Aberdeen 3 - 4 Celtic

Pittodrie witnessed an exciting Cup semi final that saw ten man Aberdeen lose out in the dying seconds of extra time only two minutes after they scored a sensational equaliser. With the tie all square at 1-1 after 90 minutes the game exploded in extra time when Celtic went ahead from a controversial corner only for the Dons to level again. A minute later another controversial incident turned the game when Celtic were awarded a penalty. The Dons players were furious and were reduced to ten men after the kick when Neill was given a straight red. Incredibly Aberdeen levelled through Maguire with two minutes remaining only to lose a winner in the final minute of the match.

Celtic saw most of the ball in the opening five minutes but it was Aberdeen who won the first corner after only 6 minutes. Unfortunately Bagshaw wasted the chance by kicking the ball directly out of play. The first real chance fell to Aberdeen in the 11th minute when neat passing play released Keily into the box. Unfortunately he couldn?t feed the ball through to Maguire who looked in a good position to score. A minute later Bjarnasson fired wide for Celtic from 25 yards. Then in the 13th minute Maguire tested Fox with a low drive from a tight angle and the keeper gathered at the second attempt.

Celtic won their first corner in the 17th minute and there was a real goalmouth scramble before the ball was eventually cleared. Celtic were beginning to take control of the match, winning a series of corner kicks. Yet with half an hour gone Kelly had yet to be tested. The keeper then made his first save in the 34th minute when he got well behind an O'Carroll drive and seconds later Thomson drilled the ball inches wide at the other end. Kelly was alert again three minutes later when he collected a McGlinchey free kick that had evaded everyone. Celtic continued to dominate and grabbed the lead in the 42nd minute when O'Carroll headed in at the near post from a well delivered cross.

Celtic started the second half in the ascendancy again and it took an unintentional interception from referee Morag Pirie to halt their progress in the 49th minute. Two minutes later it was a brave block from Skinner that denied the Celts then Kelly made two fine blocks on 63 and 65 minutes to keep the advantage to one. A minute later Aberdeen managed to break out but a block on the edge of the box denied McInnes. Aberdeen then grabbed a sensational equaliser in the 72nd minute when Maguire found himself in space and lobbed the keeper from thirty yards out to level the match.

Celtic came storming back and Caddis should have done better in the 77th minute but fired wide from just inside the 18-yard box. Aberdeen then won a free kick wide on the left but wasted the chance when it was delivered straight into the goalkeeper's hands. Celtic then went close in the 86th minute when Grant's shot shaved the post with Kelly scurrying across his goal. A soft free kick in the final minute resulted in McGlinchey volleying over from 8 yards out. There were no further chances and the game went to extra time.

Bjarnasson went close for Celtic in the opening three minutes first with a shot that drifted wide then forcing a save from Kelly. The match then exploded into controversy in the 95th minute when Celtic were awarded a corner kick that to most in the ground looked to be a goal kick. From the resulting set play they regained the lead when McGlinchey bundled the ball into the net. This young Aberdeen side are nothing if not resilient and they capitalised on a defensive mistake to equalise. Substitute Bruce latching on to the ball and cutting back for McInnes to fire home.

Referee Pirie was at the centre of more controversy two minutes later when Celtic were awarded a very soft spot kick as bodies collided inside the box. O'Carroll scored but the Dons players were still infuriated leading to Brian Neill being shown a straight red card obviously for something he said. It was now an uphill battle for the ten man Dons. Despite being a man down Aberdeen scored a sensational equaliser two minutes from time after Kelly had made a couple of fine stops. Once again it was Chris Maguire on target leaving the keeper with no chance from a fierce shot.

It was to be no dream finish for the brave reds as McGowan lobbed Kelly in the dying seconds with both sets of players dead on their feet.

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