Queen of the South 0-1 Falkirk

Falkirk's Craig Sibbald (left) gets his head onto the end of a ball to give his side the lead

• Craig Sibbald header puts Falkirk into semi-finals
• Falkirk's second trip to Hampden in three years
• Luke Leahy carried off with head injury

Falkirk reached the Scottish Cup semi-finals for the second time in three years with victory over Queen of the South at Palmerston Park.

Craig Sibbald headed the Bairns into a first-half lead following Luke Leahy's precise ball across goal.

Queens pressed forward but rarely looked like finding a way past Jamie MacDonald in the Falkirk goal.

And Peter Houston's men saw out the second half relatively comfortably to book their place in Sunday's draw.

Media playback is not supported on this device

Interview - Falkirk manager Peter Houston

With the Scottish Championship sides so close together in the fight for a promotion play-off spot, both went into the game feeling superior to the other and it showed in an end-to-end start.

Falkirk lived dangerously with a couple of borderline offside calls going their way, and Queens continued to have the better of the early exchanges.

Iain Russell knocked the ball past David McCracken but his cut-back could not find a blue shirt in the best opening.

The fierce Dumfries wind was taking effect though and with it behind them Falkirk slowly began to seize the initiative.

Tom Taiwo fired over and Queens goalkeeper Zander Clark was called into action to deny David Smith's low, bobbling shot.

Rory Loy's volley from 10 yards was too high, but minutes later they broke the deadlock.

Leahy's throw-in was played back to him and he picked out Sibbald, who had slipped ahead of Chris Higgins to steer the ball into the corner of the net.

Queen of the South had the wind behind them in the second half but could not take advantage.

The goal did not slow either side down. Gavin Reilly shrugged off the attentions of his marker to fire low against goalkeeper MacDonald, before Falkirk went forward again with Blair Alston's looping header keeping Clark busy.

Media playback is not supported on this device

Interview - Queen of the South manager James Fowler

Queens had the wind at their backs in the second half but, despite a territorial advantage, they left MacDonald largely untested and Peter Grant went close to heading Falkirk two in front from Sibbald's corner.

Russell's fresh air swipe inside the box summed up Queens' luck in front of goal, and it did not get much better when Reilly was a yard short of meeting Lewis Kidd's inviting cross before sending a header over a minute later.

Russell forced MacDonald into a save on the half-volley and Alston had the opportunity to put the game beyond the hosts when he broke free on the left, but he never gave Loy a chance with a poor ball across goal.

Seven minutes were added on after Leahy appeared to be knocked out following a boot to the face from team-mate Grant, and Queens felt they should have had a spot-kick for handball but it was half-hearted at best.

Peter Houston tries on a policeman's hat for size after the wind blew it onto the pitch.

Luke Leahy was carried off with a head knock late on in the game.

Queen of the South players felt they should have been awarded a late penalty for handball.

Falkirk's Peter Grant celebrates at full time as his side head into the semi finals.

• Line-ups
• Match Stats
• Live Text

Line-ups

Queen of Sth

• 1Clark
• 5DurnanSubstituted forMitchellat 76'minutes
• 4Dowie
• 6Higgins
• 12KiddBooked at 90mins
• 7BurnsSubstituted forCarmichaelat 64'minutes
• 18McShane
• 3Holt
• 15Paton
• 11Russell
• 10ReillySubstituted forSmithat 79'minutes

Substitutes

• 2Mitchell
• 14McKenna
• 17Carmichael
• 20Atkinson
• 22Hooper
• 24Smith
• 28Pickard

Falkirk

• 1MacDonald
• 2Duffie
• 5McCracken
• 14Grant
• 19LeahySubstituted forMuirheadat 89'minutes
• 8AlstonSubstituted forDickat 82'minutes
• 7Taiwo
• 6Vaulks
• 10Sibbald
• 9Smith
• 33LoySubstituted forMorganat 84'minutes

Substitutes

• 3Muirhead
• 12Bowman
• 15Dick
• 17Maybury
• 20Cooper
• 28Bia Bi
• 36Morgan

Referee:

Kevin Clancy

Attendance:

2,833

Match Stats

Home TeamQueen of SthAway TeamFalkirk

Possession

Home47%

Away53%

Shots

Home4

Away7

Shots on Target

Home2

Away3

Corners

Home8

Away2

Fouls

Home11

Away11

Live Text

Posted at

Match ends, Queen of the South 0, Falkirk 1.

Full Time

Posted at 90'+8'

Second Half ends, Queen of the South 0, Falkirk 1.

Posted at 90'+7'

Foul by Aidan Smith (Queen of the South).

Posted at 90'+7'

Tom Taiwo (Falkirk) wins a free kick in the defensive half.

Posted at 90'+7'

Foul by Chris Mitchell (Queen of the South).

Posted at 90'+7'

David Smith (Falkirk) wins a free kick on the right wing.

Booking

Posted at 90'+6'

Lewis Kidd (Queen of the South) is shown the yellow card.

Posted at 90'+5'

Tom Taiwo (Falkirk) wins a free kick in the attacking half.

Posted at 90'+5'

Foul by Lewis Kidd (Queen of the South).

Posted at 89'

Corner, Queen of the South. Conceded by Kieran Duffie.

Substitution

Posted at 89'

Substitution, Falkirk. Aaron Muirhead replaces Luke Leahy because of an injury.

Posted at 86'

Corner, Queen of the South. Conceded by Peter Grant.

Posted at 85'

Aidan Smith (Queen of the South) wins a free kick in the attacking half.

Posted at 85'

Foul by David McCracken (Falkirk).

Substitution

Posted at 84'

Substitution, Falkirk. Taylor Morgan replaces Rory Loy because of an injury.

Substitution

Posted at 82'

Substitution, Falkirk. Liam Dick replaces Blair Alston.

Posted at 80'

Iain Russell (Queen of the South) wins a free kick in the defensive half.

Posted at 80'

Foul by Kieran Duffie (Falkirk).

Substitution

Posted at 79'

Substitution, Queen of the South. Aidan Smith replaces Gavin Reilly.

Posted at 79'

Attempt missed. Ian McShane (Queen of the South) header from the centre of the box is too high.

Substitution

Posted at 76'

Substitution, Queen of the South. Chris Mitchell replaces Mark Durnan because of an injury.

Posted at 73'

Attempt saved. Iain Russell (Queen of the South) right footed shot from outside the box is saved in the centre of the goal.

Posted at 70'

Attempt saved. David Smith (Falkirk) right footed shot from outside the box is saved in the bottom right corner.

Posted at 68'

Foul by Iain Russell (Queen of the South).

Posted at 68'

Luke Leahy (Falkirk) wins a free kick on the right wing.

Posted at 65'

Corner, Queen of the South. Conceded by Peter Grant.

Posted at 65'

Attempt missed. David Smith (Falkirk) right footed shot from outside the box misses to the left.

Substitution

Posted at 64'

Substitution, Queen of the South. Daniel Carmichael replaces Paul Burns because of an injury.

Posted at 62'

Attempt missed. Gavin Reilly (Queen of the South) header from the centre of the box is just a bit too high.

Posted at 60'

Rory Loy (Falkirk) wins a free kick in the defensive half.

Posted at 60'

Foul by Michael Paton (Queen of the South).

Posted at 59'

Corner, Queen of the South. Conceded by Kieran Duffie.

Posted at 58'

(Queen of the South) wins a free kick in the attacking half.

Posted at 58'

6-second violation by Craig Sibbald (Falkirk).

Posted at 57'

Attempt missed. Peter Grant (Falkirk) header from very close range is too high following a corner.

Posted at 56'

Corner, Falkirk. Conceded by Lewis Kidd.

Posted at 51'

Corner, Queen of the South. Conceded by Peter Grant.

Posted at 50'

Chris Higgins (Queen of the South) wins a free kick in the attacking half.

Posted at 50'

Foul by Tom Taiwo (Falkirk).

Second Half

Posted at

Second Half begins Queen of the South 0, Falkirk 1.

Show more updates