For the second match in succession between the sides, Gus MacPherson’s men recorded a 2-1 victory at Rugby Park and again they had Stephen McGinn to thank for a substantial contribution.
The Scotland under-21 midfielder had scored both goals in that previous league win and embroidered another impressive performance last night with his side’s first goal.
That appeared to be enough to send St Mirren through, but the real drama was held back for the final five minutes of a competitive and compelling contest.
Kevin Kyle, who had been largely peripheral after a strong start, appeared to have taken the tie to extra-time with a powerful header that sailed past Paul Gallacher.
St Mirren, though, to their credit did not let their shoulders sag and instead found a way to win the tie all over again.
Some neat interaction between Michael Higdon and Steven Thomson created space for the latter to feed Andy Dorman and the Englishman atoned for an earlier miss by adding a calm finish past Mark Brown in the Kilmarnock goal.
Few could argue that they didn’t deserve it. Kilmarnock had collected plenty of plaudits, but not three points, following their plucky performance against Rangers at the weekend but were unable to reproduce much of that passion and fight on this occasion and can have little complaints about tumbling out of the cup.
St Mirren, in fairness, were not entirely gung-ho either and, while chances for them were also at a premium, they passed the ball about better and had in McGinn the game’s outstanding player.
Kyle had missed the last meeting between the sides and looked, initially, as if he was intent on making up for lost time. The visitors, though, soon grew wise to the ruse, cutting off the striker’s supply thus rendering him relatively redundant, although he would save his most telling contribution for the closing minutes when Kilmarnock looked dead and buried. Alas for him and his side, it was ultimately all for nothing.
Kyle had his moments in the early phases, too, fizzing in a left-wing cross that Jamie Hamill directed goalwards. The midfielder was offside when he made connection but that does not detract from the quality of the save made by Gallacher from close range.
The goalkeeper was left rooted to the spot later in the half when he was well beaten by a thundering Kyle header but on that occasion the post came to his rescue.
St Mirren, who had a half-hearted penalty claim waved aside after 40 seconds, grew in stature after Kilmarnock’s early pressure.
Led by the steady influence of Garry Brady and the willing running of McGinn in midfield, the visitors moved the ball smartly from back to front although, as has been the case with St Mirren for a few years now, they lacked any real menace in the opposition penalty box.
It took the emergence of Dorman as a second-half substitute to reinvigorate the visitors and breathe fresh life into a flagging contest.
Within a minute, the Englishman had fed Steven Thomson, whose shot was well blocked by Mark Brown, but the goalkeeper could do little when St Mirren moved in front just moments after.
The goal owed everything to the technique of McGinn, surprisingly overlooked in the voting for the Clydesdale Bank Premier League young player of the month for August.
Seizing possession just outside the Kilmarnock penalty box, the Scotland under-21 midfielder shifted the ball on to his right foot before thrashing in an unstoppable effort into the top left corner of the goal.
With Kilmarnock committing men to attack, St Mirren should have finished the game with a late second goal. Craig Dargo fed Dorman running free on goal but his attempted chip lacked the flight to beat Brown.
They would pay for their profligacy three minutes from the end of regulation time. Hamill’s cross found its way to Kyle and his header gave Gallacher little chance as it nestled in the top corner.
But it would be Dorman who would have the final say in the game’s dramatic denouement.
Kilmarnock (4-4-1-1) Brown; Old (Invincibile 84), O’Leary, Wright, Hay; Taouil, Hamill, Pascali (Fernandez 54), Bryson (Skelton 46); Sammon; Kyle. Subs: Bell, Flannigan Booked Pascali
St Mirren (4-4-2) Gallacher; Ross, Potter, Mair, Barron; Brady (Dorman 60), Murray, Thomson, McGinn; Mehmet, Dargo (Higdon 85). Subs: Howard, Brighton, Innes.
Booked Barron
Referee Dougie McDonald
