This version of the same old tale has a slightly different wrinkle. Monsieur Platini, as part of his quest to bring some fire back to the domestic cups (one I generally agree with) has set up the new, rebranded Europa League (sigh) with the cup winners getting the best of each nation’s placements. While the fourth place finisher in the league will enter in the second qualifying round, and the third place finisher will enter in the third, Falkirk, win or lose, will enter the competition in the so-called playoff round, along with 15 dropouts from the Champions League and the survivors from the previous qualifiers. They will start only one round away from the group stages.

I won’t spend too much time whining about the coefficient and how bad this decision has been for it. Good luck to the Bairns in their first-ever European berth. I hate to see losers rewarded, so for me, I’ll be rooting them on for their third Scottish Cup win on May 30th. Rangers have 32 Scottish Cups in their case at Ibrox, and who would even notice another?

But before the post-split season begins and we sort out the winners and losers of SPL 2008-09, we need to decide who will be headed to Hampden for the Scottish Cup final. Here are the semifinal fixtures:

Saturday 25 April: Rangers v. St. Mirren
Sunday 26 April: Falkirk v. Dunfermline

All in all, Rangers couldn’t have asked for much more. An opponent fighting relegation in the semis (albeit one that stung them earlier in the season, and beat Celtic to get here), and then a final against either the last-placed team in the SPL or a First Division club with an unreasonable knack for making it to Cup finals.

Once the semis are over, I’ll be back to talk about the remaining SPL fixtures, and the race for the title at the top, and survival at the bottom. Both are far from decided. Enjoy the games.

Before anyone complains about use of public funds, the money isn’t coming from public coffers. It’s all down to a gift of 1 million pounds from former Celtic director Willie Haughey.

“The generosity of Willie Haughey has made The Scottish Cup a prize that every Scot, at home and abroad, and every friend of Scotland has a share in,” said Scottish First Minister Alex Salmond.

As one of those Scots abroad (or friends of Scotland, depending on your definitions), I’d like to thank Haughey for his gift. At least for the next few years, the Scottish Cup, the second-oldest knockout competition in the world next to the FA Cup down south, belongs to the people of Scotland in not only spirit but also in name. Well done, Willie.

The crowd of 24,000 at Hampden Park only had to wait just over 20 minutes for the first goal, a bullet from the foot of one Steve Tosh that jarred awake Dons fans from their dreams of an easy win. Things evened out before the interval, with Aberdeen defender Andrew Considine netting a lovely header past his Scotland U-21 teammate Jamie McDonald in the Queens goal. The second half started even more quickly, with Queens’ Paul Burns netting just four minutes in, taking advantage of a Derek Soutar parry and slotting home the rebound. Keeping the support on their toes, it was Barry Nicholson just four minutes later. Then Queens were ahead again just three minutes after that … and a second goal from Considine equalled things up for the third time, just three minutes after THAT. Refusing to be caught by their SPL opponents, Queens had one more goal in them, a 60th minute laser from John Stewart, just a minute after Considine’s last equalizer. Five goals in eleven minutes. One has to wonder if such a barrage would have been allowed if Aberdeen’s first-choice keeper Jamie Langfield was between the posts instead of Soutar. For the last half hour, there were desperate attacks from Aberdeen, but the Doonhamers held strong and will now head to their first Scottish Cup final ever.

On a note that might end up being a sad one for fans of the SPL in Europe, Queen of the South are now poised on the edge of European qualification. If Rangers win their quarterfinal replay, then beat St. Johnstone in their semi, Queens will get the spot as Cup runner up. This is exactly the sort of situation Scotland wanted to avoid, another second-tier team making it to Europe without even having to win the Cup. But UEFA says we have no choice in it, and we have to hope that if they make it, they have better success than Cup runners up Gretna a few years back.

This game essentially spells the end of Aberdeen’s run for back-to-back seasons in Europe. To return to the UEFA Cup now, they would have to jump from sixth to third in the league, overcoming a Motherwell side that is eight points ahead of them with two games in hand, with only five matches left to play themselves. It’s not statistically impossible, but it’s probably not going to happen, not with teams like Hibs also vying for that spot. So, we’ll have to wait at least one more year for another Cup run from the boys in red.

The first half was a cagey affair, with neither side getting many clear looks. Damon Grey of Partick probably had the best chance of the half with an early shot that could only be parried away by Allan McGregor. After a scoreless first half, it was Partick Thistle that got on the board first, with Grey taking a ball in from Grant Harkins and chipping it perfectly over McGregor. However, the celebration didn’t last long, as it was only a few minutes later when Boyd continued his recent scoring run in classic Kris Boyd form, taking advantage of a defensive mistake to slot in a winner. He’s a true poacher, that one. I only hope he still has that eye for goal in one week when Scotland take on Croatia.

Now, the replay will head back to Firhill, where Partick will feel even more confident, but if Rangers get back some of their ailing players, like Chris Burke and Lee McCulloch, it might be that much harder.

On the other hand, the Dons’ league performances have been mediocre, and sometimes much worse than that. After finishing last season in third, their route to that UEFA Cup run, they now sit in eighth place in the SPL, ten points below third place Hibernian with eight league matches remaining, and that’s been after a fairly good run of play in March. Still, realistically, their one route back to Europe this season looked to be the Scottish Cup, and after drawing with Celtic and forcing a replay at Celtic Park, it seemed a long route indeed. But, as Celtic Offside’s Matt sadly reported today, Darren Mackie’s second-half strike was enough to get the Dons past Celtic, 1-0, to book a place in the semis.

A look at the five teams left in the Scottish Cup invites some comparisons to the English FA Cup this season, with names like Queen of the South and Partick Thistle subbing in for Barnsley and Cardiff. Aberdeen and Rangers are the only two top flight teams left, and they are separated until the final. That means that if Aberdeen beat Queen of the South to reach the final, and if Rangers make it past Partick and then St. Johnstone, Aberdeen will get back to the UEFA Cup, regardless of the outcome of the match.

I’ve been a big opponent of this policy, and of UEFA’s insistence at its continuation, for a long time. The SFA has appealed to be able to award its second UEFA Cup spot to the fourth team in the league if a Champions League bound team wins the Cup, rather than to the Cup runner up. However, for now, that’s the rule, and Aberdeen might be the beneficiaries of it. I’m personally hoping they are, not only because I like the Dons and their chances to do well in Europe, but also because I don’t want to see another second-tier team represent Scotland in the UEFA Cup, as Gretna did a few years ago.

If Hibs can hold on to third in the league, I’m actually pretty happy with the potential SPL entry into Europe next season. Celtic, Rangers, Hibs and Aberdeen. That’s a strong foursome. Still a long way to go before then, though. Stay tuned.

In the other match of the day, Celtic and Aberdeen clashed at Pittodrie over the second semifinal spot and the right to face Queen of the South for a place in the final. As expected, it was nothing like the thrashing Celtic handed the Dons on their last visit to Aberdeen, with both sides playing fairly evenly in the early minutes. Lee Miller found the back of the net immediately, but was offside, and Scott McDonald hit the post. As the first half came to a close, there were signs that Celtic was getting the upper hand, but still no goals. Last time Celtic came calling, it was Aiden McGeady who created all the chances, and young Irishman once again looked fantastic, putting beautiful crosses ahead of Jan Vennegor of Hesselink, only to see the big Dutchman miss them all. In the 78th minute, it was Jeffrey De Vischer who netted for the Dons, putting them up and giving the Pittodrie faithful hope of an upset. It stayed that way, as it so often does against Celtic, until the last minute.

I have sympathies here for Aberdeen. Last season, it was my Inverness Caley Thistle in this same situation. A few minutes to go, a 1-0 lead over Celtic for a place in the Scottish Cup semifinals. And that was when Jan Vennegor decided to score. Twice. This time, at least, Vennegor only knocked one in, a Samaras cross from about six yards out, to force a replay at Celtic Park. Considering the scoreline the last time this fixture was played, it’s not a bad result for Aberdeen, but I know how it feels to almost kill the giant, only to have it flip back on you at the last possible minute. As long of a shot as Aberdeen was at Pittodrie, the odds will be quite a bit longer in Glasgow.

So Rangers move on to a quarterfinal with Partick Thistle next week, and Aberdeen will follow Celtic home for a replay. Queen of the South remains the only side to have solidly booked a semifinal place, but both of the Old Firm sides made themselves much better candidates this weekend.

The moment of the match came late. With Dundee already down 1-0, they sent keeper Craig Samson across the pitch to field a corner, a gamble that perhaps had to be made, trailing in a knockout match in injury time, but one that would seal their fate. The corner broke to right back Ryan McCann, who took full advantage of Samson’s absence in goal, and pounded home a 70-yard goal. That’s right. Seventy. Yards.

Congratulations to McCann and the Doonhamers, for their first semifinal birth in the Cup since 1950. It’s been a great run. It won’t be an easy semi, though, as they’ll face the winner of tomorrow’s Aberdeen v. Celtic match. Either way, it’s a great glamour tie for them, and anything can happen in the Cup.

The other quarterfinal of the day finished 1-1 between St. Mirren and St. Johnstone, with Andy Dorman once again coming through with a late equalizer to keep the Buddies alive.

Queen of the South v. Dundee, Saturday 15:00
This is the one match that guarantees a lower-division side in the Cup semifinals, with First Division rivals Dundee and Queen of the South facing off in Dumfries. Dundee has been challenging for promotion all season, but the Doonhamers of QOS have had a much different season. After a poor start, they’ve come on strong, having lost only once so far in 2008, on January 2nd to league leaders Hamilton. They saw off Dundee 3-2 on their last meeting, and this should be a great rematch.

St. Johnstone v. St. Mirren, Saturday 15:00
The all-Saints quarter faces second-bottom SPL side St. Mirren against St. Johnstone, currently third in the First Division. The Buddies just barely got by Dundee United last round on a late Andy Dorman strike, and will be hoping to repeat this week, but Johnstone are on good form, winning three of their last four.

Rangers v. Hibernian, Sunday 15:00
The first match, Hibs held Rangers to a 0-0 draw at Easter Road, but now the fixture goes to Ibrox, where the last side to take an away victory was Lyon in the Champions League. Hibs won there earlier this season, but they know they face an uphill battle to do it again. Still, with four wins and a draw in February, new manager Mixu Paatelainen has Hibs players and supporters believing in miracles, and it should be a tight match.

Aberdeen v. Celtic, Sunday 12:45
The last time these two met, at Pittodrie in the league, Cup holders Celtic crushed the Dons 5-1. But that was back when Jimmy Calderwood had Europe on his mind. Now, after a disappointing few months in the league, he knows that the only way his side can repeat their fine European campaign this season is to qualify through the Cup, and that means beating Celtic. The Dons are a tricky side, and Bayern Munich learned that on their night, they can challenge anyone. Look for this to be much closer than the previous meeting, even though I’d still tip Celtic, who could be looking at their only trophy of the season in this competition.

Whoever wins the Rangers-Hibs match will face Partick Thistle on March 19 for the last semifinal spot. It’s coming down to it now, and there’s a European spot up for dibs, as well as the chance to play at Hampden in May, one of the classic experiences in Scottish football. We’ll see if any of the mid-table pretenders to the throne can shake the Old Firm’s dominance, or if we’re setting up for another Glasgow derby.