Archives | Dunfermline 0 Falkirk 0
Dunfermline Athletic went through to their first Scottish Cup Final in 19 years after beating their rivals Falkirk 4-2 on penalties after neither team could find the net in 120 minutes of football.
Dunfermline and Falkirk locked horns but this time on neutral soil. The National Stadium was the venue for the semi-final of the Scottish Gas Scottish Cup which attracted large numbers of fans from both sides of the Kincardine Bridge both hoping that they would be returning for the final on 23rd May.
When the teams were announced it was a relief for Dunfermline fans that the players reported to have been carrying injuries were fit to play. Both Jeremiah Chilokoa-Mullen and Andrew Tod made the starting eleven and doubt Tashan Oakley-Boothe made the subs bench. Of the recently played, only Freddie Turley missed out and he was out on the pitch pre-match on crutches after rolling his ankle in midweek.
From the Falkirk team that lost 6-3 to Rangers the previous Sunday in came Leon McCann and 22 year old Connor Allan `“ his first start since 4th February. Captain Coll Donaldson was out injured and Keelan Adams was on the bench.
The sun came out as the teams emerged on to Hampden Park greeted by raucous welcomes from their respective supporters. Falkirk`s Finn Yeats kicked off defending the goal at the Toryglen east end of the stadium. The first opportunity fell to Dunfermline on two minutes. Chris Kane nodded on a ball headed from behind to put Callumn Morrison through on goal but he unfortunately blasted his right footed shot wide left.
Dunfermline would be happier with the opening period but both fans reacted loudly as possession was won by their favourites. After a surging run by Chilokoa-Mullen was halted, Morrison latched on to the ball, quickly moved it forward for Tod to cross and Kane was unlucky not to connect with the inviting cross.
Nurudeen Abdulai was shown a yellow card by referee John Beaton in 17th minute as Filip Lissah was tumbled 24 yards out on the right side. It was Lissah who connected from the free kick but his header cleared the bar. Aston Oxborough palmed a Falkirk cross out for the first corner of the afternoon and from that Tait got a shot in from 20 yards out but that was well high of the target.
Andrew Tod charged down a Scott Bain clearance and play halted as the 20 year old recovered from his clash with the 34 year old keeper. Calvin Miller forced a 25th minute corner on the left off Todd but the Pars man headed clear Miller`s setpiece delivery. Falkirk began to look more threatening. McCann launched a cross in from the left that Barney Stewart headed on target but into the hands of Oxborough. Then a cross from the right flew across the Pars six yard box that fortunately Finn Yeats could not get near. In 32 minutes a Miller cross worryingly travelled through from the other direction.
There was concern at this and the way the Bairns were being able to string passes together. There was a brief respite when a Liam Henderson foul on Kane enabled Todd to deliver a free kick into the Falkirk box from 35 yards out. That was missed by the attacking Pars defenders but the Pars kept up the pressure with their fans growing increasingly frustrated by lack of decisions from the referee. A sweeping cross field pass from Robbie Fraser allowed Tod to prod a nice pass into the right side of the box but Kane just couldn`t get to it.
The half ended with two Morrison runs that showed intent but unfortunately no end product. It had been a well contested and entertaining opening 45 minutes, Dunfermline starting well but Falkirk having their spell as well.
Half Time: Dunfermline 0 Falkirk 0
It was still anybody`s game as Dunfermline restarted through Alfons Amade attacking the goal at their supporters end. In the fourth minute of the half the Fifers support roared as a corner was won on the left. Todd`s cross was met by Kane`s header but unfortunately well off target. Falkirk`s early efforts saw several overhit passes but they earned a 56th minute corner. Stewart was the target but Ngwenya met the delivery sweetly to head clear.
Leon McCann was shown yellow as he hauled down Todd near the right corner flag and from the resultant free kick Ngwenya headed the ball back towards the penalty spot but Falkirk reacted fastest to clear. Next Gilmour picked out Todd on the right but again Falkirk dealt with the danger. It has been a good spell from the Pars and John McGlynn was the first manager to introduce a substitute when Kyrell Wilson replaced Finn Yates in 63 minutes.
Todd was switched to the left with Shea Kearney entering the tie for Dunfermline replacing Callumn Morrison as the match entered its final quarter. It was the Premier League`s sub who nearly made the difference, Wilson sped up the right to pick out Ben Broggio on the left and his low shot pinged wide right.
In 76 minutes Josh Cooper and Tashan Oakley-Boothe were brought on to take over from Alfons Amade and Chris Kane. Cooper forced a quick corner and delivered a shot but well off target. Lissah was yellow carded as he cut down Tod racing away after nice combination on the left between him and Fraser but Todd`s free kick was fisted away by keeper Bain.
Falkirk had begun to look a decidedly ragged and their attacks ineffective. Dunfermline hopes were raised when Fraser sent Todd away up the left in 87 minutes, his cut back to Cooper looked good but the ball got caught upon the Pars man`s feet.
Fourth official Duncan Nicolson raised the board to indicate a minimum of four added minutes. Chilokoa-Mullen was roared on as he steamed forward but from 30 yards out his cross for the free Matty Todd on the left was just too strong. It turned out to be five added minutes but there were no goals and so extra time followed.
Full Time: Dunfermline 0 Falkirk 0
Falkirk forced four corners in the first 12 minutes and the first period of extra time was all Falkirk`s until the final minute when a Kearney burst fed Oakley-Boothe on the right. The Englishman`s cross was a very near thing for Tod and the freshly introduced 17 year-old Lucas Fyfe but they failed to make contact in front of goal.
Half Time in extra time: Dunfermline 0 Falkirk 0
Chris Hamilton replaced Jeremiah Chilokoa-Mullen for the final 15 minutes and Wilson headed the next Falkirk chance wide. Then there was a great chance for Fyfe, he got the better of Allan to get in a shot that Bain got down to save.
Fyfe came even closer on 111 minutes when he hit the bar from an excellent Oakley-Boothe cross. At the other end sub Ethan Ross forced Oxborough to push the ball away for a corner on the right. From that Brian Graham headed perilously close but wide right. Cartwright clearly dived for a penalty and referee Beaton showed him a second yellow and so in 121st minute he was shown red. That however is where the match ended. Falkirk felt they had lacked quality in the final third. Dunfermline had battled really, really hard and defended well when necessary but penalties would follow to decide the winner.
Full Time after extra time: Dunfermline 0 Falkirk 0
Penalty Shoot Out at Falkirk end
Falkirk first to take
Brad Spencer hit left post 0-0
Josh Cooper scored high right 1-0
Liam Henderson shot to low right saved 1-0
Charlie Gilmour scores low right 2-0
Ben Parkinson ball sneaked under keeper 2-1
Chris Hamilton smashed home central 3-1
Filip Lissah low left scores 3-2
Tashan Oakley-Boothe scores 4-2
Dunfermline are through to the 2026 Scottish Cup Final!
DUNFERMLINE: Aston Oxborough: Jeremiah Chilokoa-Mullen (c) (Chris Hamilton HTxt), Nurudeen Abdulai, Kieran Ngwenya: Matthew Todd (Lucas Fyfe 101), Charlie Gilmour, Alfons Amade (Tashan Oakley-Boothe 76), Robbie Fraser: Andrew Tod, Chris Kane (Josh Cooper 76), Callumn Morrison (Shea Kearney 68)
SUBS NOT USED: Kyle Benedictus, Keith Bray, John Tod, Billy Terrell (GK)
YELLOW CARDS: Abdulai (17), Kane (36), Tod (84), Oakley-Boothe (110), Ngwenya (116)
FALKIRK: Scott Bain: Filip Lissah, Liam Henderson, Connor Allan (Lewis Neilson 110), Leon McCann: Brad Spencer (c), Dylan Tait (Henry Cartwright 102), Ben Broggio (Brian Graham HTxt), Finn Yeats (Kyrell Wilson 63), Calvin Miller (Ethan Ross 102), Barney Stewart (Ben Parkinson 83)
SUBS NOT USED: Ross MacIver, Keelan Adams, Nicky Hogarth (GK)
YELLOW CARDS: McCann (59), Lissah (80), Tait (96), Cartwright (115)
RED CARD: Cartwright (120+1)
REFEREE: John Beaton
ATTENDANCE: 25273
WEATHER: Fine 10°C
NEXT MATCH: William Hill Championship (home) v St Johnstone, Tuesday 21st April 2026, kick off at 7.45pm at KDM Group East End Park.
Dunfermline 0 Falkirk 0
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