St Johnstone are one game away from the club”s first Scottish Cup final after a professional performance against second division Brechin City at McDiarmid Park.
Saints striker MacDonald was red-faced after ballooning the ball over when unmarked in front of goal, while Molloy showed City weren’t giving up by shooting just wide from 25 yards.
Grainger tried his best to wrap things up for Saints but he was a foot too high with a stinging strike from the left.
There was heartbreak for MacDonald five minutes from time when he was booked for a foul on McLauchlan he is out of the semi and the agony was etched on his face.
McAllister collected the second yellow card in the last minute for dissent, after referee Steve Conroy halted a City attack for a foul. That proved to be that for Brechin, who gave a good account of themselves but never looked like winning.
Saints boss Derek McInnes said, “That was a job very well done. I am being genuine, not patronising, when I say I thought the Brechin players gave their manager and club everything.”
“Without the second goal it was always going to be tough to knock the stuffing out of them. But I don’t think anyone can deny that the better team won. Brechin were good tonight but St Johnstone were better.”
McInnes now thinks his players can go all the way. He said, “You have to believe. When we were drawn against Hearts in our first tie nobody gave us a chance but we beat one of the big-hitters in the SPL.
“Then you think, if the draw is kind to us, it could be our year. We can’t win the league, but we can win the cup I firmly believe that.
“I have been to two semi-finals as a player and two as a manager and we have lost to the eventual winners every time.
“Hopefully, we can address that and get there this time. I believe in the players and that they can be successful.”
A major downer on an otherwise great night was the news that striker Peter MacDonald’s late booking rules him out of the last-four clash.
McInnes said, “These guys don’t get to semi-finals very often so it is disappointing. It was a harsh one. I can’t really remember him making a foul in the game. It was his second booking of the tournament, but we know the rules.”
Brechin boss Jim Weir was rightly proud of his team, saying, “I was delighted with the effort and I can’t fault the players. They are a credit to the jersey.
“Maybe if we had gotten ahead it might have been a different game but St Johnstone got the goal.”
“In the second half we did not create enough clear-cut chances, but they have a great home record so it was always going to be tough. I now wish Saints well and if I want anyone to go on and win the cup it’s them because they played a big part in my career. I will probably be there to support them.”
Attendance 3891.St Johnstone Enckelman, Maybury, Grainger, Anderson, Mackay, Davidson, Millar, Craig, Samuel, MacDonald (Moon 90), Invincible. Subs not used-Smith, Jackson, May, Caddis.Brechin Nelson, McLean (White 12), Cook, McLauchlan, Moyes, Janczyk, Fusco (Archdeacon 85), Molloy, McAllister, McKenna, Byers (McKay 66). Subs not used-Scott, King.Referee Steve Conroy.
The Perth men will meet Dundee United or Motherwell at Hampden on April 16 after Collin Samuel’s 37th-minute goal sent City back to Angus empty-handed from this quarter-final replay.
The Brechin hands may be empty but their hearts should be full. It was a magnificent achievement to get as far as they have ever done in this tournament and they can now take their cup form into what remains of the league campaign.
Saints deserved their victory, though, and will be watching with interest a week today when the Tangerines travel to Fir Park.
They made only one change to the side that started against Hamilton Accies, with MacDonald coming in for Stevie May after replacing the youngster at half-time on Saturday.
The good news for City was that defender Gerry McLauchlan shrugged off injury to take his place in their line-up. Even better was the news that Weir had made it safely back from Leeds after a 540-mile round trip for a work meeting.
It was a close-run thing, though, with the former Saints defender’s car breaking down less than a mile from his Perth home.
St Johnstone had the first serious attempt on goal on six minutes when Samuel’s snap-shot flew wide. Murray Davidson then whipped a dangerous delivery across goal and Liam Craig’s outstretched leg could only direct the ball over the bar.
The sizeable away support, who were amusing themselves by chucking beach balls about, had a concern on 12 minutes when City lost Paul McLean to injury, with David White taking his place.
Danny Invincibile then came close to opening the scoring twice in succession, with a shot from just inside the area palmed away by keeper Craig Nelson, then his teammate Samuel blocking a netbound effort on the line after a corner from Danny Grainger.Brechin chanceThe Angus men were then gifted a great opportunity at the other end with 20 minutes gone when St Johnstone defender Steven Anderson kicked the ground instead of the ball.
David McKenna took possession then played in Rory McAllister, but the usually deadly frontman fired his shot wide under pressure from a recovering Anderson.
It was mainly the Perth men doing the pressing, and the lively Invincibile connected with a Chris Millar cross from the left only to steer his shot just a foot wide of the upright.
Brechin had their second chance of the half on 32 minutes and it took an excellent save from Peter Enckelman to push Gary Fusco’s drive away for a corner. But it was the home team that made the breakthrough five minutes later.
Samuel was battling for the ball inside the City box with defender McLauchlan, who did well to block his first attempt at goal.
However, the striker somehow made space for himself to have a second go and this time the ball flew into the net from a tight angle, giving Nelson no chance.
McKenna tried his luck from long range but the ball flew well over the Saints bar before the hosts had a hopeful appeal for a penalty turned down when Samuel fell to the ground after a tussle with McLauchlan.
The sprinklers were on at the break, watering parts of the park, before the first action of the second half saw MacDonald head over from a Grainger corner for Saints.
Craig Molloy had the ball in the net for Brechin on 57 minutes but, sadly for him, his superb strike didn’t count as the whistle had blown a few moments earlier for a foul. Samuel was then found by a low Grainger cross at the other end but, on his own just a couple of yards from goal, he was flagged for offside.
City made another substitution on 66 minutes, bringing on Danny McKay for Kevin Byers, before Saints should have made it 2-0.
Invincibile raced down the right then fired the ball across goal to Samuel. It broke back to Millar, who tried to pick his spot only for McLauchlan to block on the ground. Invincibile then had a go himself but his strike flew over the bar.
Ewan Moyes put pressure on his own side by slicing a clearance out for a corner with seven minutes left then Millar went for the wonder goal, shooting past the post from 35 yards.
Continued…