Aberdeen v Hibernian in the Scottish Cup

Aberdeen have met Hibernian on more than 30 occasions in the Scottish Cup, and on six previous occasions at the semi-final stage of the competition.

The Edinburgh side have won the three previous ties but despite this the Dons still just hold a superior record against the Easter Road side.

The most famous clash between the sides came in the 1947 final at Hampden. (70 years to the day – click here)

It was the first occasion Aberdeen had lifted the national trophy after a succession of disappointments in their formative years. The game will be remembered for a marvellous winning goal from Aberdeen’s Stan Williams, the South African forward scored an audacious goal from an acute angle to help Aberdeen to cup success.  That Hampden final was also the first after the end of World War II and it provided the springboard for further Aberdeen success in the 1950’s.

The first occasion the clubs met was in 1923 when Aberdeen went down 2-0 at Easter Road in a tense quarter final tie. A large Aberdeen contingent was present for the tie and they were hopeful that they could see Aberdeen take the tie back to Aberdeen at least. Aberdeen lost a goal in only 30 seconds and they never really recovered from that early setback. It was Hibernian forward Timm Dunn, later of ‘Wembley Wizard’ fame that hit the Dons hard. His first effort was superbly tipped on to the bar by Aberdeen keeper Blackwell, but the ball fell kindly to Dunn who eventually got the ball into the net. Aberdeen went further behind when Blackwell turned the ball into his own net from a Ritchie corner. The only consolation for Aberdeen that day was that they shared in a £900 gate, which compensated for the loss endured in their previous record-breaking win over Peterhead at Pittodrie.

A year later the teams battled out a marathon semi final tie at Dens Park in Dundee. In those days replayed ties were the norm and it took a second replay and third game to find the only goal of the tie which was scored by Hibernian forward Walker in the third meeting. In the first meeting a sensational save from Blackwell denied Dunn to take the tie into a second game. Neither side changed their line up for the replay but it was Aberdeen who dominated throughout. Jock Hutton almost put Aberdeen through to the final when his ferocious drive was saved by Harper. Aberdeen also had to carry on with winger Smith injured and he was a passenger for most of the game as he limped his way through the match on the wing. Had it not been for his injury the Dons would surely have prevailed. In the second replay it was a controversial winner from walker that was hotly disputed by the Aberdeen players. Their complaint was over a blatant hand ball by Dunn as he blocked an attempted clearance that allowed Walker to scramble the ball over the line. Referee Dougray was not interested and awarded the goal.

A year later Aberdeen gained some revenge by winning a first round tie 2-0 at Easter Road. The prolific Tom Pirie scored both Aberdeen goals to send the Dons through to a clash with Armadale. Eight years later it took another replay to separate the sides when they clashed in 1933. After a 1-1 draw at Pittodrie, Hibernian went through following a 1-0 win in the Edinburgh return.

Ironically the clubs were paired together in the cup on three consecutive years in the 1920’s and that was repeated in the 1930’s.

After the Dons defeat in 1933, Aberdeen won at Easter Road a year later with Andy Love scoring the winner. In 1935 another three games were required to split the sides in another marathon 3rd round clash. Aberdeen again lost out in a second replay at Easter Road despite two goals from Matt Armstrong; Aberdeen went down 3-2 after 0-0 and 1-1 draws at Pittodrie and Easter Road respectively. Aberdeen had lost the toss for choice of venue for the deciding second replay.

While the 1947 success was a significant one for Aberdeen, it was also perhaps as important for Hibernian as it was another final that they had lost and their Scottish Cup hoodoo has remained ever since. As Hibernian have not won the cup since 1902 a year before Aberdeen were formed the nearest they came was in 1979 after they had knocked Aberdeen out of the semi final. They went down to Rangers in a second replay in the Hampden final. In 1947 it was rather more clear-cut as Aberdeen thoroughly deserved to win the game even after losing a shocking goal in the first minute. Aberdeen could even afford the luxury of a missed penalty from George Hamilton as they went on to dominate the game and were worth winners. The thousands of Aberdeen citizens that turned out to greet their heroes’ homecoming showed just how much that victory had meant to all concerned.

In 1948 Hibernian gained some revenge by knocking Aberdeen as holders, out of the cup in a 4-2 win in Edinburgh. When Aberdeen reached consecutive sup finals in 1953 and 1954, they knocked out Hibernian in both seasons. In 1953 Hibernian had set their sights on a league and cup double, but Aberdeen had become cup specialists back then and were a match for any side on their day. More than 7,000 Aberdeen fans made the trip south and the Dons were unlucky not to see off Hibernian at the first time of asking and had to settle for a 1-1 draw. Pittodrie was no place for any visiting cup side looking to survive. 42,000 crammed into the ground for the replay and a goal in each half from George Hamilton gave Aberdeen a deserved win and route to the semi final.

Aberdeen winger Jackie Hather was supposed to have not been fit enough to take his place in the Dons side for the trip to face Hibernian in the cup in February 1955. Hibernian only discovered Hather was playing minutes before kickoff. Inside seven minutes the Aberdeen winger had put Aberdeen two up and they went on to win 3-1 to again eliminate a Hibernian side thought to have been the best around at the time. Hather epitomised what Aberdeen were all about back then and Aberdeen were one of the toughest sides around and never knew when they were beaten.

Three years later a sensational tie at Easter Road once again went in Aberdeen’s favour in a thrilling 4-3 win. Incredibly Aberdeen raced into a 4-0 lead after only 35 minutes, the Dons whirlwind start had the home side in tatters. However a spirited reply from Hibernian saw Aberdeen hanging on at the end in what was a marvellous football occasion for the 27,300 crowd. Willie Ormond almost brought the teams level in a pulsating finish but his shot came back off the post in the last minute and Aberdeen were through to the 6th round.

In 1964 Aberdeen recorded their highest ever win over Hibernian in the cup with a 5-2 win at Pittodrie. Don Kerrigan and a young Ernie Winchester scored two goals each as Aberdeen raced into a four goal lead. Hibernian did claw back the deficit but by the time Winchester scored his second goal the visitors were a well beaten side. Inconsistent as Aberdeen were back then, they sensationally went out of the cup in the third round when they were beaten by lowly Ayr United after scraping past amateurs Queens Park.

Eddie Turnbull was a former Hibernian player who went on to manage Aberdeen in 1965 and transform the club in so many ways. In 1967 he took his new-look Aberdeen side to face Hibernian at Easter Road in a quarter final tie. An ill-tempered affair ended with a late equaliser from Jimmy ‘Jinky’ Smith as the Dons took the tie back to Pittodrie. Turnbull questioned his old teams approach to the game and promised that Hibernian would receive ‘one hell of a welcome’ at Pittodrie for the replay. The Aberdeen support turned out in their thousands as a midweek record attendance of 44,000 filled every corner (and floodlight) of Pittodrie. Safety fears were raised when some intrepid fans made it on to the roof of the Beach End. Turnbull’s ‘Tornadoes’ responded in style as they swept aside Hibernian in a 3-0 win to reach the semi finals. It was an electric atmosphere at the ground as the Dons support made sure that Pittodrie was an unforgiving venue to visit.

Aberdeen would go on and clashed with Hibernian on five occasions at the semi final stage in 1979, 1986, 1993, 2000 and 2012. In 1979 when a poor crowd at Hampden did not match the occasion. Steve Archibald scored for Aberdeen but it was not enough on the night as Hibernian went through to meet Rangers in the final.

When Aberdeen won the Scottish and European Cup Winners Cups in 1983, the Dons came up against Hibernian at Easter Road in the opening defence of their cup in January. Aberdeen raced into a two-goal lead and by the time Andy Watson ran the length of the Easter Road slope to put Aberdeen 3-1 ahead, the Dons had totally broken the Hibernian resolve. That win set Aberdeen up for another Hampden success in what was a momentous season.

In 1986 Aberdeen won both domestic cups as they continued to dominate the game in Scotland during that time. Alex Ferguson’s final trophy for Aberdeen was the Scottish Cup that year and the Dons comfortably eased past Hibernian in a Dens Park semi final win. Goals from Billy Stark, Joe Miller and Eric Black had Aberdeen on their way to Hampden once more. In 1993 the sides again clashed at the semi final stage and on that occasion a Scott Booth goal at Tynecastle was enough to put Aberdeen through to the final against Rangers at Parkhead.

In 1997 it was Aberdeen hero Jim Leighton who actually defied the Dons in a Pittodrie replay. Playing for Hibernian before returning to Aberdeen for a second spell, the experienced keeper helped Hibernian to a penalty shoot out success at Pittodrie after the sides had drawn 2-2 at Easter Road and could not find a goal between them in the replay. Three years later a memorable goal from former Hibernian player Andy Dow gave Aberdeen a 2-1 win over Hibernian at Hampden as the Dons reached both domestic cup finals that season under Ebbe Skovdahl. (the 2000 semi final – click here)

The sides met again in the cup was in 2007. Despite Barry Nicholson scoring in both ties, Aberdeen were well beaten in the Easter Road replay after a thrilling 2-2 draw in the 3rd round tie at Pittodrie.

In 2012 the clubs once again met at the semi final stage. Garry O’Connor stabbed Hibs into a third-minute lead from close range and the Edinburgh side deservedly went into the break with their lead intact after a very poor Aberdeen performance. Rory Fallon’s fantastic looping volley squared the game after 59 minutes as reward for the Dons’ response but as the game heading into extra-time Griffiths slotted the winner with five minutes remaining, despite being in an offside position.

A year later Aberdeen had a chance for revenge at Easter Road but Gary Deegan’s excellent strike and Ben Williams’ late penalty save carried Hibernian past Aberdeen and into the quarter-finals of the Scottish Cup. Neither goalkeeper was troubled in a first half lacking in fluency. In the second period Deegan’s long-range effort broke the deadlock four minutes into the second half. The Dons piled on the pressure in the last 15 minutes and were awarded a spot-kick but Scott Vernon’s effort was kept out by Williams. The striker had just come on as a substitute. The Hibs keeper then went to make a number of very good saves late on.

For the record, the teams that afternoon four years ago were:

Hibernian: Williams, McGivern, Hanlon, McPake B, Maybury, Deegan (Robertson 86), Claros, Cairney, Wotherspoon (Done 71), Stevenson, Griffiths (Handling 89). Subs not used: Murdoch, Donaldson

Aberdeen: Langfield, Robertson, Anderson, Reynolds, Shaughnessy, Rae (Vernon 75), Milsom (Pawlett 59), McGinn, Hayes, Osbourne, Hughes. Subs not used: Twardzik, Magennis, Smith

Aberdeen v Hibernian | the complete Scottish Cup record

Date	Result	Round	Venue	Scorers	Att
24.4.1923	Hibernian 2:0 Aberdeen	QF	Easter Road		28,000
22.3.1924	Aberdeen 0:0 Hibernian	Semi F	Dens Park		20,000
26.3.1924	Aberdeen 0:0 Hibernian	S/ FRep	Dens Park		18,000
9.4.1924	Aberdeen 0:1 Hibernian	S/FRep	Dens Park		12,000
24.1.1925	Hibernian 0:2 Aberdeen	1st	Easter Road	Pirie 2	20,000
4.2.1933	Aberdeen 1:1 Hibernian	2nd	Pittodrie	Beattie	16,262
8.2.1933	Hibernian 1:0 Aberdeen	2nd R	Easter Road		23,000
17.2.1934	Hibernian 0:1 Aberdeen	3rd	Easter Road	Love	25,600
23.2.1935	Aberdeen 0:0 Hibernian	3rd	Pittodrie		23,626
27.2.1935	Hibernian 1:1 Aberdeen	3rd R	Easter Road	Mills	21,000
4.3.1935	Hibernian 3:2 Aberdeen	3rd 2R	Easter Road	Armstrong 2	22,943
26.4.1947	Aberdeen 2:1 Hibernian	Final	Hampden	Hamilton, Williams	82,140
21.2.1948	Hibernian 4:2 Aberdeen	3rd	Easter Road	Harris, Pearson	37,000
14.3.1953	Hibernian 1:1 Aberdeen	4th	Easter Road	Rodger	47,585
18.3.1953	Aberdeen 2:0 Hibernian	4th Rep	Pittodrie	Hamilton 2	41,880
27.2.1954	Hibernian 1:3 Aberdeen	3rd	Easter Road	Buckley, Hather 2	47,682
2.2.1957	Hibernian 3:4 Aberdeen	5th	Easter Road	Leggat, Yorston, Wishart 2	27,300
11.1.1964	Aberdeen 5:2 Hibernian	1st	Pittodrie	Kerrigan2, Winchester2,Hume	15,000
11.3.1967	Hibernian 1:1 Aberdeen	QF	Easter Road	Smith	37,200
22.3.1967	Aberdeen 3:0 Hibernian	QF Rep	Pittodrie	Winchester 2, Storrie	44,000
18.3.1972	Hibernian 2:0 Aberdeen	QF	Easter Road		25,936
11.4.1979	Hibernian 2:1 Aberdeen	Semi F	Hampden	Archibald	9,837
29.1.1983	Hibernian 1:4 Aberdeen	3rd	Easter Road	Simpson,McGhee,Weir,Watson	14,289
5.4.1986	Aberdeen 3:0 Hibernian	Semi F	Dens Park	Stark, Black, J Miller	19,165
3.4.1993	Aberdeen 1:0 Hibernian	Semi F	Tynecastle	Booth	21,413
23.1.1997	Hibernian 2:2 Aberdeen	3rd	Easter Road	Booth, Dodds	9,588
28.1.1997	Aberdeen 0:0 Hibernian	3rdRep	Pittodrie	+ lost on pens	15,464
9.4.2000	Aberdeen 2:1 Hibernian	Semi F	Hampden	Stavrum, Dow	22,632
10.1.2007	Aberdeen 2:2 Hibernian	3rd	Pittodrie	Brewster, Nicholson	7,905
18.1.2007	Hibernian 4:1 Aberdeen	3rdRep	Easter Road	Nicholson	11,375
14.4.2012	Aberdeen 2:1 Hibernian	Semi F	Hampden	Fallon	28,278
3.2.2013	Hibernian 1:0 Aberdeen	5th	Easter Road		11,877

 

	P	W	D	L	F	A
Pittodrie	7	3	3	1	13	5
Easter Road	16	5	4	7	24	27
Neutral	9	4	2	3	10	8
Total	32	12	9	11	47	40