St Johnstone can dare to dream of more Scottish Cup glory, according to head coach, Simo Valakari.
A Graham Carey wonder goal sent the Perth side into the semi-finals – a glorious strike fit for any occasion.
Saints barely had time to let the fact that they had secured a place in the last four sink in before they were drawn against treble-chasing Celtic.
But Valakari insisted that his team will give it their best shot at emulating the cup heroes of the McDiarmid Park club’s recent past.
“This cup is all about dreaming,” said the Finn.
“We enjoy tonight and as Barry Douglas said to our boys in the dressing room afterwards, you can play a long career and never play in a semi-final at the national stadium.
“It’s a beautiful day.
“When you get to the semi-finals you know there will be tough opponents.
“Maybe we got the toughest of them all. But we need to face it and go and enjoy it.
“The last Scottish Cup win is in the history of our club.
“Everyone knows that.
“We want to write our names into history as well.
“We will enjoy tonight and then think about the semi-final when it comes.
“It’s back to the Premiership before then.
“This is a big positive thing to look forward to. We deserve to be in the semi-final and nobody can take that away from us – we are there.”
Game of two halves
It was a cup tie of two halves – Saints were second best and fortunate to not be behind at half-time and then the dominant side in the second 45.
“We showed the other side of us,” said Valakari.
“We showed togetherness and determination to get through difficult spells, which we haven’t always done this season.
“We needed some magic and heroics. Andy Fisher provided it in the first half with an amazing save that kept us in the game.
“The second half was much better from us and then again, we needed a hero. We needed some magic, and Graham Carey gave us that.
“We all know his left foot.”
Saints had well over 1,000 supporters at the game.
“The fans were amazing,” said Valakari. “I’ve said it many times.
“They have come here today on a cold Monday night.
“It has not been easy for them this season, but they have walked with us through this difficult journey. I’m so happy they had this to celebrate.”
Fireworks
Pyrotechnics in both the home and away stands preceded kick-off and, after the smoke cleared, Saints nearly made an explosive start to the contest.
With less than two minutes on the clock, Stephen Duke-McKenna delivered a ball to the back post for Jason Holt, but the ex-Livi man couldn’t manufacture a clean shot at goal.
After that, it was the hosts’ turn to threaten.
Robbie Muirhead picked out Andrew Shinnie in a crowded box with an in-swinging free-kick, forcing Fisher into a superb low save.
As the half progressed the Saints goal increasingly led a charmed life.
Shinnie just missed the target with a 20-yarder, Fisher kept out a Danny Wilson header from a long-throw, Muirhead skied an effort over the bar when it looked easier to score, and Scott Pittman also came close to finding the net as well.
Adama Sidibeh had the ball in the Livi net somewhere in the middle of all that but his finish from a Sam Curtis cross was disallowed for offside.
That Saints went into the break still on level terms was a minor miracle.
Duke-McKenna was replaced by Drey Wright for the start of the second half and Valakari must have been tempted to make more changes.
Things did improve after the restart and Makenzie Kirk, anonymous in the first half, timed his run perfectly to beat the Livi offside trap from a Wright free-kick, but directed his header straight at keeper, Jerome Prior.
Carey for Jonathan Svedberg was Valakari’s second substitution on 69 minutes and it didn’t work out too badly, that’s for sure.
Less than four minutes later, the Irishman scored with as pure a long-range strike as you could ever wish to see.
After Livi half-cleared a Wright cross, Carey took one touch to get the ball out of his feet and sent a 30-yard rocket into the net off the underside of the bar.
Saints had a couple of great chances to put the tie to bed, but Sidibeh headed straight at Prior and Wright scooped a cut-back over.
But they managed the game expertly and one was enough to set-up a semi-final clash with Celtic.
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