Managers Post Aberdeen

18/03/09: "It is obviously great to come up to Aberdeen and turn them over and now we can look forward to the semi final. ..

Jim McIntyre was elated and sat down at the post match press conference full of joy and pride after his team had seen off their SPL opponents to take the Club to its third Scottish Cup semi-final in six years.

"When you saw how Aberdeen started in the first 10 minutes I thought we were going to be on the back foot but then we got a wee foothold on the game. We had the best chance of the first half with Steven Bell's header when we should have scored. After that we grew in confidence and I warned the players at half time that they will come out and like at East End Park, have a go at us.

"We were every bit as good as Aberdeen tonight, I didn't think there was a lot between the teams. They are a very dangerous side and what they can do when they win the ball back is hurt us quickly. Two or three passes and they can be in for an attempt on your goal, but our experienced players tonight were absolutely superb - Wilson, Thomson, Glass and Alex Burke. Graham Bayne in his first game back after eight stitches and the kids as well were great. I was so proud of them."

Aberdeen almost scored a winner in the dying seconds of normal time when Aloku's shot was cleared off the line by Scott Wilson. Jim McIntyre agreed it would have been rough justice to have gone out then after what was such a good team performance.

"It was a great chance, we got sucked in and over covered the right back area, but we deserved at least to go to extra time. That would have been a heart breaker."

Following 30 minutes of extra time the tie was to be decided on penalties. Jim knew that it would be up to whoever could handle the pressure. His advice had been "to pick your spot, make sure you know what you are going for and don't change your mind on the run up. Paul Gallacher is a Premierleague goalie and he came up trumps at the right time."

Two saves from Paul Gallacher meant that when Graham Bayne converted the eighth of the penalty shoot out, Dunfermline were through to what will be a hugely attractive semi final against the Auld Enemy - Falkirk - at Hampden on Sunday 26 April.

"It will be a local derby and that will add a lot of spice to it but we have a few important league games before then. We need to get ourselves up the league and we have proved in four games against Premierleague sides that we can hack it. We have to turn that into our league form, but tonight is not about the league and we were superb."

The Aberdeen based media asked how big a part the crowd had played in the result, Macca replied:-

"Our crowd was magnificent" Obviously knowing that the enquiry had really been about those supporting the team in red.

"Home crowds are the same everywhere you go. This is a massive club and expectation levels are really high, they expect to be beating teams like Dunfermline. If that is not going to plan then they are going to vent their frustrations."

With Greg Shields father dying on the morning of the match, the Manager and players were keen to get a result for their grieving team mate. The Manager said "I said to the boys before the game to go and get yourselves into a semi final because you have one team mate who is hurting like hell at the moment. Greg has had a torrid time in the last six months and that is for him and Jim Leishman, who has been magnificent for me since I came here. The big man is just back from a wee break after his troubles and he was in tears there. He was fantastic, just superb, for that is for those two."

Asked what it meant for Jim McIntyre, the Dunfermline gaffer said:-

"I am delighted to be part of it, but it is not about me its about the players and the Club in general. It is obviously great to come up to Aberdeen and turn them over and now we can look forward to the semi final. I have only been a manager for 15 months so this has got to be the highlight so far."

Jimmy Calderwood's post match comments:-

"We have let our club and supporters down again. We didn't play well, I don't think players go out not trying to win a football game. We just never had the form on the day. The boys had to pressure them quicker and we never did that until extra time and then it was too late. They battled away and we lacked a bit of guile, the spark and creativity to finish it off. We didn't play well enough to win the game.

We should have been good enough to beat them and that's the second time in a year that we have let the club down badly and our supporters down badly."

When Jimmy Calderwood was asked if he thought Dunfermline deserved to go through he drew breath and replied:-

"They are there and that's it." He did agreed that the players could be hurting in the dressing room saying: "That is two massive games that we were favourites in and we never took it."