Match reporter: JOHN LAING

Thornton came flying out the traps in this King Cup semi-final and almost took an early lead through Daniel McBay but Murray Black enjoyed better fortune in the 7th minute to open the scoring.

Barely sixty seconds later Joe Kinninmonth skelped a reeker just wide then Shaun Keatings wasn't far away from doubling the Hibs advantage.

At this point it looked just a matter of how many goals Craig Gilbert's side would win by however the game turned on its head in the 26th minute after Stuart Drummond was ordered-off for a 'last man challenge' on Ben Ragan.

Jamie Mackie sent the resultant free-kick just wide but he was to enjoy better fortune later in the game.

The Hibs suffered another blow five minutes before half-time after Keir Allan had to go off with a bad leg injury then seconds before the half-time whistle sounded Jayden Donald might feel he should've equalised as he knocked Ragan's low cross past the post when it looked easier to score.

There's no doubt that the Perth outfit held the upper hand in the second-half and so it was no real surprise when Mackie headed home Ben Ramage's cross in the 65th minute to level affairs.

Two minutes from time Kinninmonth came close to nicking it for the Hibs then in added time Macaulay Jarrett made a great save from Campbell Urquhart meaning that the game went straight to penalties with Kinnoull coming out on top.

For the record Kinnoull's scorers were Jamie Mackie, Elliot Scott, Scott Chalmers, Innes Easton and Campbell Urquhart with Joe Kinninmonth, Lewis Rodger and Sean Cunningham finding the net for Thornton after Sam Townsley had saved the first penalty by Shaun Keatings.

Thornton Hibs: Jarrett, Rodger, Coleman, Drummond, Cunningham, Simpson, Black, Allan, Kinninmonth, Keatings, McBay. Subs: Doctor, Healy, Grierson, Bennett, McNab.

Kinnoull: Townsley, Clos, Ramage, Woolley, Mackie, Ragan, Anderson, Urquhart, Burton, Donald, Middleton. Subs: Hooper, Easton, Scott, Chalmers, Duffy, Scott.

Referee: B.McAlpine

Attendance: 142

Match statistics:
Attempts at goal - TH 7 K 10
Attempts on target - TH 2 K 3
Attempts blocked - TH 0 K 0
Corners - TH 3 K 6
Offside - TH 3 K 2
Free kicks conceded - TH 9 K 7
Yellow Cards - TH 2 K 4
Red Cards - TH 1 K 0