If Hibernian had not ended an epic, 114‑year wait for Scottish Cup success last May, this kind of semi-final conclusion would have led onlookers to suspect a curse. Instead, the ovation as afforded to the Edinburgh club’s players in such painful defeat to Aberdeen acknowledged recent glory and a stirring recovery in this semi-final.

Aberdeen have endured a curious gap of their own, of 27 since they took delivery of the Scottish Cup and 17 without reaching the final. The latter wait at least now over. Celtic or Rangers will lie in wait on 27 May.

From the 86th minute of a pulsating semi-final, matters took a turn for the extraordinary. Jonny Hayes attempted a long-range shot which could barely have carried less threat before catching the back of Darren McGregor’s knee and bouncing into the Hibs net. Aberdeen were entitled to their jubilation; nobody remembers how semi-finals are won.

This was to prove the crucial match moment but not the last one of note. The Hibs goalkeeper, Ofir Marciano, saw a header smartly saved on the dying act of the game. Neil Lennon, the Edinburgh club’s manager, subsequently swatted aside any notion that bad luck was the pertinent feature here. In short, Lennon was livid that his players had earlier afforded Aberdeen a two-goal start.

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“I don’t need your commiserations,” said Lennon in the opening gambit of an extraordinary press conference. “Gallant losers are losers. They’ll get no accolades from me. Maybe from the punters but not from me. They should have won the game, it’s not good enough.”

Lennon branded his team’s opening to the semi-final as “pathetic” with only two players, Marvin Bartley and Dylan McGeouch, spared criticism. “The rest of them looked like the boy band they’ve been for the last three or four years,” the Northern Irishman said.

In calm reflection, one hopes Lennon recognises what a positive contribution Hibs made. And this was an unforeseen one after an utterly disastrous start.

Just 11 seconds had passed when Adam Rooney fired Aberdeen ahead. Hibs, in proving why playing backwards straight from kick-off can be a dicey game, gave Rooney that opportunity on a plate as McGregor horribly botched a pass to Efe Ambrose.

The goal had dual impact; Aberdeen were bullish with Hibs disjointed. What seemed a vital second goal given the early gulf between the sides was claimed by Ryan Christie, from a clever free-kick which suitably deceived Marciano at his near post. Lennon’s response was the removal of Fraser Fyvie – in truth, the Hibs manager could have permed any one from seven – with the veteran striker Grant Holt introduced. It was to prove an inspired move, Holt heading a terrific Martin Boyle cross home to haul his team back into the game before playing a key role in the equaliser.

McGeouch drove brilliantly from midfield before playing a one-two with Holt and slamming the ball beyond Joe Lewis. On the hour, and from the earlier brink of elimination, Hibs were carrying all momentum. Aberdeen’s swagger had regressed into a quiver.

Hayes, who had been quiet until that point, should of course be praised for attempting the 25-yard shot which triggered Aberdeen’s winner. Nonetheless, the scale of the deflection was what rendered Marciano helpless.

“It was a cruel way for Hibs to lose but we’ll take it,” said Aberdeen’s manager, Derek McInnes. “I think we deserve that because of how hard we have worked.”

Not lost on McInnes is Aberdeen’s dismal showing in losing the League Cup final to Celtic earlier in the season. That harrowing Hampden experience appears to be adding to Aberdeen motivation.

“I felt after the last final we had some making up to do,” McInnes said. “We’ve done it through our league form since the turn of the year but to reach a second Cup final in a season for an Aberdeen team who could hardly get to one final for many years, I’m so pleased.

“Semis are all about getting through. Hopefully we can learn from the experiences we’ve had, certainly the last time we were here when it was the most sobering. There’s nothing worse when you know you haven’t turned up – we spoke in the dressing room after that game that the only way to feel better about this result is immediately getting back to a final. It’s only by revisiting finals, familiarising yourself with them, that you get used to them.”

As Aberdeen pray for an alternative outcome, Hibs seemed to take solace at previously enjoying the very same.