Aberdeen boss Derek McInnes challenges side to earn place in history

Kenny McLean sealed Aberdeen's place in the League Cup final with a late second goal against Morton

Derek McInnes has challenged Aberdeen to deliver an era of success at the club by winning the League Cup for a second time in three seasons.

McInnes's side reached next month's final by defeating Greenock Morton 2-0 in the semi-final at Hampden.

The Dons will play either Rangers or Celtic in the final.

"I want the players to feel it's a sustained period of success rather than one trophy in four or five years," McInnes said.

"I want us to make sure people look back on this period and say this was a team that always put itself in a position to win trophies. We made it clear at the start of the season that our objective is to win trophies and we're 90 minutes away from that now."

McInnes felt his side were deserved winners over their Championship opponents, despite periods of the game when Morton threatened and Aberdeen lacked a cutting edge.

Jonny Hayes and Adam Rooney both hit the bar with headers in the first half, but it was the 69th minute before Rooney eventually made the breakthrough, scoring from an offside position.

Kenny McLean added a second goal with two minutes remaining, and McInnes was full of praise for Morton but also the perseverance and composure of his own players.

"Sometimes when you play against a team that's working so hard to put out fires and keep us away from their goal, if you keep working them side to side and asking questions of them and their organisation then something will happen," McInnes said.

"Morton deserve a lot of credit, but my players deserve a lot of credit for having the patience and wherewithal to keep going and keep trying to get the job done, and the best team won - the team that created the most chances and the team that set out to take the initiative."

'That's going to stick in the throat'

Morton manager Jim Duffy said his side confounded predictions they would be overwhelmed by Aberdeen, although he was frustrated Rooney's opener was offside.

"I've been told that the first goal was offside and if it was then that's going to stick in the throat," Duffy said. "Believe me, if there's an offside call [in the Rangers v Celtic semi-final] then they'll make a big deal of it.

"Most people thought it would be a canter so we wanted to make sure it wasn't. The players did themselves justice.

"Aberdeen deserved to win and good luck to them. But if it is a contentious goal then that just makes it a little bit more painful."