Aberdeen goalkeeper Joe Lewis is confident a determination to make up for League Cup pain can spur the Dons to Hampden success on Saturday.
Derek McInnes’ side is 90 minutes away from a second cup final of the season with Neil Lennon’s newly-promoted Hibernian standing in the way of a place in next month’s Scottish Cup final.
Lewis is eager to erase the bad memories from his side’s previous visit to Hampden when the Dons produced a limp display in November’s League Cup final and succumbed to a 3-0 defeat by Celtic.
The goalkeeper, a contender for Aberdeen’s player of the season award after keeping 20 clean sheets in 46 appearances in his first year at Pittodrie, believes the Dons can overcome the Championship winners and go one step closer to the club’s first Scottish Cup success since 1990.
He said: “There is a real feeling we want to get back to a cup final because of how the League Cup one panned out earlier in the season.
“But we can’t get too wrapped up in that. We can’t let that desperation play any part on Saturday because if we do then we will take our eye off the ball.
“The focus has to be on the Hibs players, making sure we’re at it and ready for the match when it comes around.
“We can’t wait to get back to Hampden and are focused on getting to another final. The fact it’s so long since Aberdeen won a Scottish Cup gets mentioned a lot, so everyone is well aware of what it means.
“The supporters are desperate for it, the players and the manager are desperate for it.
“But we can’t look beyond the semi-final, we have to keep our focus totally on Hibs.
“I have watched a few Hibs games on television and they’re a good side.
“We want to get to the final, that’s the objective, so we will be doing plenty of homework on them as the week goes on.
“Just look at their team and the support they have, they are a big club and will be back in the Premiership next season.
“But we are going into the game with confidence, if you take those mad five or six minutes in the Rangers game out of it then we’re in good form.”
The Dons rallied from the surprise 3-0 home defeat to Rangers with a commendable 2-1 victory at St Johnstone on Saturday.
Former Cardiff City and Peterborough United goalkeeper Lewis believes it was important to return to winning ways ahead of such an important match.
He said: “Against St Johnstone we showed both sides of our character because in the first half we were excellent, but in the second we had to defend well.
“Going there, which is a tough place to go, and getting a win was the perfect way to prepare for the semi-final.
“It’s never pretty when we go there, whether that’s us or them I don’t know, but it’s always a really tough contest.
“After the Rangers game a few questions were asked but I felt we showed exactly the kind of team we are.
“The Rangers game left everyone disappointed, the players were hurt by it too and so were the supporters.
“So it was important to get back to winning ways before Hampden and I’m glad we did that.”
This will be Lewis’ first match against Hibernian and the Englishman knows not to underestimate the Easter Road side, who ended a three-year stint outside the top flight with a 3-0 win against Queen of the South on Saturday.
He added: “I know Grant Holt fairly well from living in Norwich, although I’ve never played with him.
“He’s a very good player, he has great experience and is one we have to watch. But he’s not the only one because Hibs have a lot of very good players throughout their squad and won the cup last season.”