First off, our performance for about two thirds of the game wasn't good enough and did not deserve a place in the semi-finals. But there was a very good reason for that - the incompetence of referee Stevie O'Reilly.
We should have been in front when Steven Thompson tried to get to the ball only for Marius Zaliukas to palm it on for Nigel Hasselbaink to nod into the net. Except Mr O'Reilly had already blown for a penalty - and as so often happens on these occasions it was missed, Graham Carey the guilty party.
Had Mr O'Reilly's whistle gone as soon as Zaliukas had handled then I would have had no complaints. However, his whistle went two seconds later, just as Hasselbaink was heading the ball past Jamie MacDonald. As he'd already blown he couldn't award the goal and you knew from that point it was just not going to be our night. Mr O'Reilly and his officials proceeded to put in an incompetent performance, but will we see them punished? Of course not. The SFA will tell you their officials are perfect while ex refs like Kenny Clark to write columns in which they never criticise their former colleagues and then complain about the media focussing on the officials.
It is rather ironic after the weekend that a team managed by a Lennon is moaning about getting a penalty and it could be argued that we still had more than an hour in which to score - and didn't perform at all in the second half. However, I'd argue that seeing a goal chalked off and then missing a penalty is going to suck the life out of the players and management. Of course, you could then counter that with the fact Hearts had a good goal disallowed in the first tie and it was only because Ross County missed a penalty that we were still in the cup.
Anyway. Thompson was back in the side after injury, while Hugh Murray also started due to the absence of Paul McGowan and Dougie Imrie. Quite why Aaron Mooy didn't start is anyone's guess.
The first half pretty much sums up our season so far. We seemed to be the better side, had a few chances, didn't take them and then played a huge part in our opponents taking the lead. Some shocking officiating didn't help.
Rudi Skacel had a great chance to open the scoring inside the first minute when he got himself clear of the defence but shot wide. Thompson then flicked the ball through for Gary Teale to go through on goal but the flag was up - wrongly - for offside. Carey fired a dangerous cross into the box that Jamie MacDonald did well to save.
But the big talking point arrived soon after. Thompson went up for a cross, Marius Zaliukas handled it, the ball fell for Nigel Hasselbaink and he nodded it into the net. Except Mr O'Reilly had already blown for the penalty - and to rub salt into the wounds Carey's effort was well saved by MacDonald.
Unsurprisingly Hearts improved after that and Jamie Hamill cracked the post before Steven Thomson had a low header saved by MacDonald. However, soon after the midfielder needlessly gifted the ball away and Hearts attacked, Hamill having a go from an almost identical position and getting the ball a few inches further to the right so it sneaked in between the post and Craig Samson.
They went close to extending their advantage, Samson denying Craig Beattie before Ian Black went close. We, meanwhile, offered no reaction before the break. We didn't offer one after it either in a dire second half. Skacel brought a good save from Samson before a few minutes from time he got his required goal against us from close range to finish us off.
The 25th anniversary of our last Scottish Cup triumph will not be marked with a return to Hampden. Our performance tonight wasn't good enough - but that could well have been a different story if a whistle happy official had allowed our goal to stand.
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