Hibs 2 Aberdeen 3 as Jonny Hayes' late strike takes Dons to first final in 17 years – 3 things we learned

Jonny Hayes was Aberdeen ’s hero with the ugliest of winners on a day Scotland’s game had rarely looked as beautiful.

The Ireland winger’s shot squirmed past Ofir Marciano and into the net after taking a deflection off Darren McGregor’s legs.

Not that Hayes or Aberdeen’s support will care as they booked their first Scottish Cup Final place in 17 years.

This was a classic, a semi-final so breathless the Hampden crowd should have been handed inhalers.

Rooney fired Aberdeen into an 11-second lead before Ryan Christie had the Dons 2-0 up 24 minutes later. Out of nowhere Hibs were back in the game through sub Grant Holt, who then grabbed an assist when playing in Dylan McGeouch for the equaliser.

But then came Hayes’ winner and the Dons will return to the National Stadium for the May 27 showdown against either Celtic or Rangers

A shambolic start from Lennon’s side saw Aberdeen race into the lead. Straight from kick-off John McGinn attempted to dribble his way out of trouble in the centre circle.

Three Aberdeen players harried and harangued the Hibs star, stole the ball off him before pouring forward. Graeme Shinnie played it on, Hibs looked like they’d won a reprieve when the ball fell to Darren McGregor – only for the centre-back to make a mess of it. Rooney took command before applying a composed finish, firing the ball into the corner of the net.

Aberdeen had made a whirlwind start. Hibs had been blown off course and the support from the Granite City sensed the winds of change whistling through Hampden. Were Aberdeen going to make their first Scottish Cup Final in 17 years?

It certainly looked like it less than 24 minutes later.

Kenny McLean was scythed down the right flank by Fraser Fyvie and just outside the box. Christie whipped inn the free-kick to the near post and the Hibs wall parted as if they couldn’t stand the sight of each other and somehow the ball was in the back of the net. Two-nil up and seemingly no way back for the Leith side.

Shortly afterwards, Fraser Fyvie was hooked, a decision that did not go down well with the former Dons midfielder. Taking an eternity to come off, when he finally did reach the sidelines he threw to the ground the tracksuit top he was handed.

Not that Holt was remotely bothered. He was the man to come on and just a minute or so later he had dragged Hibs back into the semi-final. Martin Boyle rampaged down the right, leaving Andy Considine a tangled mess before hooking a cross into the box for Holt to rise and meet before burying in the back of the net.

At the restart, it was now Aberdeen that were not getting a minute. Hibs had forced their way back into the game and were in no mood to lessen their grip on the Cup that took them 114 years to claim.

Right on the hour mark they wrapped their fingers around the old piece of silverware that little bit tighter by grabbing an equaliser. Anthony O’Connor had come on for Chrisite – a bizarre substitution – and the Dons defence didn’t know who was marking who as Holt slipped a brilliant ball through to McGeouch who finished superbly.

Cue Lennon doing a Jose Mourinho and sprinting down the sideline in wild celebration. Premature?

3 things we learned

Something’s got me started

The bumbling beginning Aberdeen made in their Betfred Cup Final defeat to Celtic must have been eating away at McInnes, with the manager clearly indoctrinating his players to come flying out the traps.

His side were 1-0 down to Brendan Rodgers’ side after just 16 minutes last November and McInnes was not going to accept a repeat today. They came at Hibs right from the first whistle, never allowing their opponent’s a second. Shinnie, McLean, Jack – Hell, everyone in Red – snapped at their heels. There was simply no escape.

Lenny’s semis

This was Lennon’s fifth Scottish Cup semi-final, with the Irishman having a 50-50 record. Twice he had lost last-four games – against Ross County in 2010 and Hearts two years later.

He’d also won two Cups with the Hoops but his record is now in the debit ledger. Although what about his celebrations for Hibs equaliser? Britlliant!

Life-support machine

Hibs fans outnumbered Aberdeen’s by around two-to-one – a ratio attracting predictable criticism of the Red’s depleted army.

They took more than 40,000 to Celtic Park for the 2014 League Cup Final – glory hunters, goes the cry. Ah, but a 12.15pm kick-off doesn’t help – not when you need to leave the Granite City not long after 8am for a 300-mile round trip that takes six hours.

Even Lennon had sympathy for the Dons support. Fair play to the ones who did make it and the boisterous Hibs supporters who cranked up the noise in a stunning semi.