PALMERSTON shook, the Doonhamers' hordes rattled, and Queen of the South rolled into the semi-finals of the Scottish Cup for the first time in 58 years. Back in 1950, Queens faced Rangers, this time it will be Aberdeen or Celtic. When the draw came through, the almighty roar from the home dressing room said it all.
The outstanding Stephen Dobbie had brought Queens the lead with a well-taken goal. The decisive goal at the end was incredible.
Desperate Dundee had thrown everyone forward for a free-kick, including goalkeeper Craig Samson. When the ball came
out, Queens right-back Ryan McCann collected it near the touchline, well within his half. He looked up. Samson started racing back. McCann knew what he was doing and he launched the ball into the air. It flew 70 yards and landed and bounced into the empty net. The home fans behind the goals went nuts. Queen of the South became the first side to reach the last four of this season's competition.
"I just saw the fans going bonkers," said McCann, who had a ticket for a comedy show in Glasgow last night. The worst comedian would have failed to wipe the smile off his face. "Nine times out of 10 that would end up in the stand, or shanked or sliced. I just hit it on the off-chance. It went in." Too right it did. Not the kind of goal you see very often, a real rarity and a fitting ending to this tie. "It's a big win for us," said McCann. "It's good for the club. Aberdeen or Celtic? That'll be easy." His final word may have been delivered in jest.
Gordon Chisholm took Dundee United to the Scottish Cup final three years ago. Now he is one step from getting there with Queen of the South. They may not get there, but they have earned this precious moment. "Absolutely fantastic, what an achievement," reflected Chisholm. "I'm delighted for the boys, for all their effort, for the town and for the chairman. Fifty-eight years it's been. We're just going to enjoy the occasion. Dumfries will be empty that day. We reached the quarter-finals last year. We're just taking it that wee bit further."
Dundee were so short of fit personnel yesterday that player-manager Alex Rae named himself on the bench. Colin McMenamin and Mickael Antoine Curier were both cup-tied, Gary MacKenzie and Kevin McDonald were suspended, striker Derek Lyle was both cup-tied and injured. All in all, six who featured in last weekend's league victory over St Johnstone could not be called on. So it was inevitable that Patrick Noubissie, the young Frenchman on loan from Hibs, should make his Dundee debut. So shorn of players were Dundee that Rae had billed Queen of the South as favourites to reach the semi-finals. Of course it suited Rae to say such a thing too. And those favourites won.
"It was always going to be difficult," said the Dundee manager, "but we just weren't up to the task. They probably deserved to get through.
"I'm disappointed. It was a good opportunity to progress. The first goal was the turning point. It was poor defending to say the least."
Queens had knocked Dundee out of this competition last season, following a penalty shoot-out at Palmerston. In addition to that, they had beaten Dundee twice within the past three months in the First Division. Dundee are involved in their promotion push but Queens have been climbing up the table lately and had gone nine games unbeaten.
There was a cracking atmosphere about Palmerston before kick-off. The old ground lends itself easily to such occasions and the Queens fans were in full rattle mode too with their old-fashioned racket-makers.
Dougie Doonhamer whirled his rattle as the teams ran out; Queens' dog-eared border collie had a bigger occasion than Crufts this weekend.
This was Dundee's third appearance in the last eight in the past six years but Queens applied the early pressure against the retreating visitors. The hosts forced a second minute corner and their fans roared. At the other end, a Noubissie cross found Freddie Daquin whose hanging header dipped over the home crossbar. Then Dundee's Eddie Malone tested the home keeper, Jamie MacDonald, who saved the effort.
In the best piece of play so far, Queens striker Dobbie turned Dundee defender Paul Dixon one way and then the other before catching sight of goal and unleashing a low drive to the far corner. It whizzed not far wide of the target.
The rain fell heavily. Then stopped. Extreme weather and no breakthrough in this cup tie as it edged towards half-time. Just before the interval Dixon shot over the bar from distance. And shortly after the break, the visitors' Bob Davidson had a go from some way out but that was stopped by MacDonald whose next act was to set up the home side's opening goal, a route one affair with a clever finish.
MacDonald pumped a high kick deep into Dundee territory and Dobbie latched on to it, outpacing the Dundee rearguard. Samson tried to narrow the angle and put him off. But the Queens striker kept his calm and expertly angled the ball into the corner of the net. Dobbie then split Dundee with a cross-field pass to Steve Tosh, who forced a save from a busy Samson.
Tosh had another later blast and a Davidson header was saved by MacDonald. Queens substitute John Stewart was clean through but could only drive into the arms of Samson. Dundee remained in the game as the home fans clamoured for an end to this contest. Queens had one foot in the next round until McCann ensured that both feet were planted there.
MAN OF THE MATCH: It has to be Queen of the South striker Stephen Dobbie whose all-round eye-catching performance was topped by the excellent goal.
ASIDE: Well done to Queen of the South's Jamie McQuilken for grappling with a pitch invader and placing him in the hands of the stewards who couldn't catch up with him.
The full article contains 1042 words and appears in Scotland On Sunday newspaper.
