While Neil Lennon and his senior squad chase a historic treble, his young guns are planning to join in the fun with the league and cup well within their reach after a resounding 4-1 victory at Pittodrie.

It was a case of penalties in the North-east, with two going the way of Celtic while the Dons were denied what they felt was rightly theirs, but the league champions and holders were well worthy of their win.

Dundee United, St Mirren and Queen of the South stand in their way of a return to Hampden to defend the trophy they held aloft last year, but Celtic coach John Kennedy knows his side are performing on a different level just now, with goals hitting the net at one end, and a new found resilience at the other.

"We knew it was going to be tough coming up to Aberdeen," said Kennedy. "We found it tough coming up in the league, we knew what to expect.

This surely had to be the first time two sides played each other on three separate occasions in one weekend. Queen of the South faced Ayr United on Saturday in Division one and the Under 17’s and 19’s took on each other in their respective Youth Cup quarter-finals on the Sunday. The Under 19’s match was moved to Raydale Park in Gretna to keep the Palmerston pitch in good condition for the return of Aberdeen in the Scottish Cup on Tuesday.

Out of the three games it is almost a guarantee that this match had the best goals as Queen of the South edged Ayr United 2-1 to progress to the semi-final of the Scottish F.A Youth Cup. Ayr United took the lead through a stunning free-kick from Mark Shankland who will be wondering if he will ever hit a ball as sweetly again. However less than ten minutes later it was Queens midfielder Patrick Slattery’s turn to grab the headlines with his free-kick. His effort thundered in off the post to level the game. The Doonhamers missed a big chance to go ahead when they missed a penalty but Slattery got his second just after half time and that goal proved to be decisive as the Palmerston club progress to the semis.

The game kicked off and the “local derby” did not take long in getting going. Four minutes into the game and the rivalry brought its first caution. Sam Atkinson brought down Ayr’s Roddy Patterson just outside the box. To add to Atkinson’s frustration at being yellow carded United took the lead through the subsequent free-kick. Mark Shankland hit the ball so well, right into the top right hand corner, and so hard that Queens keeper Jim Atkinson had absolutely no chance.  

St Mirren forward Jon Scullion proved that size doesn’t matter as the smallest player on the park claimed a double to help his side into the semi-final of the Scottish Youth Cup, writes Matthew Harold from St Mirren Park.

 

DUNDEE UNITED progressed to the semi-finals of the Scottish Youth Cup by virtue of a thrilling win over Livingston, writes Michael Donnelly at Tannadice.