Match ends, Queen of the South 0, Falkirk 1.
Queen of SthQueen of the South0FalkirkFalkirk1
- 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.
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.
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.
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.
Line-ups
Queen of Sth
Formation 3-4-2-1
- 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
Formation 4-4-2
- 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
Post update
Full Time
Second Half ends, Queen of the South 0, Falkirk 1.
Post update
Foul by Aidan Smith (Queen of the South).
Post update
Tom Taiwo (Falkirk) wins a free kick in the defensive half.
Post update
Foul by Chris Mitchell (Queen of the South).
Post update
David Smith (Falkirk) wins a free kick on the right wing.
Booking
Lewis Kidd (Queen of the South) is shown the yellow card.
Post update
Tom Taiwo (Falkirk) wins a free kick in the attacking half.
Post update
Foul by Lewis Kidd (Queen of the South).
Post update
Corner, Queen of the South. Conceded by Kieran Duffie.
Substitution
Substitution, Falkirk. Aaron Muirhead replaces Luke Leahy because of an injury.
Post update
Corner, Queen of the South. Conceded by Peter Grant.
Post update
Aidan Smith (Queen of the South) wins a free kick in the attacking half.
Post update
Foul by David McCracken (Falkirk).
Substitution
Substitution, Falkirk. Taylor Morgan replaces Rory Loy because of an injury.
Substitution
Substitution, Falkirk. Liam Dick replaces Blair Alston.
Post update
Iain Russell (Queen of the South) wins a free kick in the defensive half.
Post update
Foul by Kieran Duffie (Falkirk).
Substitution
Substitution, Queen of the South. Aidan Smith replaces Gavin Reilly.
Post update
Attempt missed. Ian McShane (Queen of the South) header from the centre of the box is too high.
