Queens line-up |
Ten minutes elapsed before either goal was threatened. Queens' keeper, Colin Scott, scampered to his right-hand post as Charlie Adam fired in a left-foot drive from 35 yards and was relieved as the ball flashed past the post.
Adam curled another effort over the bar as Saints applied considerable pressure, but John O'Neill brought some relief, taking a David McNiven pass but firing straight at Chris Smith.
John Sutton headed over from Hugh Murray's cross, and Gary Wood intercepted a Lappin cross which was arrowing for the head of Sutton. Straight from the resultant Lappin corner, John Potter crashed a thrilling volley past Scott from 10 yards.
Chris Carr raced across the park to keep a wayward pass in play, but he stumbled over the touch-line and Murray, who had charged 30 yards, beat him to the ball and instigated another attack.
There was no respite for Queens after the break. Stewart Kean's cross was missed by John Sutton by inches, but Kean himself scored a second four minutes into the half. Lappin delivered another splendid corner kick for Kean to head strongly past Scott from eight yards.
Iain Scott changed his side's shape and Queens began to probe Saints' defences. O'Neill shot just pas the post, David McNiven fired over and Derek Lyle headed wide from Brian McLaughlin's cross.
Smith saved a Paul Burns drive, but Saints saw out time comfortably as they look forward to next Sunday's Bell's Cup Final.
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