With Marvin Bartley observing from the stand, Grant Murray again took charge of the side for the quarter final cup tie at home to Kelty Hearts. The starting line-up had four changes to the side that faced Alloa at the weekend, Max Currie returned from his foot injury in goal, while there were also starts for Rico Quitongo, Kieran McKechnie and Michael Ruth. With Max back, Charlie Cowie dropped to the bench. The others dropping out were Ruari Paton and Ross Irving who were amongst the substitutes and Paul McKay who was still suffering from a hefty challenge on Saturday.
In wet and windy conditions, it was a fairly scrappy first half, although the visitors did almost open the scoring when Alfredo Agyeman fired a powerful right foot shot off the inside of the post. For Queens Calvin McGrory hit a right foot shot from outside the box before Michael Ruth had an effort deflected onto the roof of the net. Chances were at a premium, but Michael Tidser kept it low as he dragged one wide of the upright for the visitors and as the ball was slipped through by McGrory to Ruth the striker hit the side netting. The final chance of the first half came for Queens as McGrory set himself up to hit a right foot shot from the edge of the box but he hit it straight at the keeper.
HALF-TIME: Queens 0 Kelty Hearts 0
The game did improve after the break and Lewis Gibson did well at the by-line to get the ball across but Jamie Barjonas put enough pressure on McGrory so he couldnt get the shot away. On the hour mark, McGrory made a great run forward, skipping a few challenges on route to the box but his final ball was blocked.
Midway through the second half, Lee Connelly and Gavin Reilly came off the bench and within two minutes made an impact. The former made a good run through the middle before slipping it wide to the latter, but his shot was turned out for a corner. As Queens took control of the game, they put Darren Jamieson under pressure with a string of corners. McGrory found Dave McKay at the front post with one, but as the defender tried to fire it into the net, defender, Jordon Forster took the ball full force in the face.
With fifteen minutes left, Josh Todd did have the ball in the net, finishing McGrorys cross but the flag was up for offside. The best chances of the game came in the closing stages, but Queens were denied twice in the space of a minute by Jamieson. Firstly, the keeper somehow got down to save from Connelly after a well worked move. Connelly started it with a good ball wide to Ciaran McKenna and as he played it back in, Reilly laid it off for Connelly, who hit it well, but it was met by a good save. The keeper then saved again this time, making a stop from Lewis Gibson.
It wasnt a classic cup tie, so after a goal less 90 minutes it was straight to penalties. Both sides converting their first two, Reilly and Ruari Paton for Queens, Tidser and Barjones for Kelty. The first miss of the shootout was from Connelly as he fired Queens third spot kick high over the bar. But as Max Currie saved from Kyle Doherty and McNab, either side of Todds finish, McGrory scored the decisive kick to see the home side into the semi-finals 4-2 on penalties.
Following Hamiltons 3-2 victory over Clyde, we will now face Accies in the last four next month.
FULL TIME: Queens 0 Kelty Hearts 0 (Queens win 4-2 on penalties)