Morton 0-2 Queen of the South

Feb 3 2008 Ewan Smith Reports

GOAL hero Sean O'Connor ended up plastered - and that was before he celebrated Queens' memorable march into the last eight.

The striker fired his side towards the quarters for the second successive year with a fine header in 47 minutes.

But his day was cut short after he suffered a nasty cut in a clash of heads - and he appeared afterwards looking like an extra from television's Casualty.

O'Connor was sporting a huge plaster over an eye wound that needed stitches.

And he admitted he couldn't remember the incident. He said: "I don't know what happened. I was defending a corner and three or four bodies crashed into each other.

"The next thing I knew I got up to see blood all over my hands. I went to the side and tried to stand up but my legs gave way. I knew there was something wrong and had to come off."

Sub John Stewart made sure of the win with a late second to ease O'Connor's pain. But it was Ton who showed first and they had appeals for a penalty turned down by ref Charlie Richmond when Andy Aitken appeared to handle.

Queens though were looking sharp on the counter-attack and almost bagged the opener in 13 minutes. Ryan McCann played in Stevie Tosh and his drive squirmed through the hands of David McGurn before Stewart Greacen got back to boot off the line.

Paul Burns, Stephen Dobbie and O'Connor (right) also came close before the break - but Queens' pressure paid off in 47 minutes.

Full-back Robert Harris' corner found O'Conner who powered in a header.

Ton tried to find a way back but struggled to make any impact on the well-organised Queens defence. When they did carve out a couple of late openings keeper Jamie McDonald denied them.

He held a long-range effort from Scott McLaughlin before making a double block to foil Peter Weatherson and Jim McAllister.

Stewart sealed Queens' passage near the end, firing home from 18 yards afterMcGurn could only parry a Burns shot.

Queens boss Gordon Chisholm said: "Some people would like us to draw an Old Firm club and grab a pay day but I'd rather have a home tie and a chance of making the semi-finals."

Cappielow gaffer Jim McInally said: "The result is a massive disappointment."