Aberdeen 3-1 Kilmarnock: Much-improved hosts through to Scottish Cup semis
- Published
Watch best of action as Aberdeen beat Kilmarnock
Aberdeen delivered the best performance of Neil Warnock's tenure in what proved to be his final game by dispatching Kilmarnock to claim the first spot in the Scottish Cup semi-finals.
The club announced less than an hour after the game that the veteran Englishman would be leaving, with the search for a permanent manager "at an advanced stage".
That came after just the second win of his eight-game interim stint against a Kilmarnock side who had won all three Premiership meetings of the sides this season.
A much-improved Aberdeen - 14 points worse off than Kilmarnock - came out swinging and caught the Ayrshire visitors cold when Jamie McGrath bundled in a rebound after the lively Junior Hoilett had a shot saved.
That goal was a wake-up call for the away side, who responded well but were soon picking the ball out of their net again when Graeme Shinnie rifled into the top-left corner via a slight deflection.
Kilmarnock, without a Scottish Cup semi-final appearance since 1997, gave their large away following hope at the end of a gripping first half after Kyle Vassell watched Danny Armstrong smash in his dinked cross.
But the revived hosts capped off an encouraging display and sealed a deserved win when McGrath's effort was diverted in by the head of opposing defender Stuart Findlay.
Aberdeen, who lost this season's League Cup final to Rangers under Barry Robson, will find out their last-four opponent on Monday following Hearts' trip to Greenock Morton - live on BBC Scotland.
However, they will be without the instrumental captain for the semi-final after he was booked for dissent when arguing he should have been awarded a late free-kick.
Player of the match - Jamie McGrath (Aberdeen)
His captain deserves a mention - as do Hoilett and Jack MacKenzie - but McGrath was everywhere in a fine display, scoring the opener, setting up the second and playing an integral role in the third
Aberdeen show fight Warnock craves - analysis
It sounds simple, but just seeing that level of fight and application will be so reassuring for the Aberdeen fans, who now know this team is capable of turning it on against top-flight opposition.
After the way they collapsed in Paisley last weekend, it was a huge test of character for the hosts when Armstrong pulled one back, but they stood up to that test impeccably. In fact, if anything, they improved after the setback.
It is now imperative for Peter Leven - who will take interim charge - and whoever is appointed on a longer-term basis to make sure his team transfers this level of performance to their league outings.
This will be a sore one for Derek McInnes against his former club. The absence of the injured Matty Kennedy meant Kilmarnock moved to a 3-5-2 shape, which looked unfamiliar to them in a disjointed first half.
The half-time introduction of Fraser Murray allowed McInnes to revert back to a 4-4-2 system that has been serving them so well, but the away side failed to capitalise on the goal they pulled back just before the break.
They cannot allow the hurt of this defeat to derail their pursuit of European football.
What they said
'It's been an experience' - Warnock leaves Aberdeen
Aberdeen midfielder Jamie McGrath: "We're saying inside that we can't let this be a flash in the pan. He have to build on this. We got the rub of the green today and probably deserving of it to go through.
"We got the luck today we haven't got in the past few weeks but the work rate was there to see. We out-battled them."
Kilmarnock manager Derek McInnes: "Huge disappointment. We never quite got to the levels we've been for the majority of the season. We anticipated Aberdeen being as direct as they were and trying to bring a physicality to it.
"They won a lot of second balls in the early part of the game and get the first goal, which is important for a team struggling with confidence."
What's next?
Aberdeen travel to Dundee on Wednesday (19:45 GMT), while Kilmarnock return to action next Saturday at home to St Mirren (15:00).