KDM Evolution Trophy semi-finals

Details confirmed for the last-four ties

Tuesday 24 February
Ayr United v Inverness Caledonian Thistle
Live on BBC ALBA, kick-off 7.30pm
 
Wednesday 25 February
Airdrieonians v Raith Rovers
Live on BBC ALBA, kick-off 7.30pm

In the event of a draw after 90 minutes, semi-final ties will be determined by penalty kicks

Quite a game at Falkirk Stadium with St Johnstone equalising in the 94th minute to draw 3-3 and take it to pens. Ayr win the shootout 5-4…

44 minutes ago, Yngwie said:

We truly are spoiled. In Ayr’s >100 years of history they have never won a cup, and since they last reached a final in 2001/02, we have reached 8 finals!

Now there's a good statistic!

Magnificent

Doubled our hit the target success rate from 22% on Saturday to 45%. Going in the right direction.

For me last night the penny finally dropped. I have seen the light. Hallelujah.

Seeing all the championship teams at Dingwall this season I have realised we are a very decent team and it is RC who are making teams look better than they are. We just can’t beat stenny😀

Was planning kelty on Saturday, maybe would have plucked up the courage to introduce myself to mr mantis but my daughter who sponsors both grandsons academy teams has put my name down for the sponsors hospitality day. Other one in march.

So will have to eat their food, drink their beer, watch the rovers, maybe they will make the final.

Ps….. smile on my face this morning as I said in other threads that it was time for mackinnon and alonge to have a run in the team. Alonge height is a bonus in both boxes.

Well done to the guys.

10 hours ago, Caleyjag said:

Date not confirmed, either last weekend in March or first weekend in April. McDiarmid makes the most sense so it will be somewhere like Berwick 😂

St Johnstone are at home to Queens Park at 1pm on the 28th March .......

First weekend in April is Easter. Don't know if that makes a difference, for or against.

It wouldn’t surprise me if it’s played on Sunday 29 March given Scotland play the previous evening.

Either way, Queen of the South at home on 27 March or Peterhead away on 4 April will have to be moved.

10 hours ago, Yngwie said:

We truly are spoiled. In Ayr’s >100 years of history they have never won a cup, and since they last reached a final in 2001/02, we have reached 8 finals!

I have another fascinating stat for you

Ayr United had a semi. They replaced a Bonnar with a Dick.

Noticed that Falkirk has been the venue for the last 3 finals - they have availability on both weekends. KDM HQ based near Dunfermline. Dunfermline play Airdrieonians away on the 28th!!

Depends who's in it. Almost every time either ICT or RC have been in the final it's been in Perth (the one exception being 1999/00).

Raith are our final opponents.

The final is on Sunday 5 April at 1610 at Firhill (!), live on BBC Alba.

A really poor decision given the finalists are from Inverness and Kirkcaldy.

Dreadful decision. Pittodrie would have been a good good choice being roughly equidistant from Inverness and Kirkcaldy. I suppose we are meant to be grateful it is not going to be at Palmerston.

Not what we would have chosen

below is copied from CTO Kelty preview

The KDM Trophy Final against Raith Rovers will be held at the 'NEUTRAL' venue of Firhill, Glasgow. For the removal of any doubt, that is FIRHILL PARK, GLASGOW. That's 58 miles from Starks Park and 170 miles from the Caledonian Stadium. Surely Perth was a better option? The final will go ahead at the Wyre Stadium at Firhill on Sunday April 5 and will be shown live on BBC ALBA, kick-off 4.10pm. Strewth!!!

That’s 💩

Perth was out of the question due to the state of their pitch especially as they play on it the day before. Fairly sure this comp' can't use SPL grounds so that ruled out the Dundee's and Aberdeen. Falkirk or East End Park would have been the ideal choice but this is the SPFL we're talking about here. Clowns. No doubt this choice has been made so that the BBC Alba camera's and crew don't have to travel too far. And a 4.10p.m. ko is another kick in the nads with no train back to Inverness,

We wouldn't want our merry wee band to be rattling round a big empty stadium...

Surely Dingwall was the perfect 'neutral' venue for this tie!?

Thinking about it more, Raith’s pitch is plastic so we’d be wanting the game played on a grass surface. That would rule out Falkirk.

As said above, St Johnstone would be ruled out due to the weather issues caused to the pitch, whilst Dunfermline would not be an option as they’d not want Raith playing a final at their ground, and I’m sure the Police would not sanction that either.

Aberdeen, Dundee and Dundee United have similar problems to St Johnstone (and not options anyway if top league grounds cannot be used) so Firhill is probably one of few stadia that are large enough, grass and have a willing host.

We’ve had good weekends in Glasgow before too!

Are you sure premier league grounds can't be used? Perth has been used previously when St Johnstone were a premier league team.

Possibly the cost of a hiring/staffing a Premier League stadium would be prohibitive - Pittodrie would be ideal otherwise and we could try and put back the temporary sign we had above the entrance in 2004...

I was looking forward to a cup final but the timing late on a Sunday all the way to Glasgow is the worst possible for our fans. I like many other Inverness supporters will just be watching this one on TV which is disappointing after the club doing so well in this competition.

54 minutes ago, DoofersDad said:

Are you sure premier league grounds can't be used? Perth has been used previously when St Johnstone were a premier league team.

Don’t know. I picked that up in this thread. That said, Aberdeen, Dundee and Dundee United would all likely decline any request to host it given the pounding their grounds have taken in the weather we fortunately missed.

With the game still 6 weeks away, you'd think a lot of the weather damaged pitches will have improved as spring arrives.

33 minutes ago, robbylad said:

With the game still 6 weeks away, you'd think a lot of the weather damaged pitches will have improved as spring arrives.

Not sure theyd take that chance?

It is what it is. At least on grass. However as always TV calls the tune it seems

The new concept of the KDM Trophy was going very well until.....supporters were basically stopped from attending the stadium where their teams were playing the final!!

Raith are not as disadvantaged as our supporters but they will still need to negotiate parking on Easter Sunday or using less public transport options. Quite a few people will be on holiday taking younger supporters away during school holidays. Does the BBC not care?

What message is that to send around the world about being fair to supporters?