.
The Europa League play-off against Hacken and the Conference League matches against Eintracht Frankfurt, HJK Helsinki and PAOK gave Robson’s squad, rebuilt in the summer, invaluable experience to call upon on their first final together at the National Stadium.
Viaplay Cup final was game of fine margins
That experience served the Dons so well for so long at Hampden, too.
Rangers, as to be expected, had the lion’s share of possession, but Aberdeen soaked up the pressure well in the first half.
Clear-cut chances were negligible in a tense opening period and Kelle Roos was called into action once, saving from Abdallah Sima.
The Aberdeen goalkeeper was busier in the second half, however, as he denied Cyriel Dessers, James Tavernier and Borna Barisic.
But soaking up pressure and keeping Rangers out was one thing – testing Jack Butland in the Rangers goal was a challenge Aberdeen could not quite master.
As the pressure built, a goal eventually came and it went to the Glasgow side.
Given Aberdeen’s unhappiness with VAR this season, there was a sense of irony that they should concede after a review which went in their favour.
A stoppage to check whether Stefan Gartenmann had handled in the box eventually passed and with referee Don Robertson waving play on.
But from the resulting throw-in, Barisic skipped past substitute Dante Polvara before whipping in a ball to the back post – here Tavernier was on hand to fire past Roos.
It was the first time this season the Dons had conceded the first goal to the Light Blues, and it prompted Robson to reshuffle his side to a back four for a late push in the final 15 minutes.
But, a late stramash at a corner aside, it was not to be.
Dons must use Hampden heartache
As the players slumped to the Hampden turf, Shinnie made a point of going round his team-mates and consoling each and every one of them.
He, like Hayes, knows that horrible feeling of being so close. but not quite close enough.
The road to Hampden begins again next month when the Dons return to cup competition in the Scottish Cup.
Dons boss Robson will hope his senior players can help their team-mates channel the disappointment felt here into a not only making a return to the National Stadium, but also producing a different outcome.
Aberdeen’s trophy dream ends with 1-0 Viaplay Cup final loss to Rangers
Conversation