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Queen of the South went through to their first Scottish Cup semi-final since 1950 with a narrow win over Dundee at Palmerston Park.

It was a scrappy first half with striker Stephen Dobbie going closest for Queens when he shot just wide.

The game sparked into life when Queen's goalkeeper Jamie McDonald's clearance found Dobbie before finished clinically in the 52nd minute.

Ryan McCann shot astonishingly from inside his own half to seal the win.

It was a disappointing afternoon for the Taysiders, who will now concentrate solely on their chase for the First Division title, while Gordon Chisholm's men can bask in their achievement of reaching the semis.

Dundee boss Alex Rae named himself on the bench amid a selection crisis.

Rae was without seven first-team players through injury, suspension and ineligibility and brought in the likes of strikers Bob Davidson and Jan Zemlik, while on-loan Hibernian midfielder Patrick Noubissie made his debut.

The Doonhamers, meanwhile, were boosted by the return of defenders Robert Harris and Jim Thomson, who returned from injury and suspension respectively.

The home side were looking to reach their first semi-final for more than fifty years as well as extending an unbeaten run to 10 matches.

Dundee winger Freddie Daquin looped a header over, but it was the home side who had the better of the early stages.

However they struggled to carve out decent shooting chances and Neil MacFarlane sliced well wide from the edge of the box when play did open up.

The Dark Blues resolve stiffened and they came back into the game with Eddie Malone having two openings inside the box.

His first effort was weak and straight at the goalkeeper, while he failed to test Jamie MacDonald when Daquin's deep cross found him in space.

With the rain lashing on Palmerston, both sides creativity was stifled.

Queens came closest to breaking the first-half deadlock when Stephen Dobbie managed to turn Paul Dixon inside the box but his shot went just off target.

The second half began to open up and the hosts broke the deadlock, via the direct route.

Dobbie controlled McDonald's long ball and, finding himself on the blind side of the visitors' rearguard, and with Dundee goalkeeper Craig Samson advancing, he coolly slotted home.

Dundee plugged away on the heavy surface in an attempt to find an equaliser but the Doonhamers continued to resist.

It was a relentless cup tie, with the Dark Blues attempting to salvage a replay.

Steve Tosh had two more chances to score, the first on the counter-attack following a clever pass by Dobbie.

The midfielder ran from inside his own half but was running out on steam before firing a shot from a tight angle which was turned wide by Samson.

He was off target from the second opportunity when the ball broke to him 12 yards out.

But Queens should have made matters safe when Stewart broke away but he lacked the necessary composure and he was denied by Samson.

But the home fans were rewarded for their support when, with Dundee chasing the game and Samson forward for a corner kick, the ball broke to McCann.

And the midfielder had the presence of mind to fire from over 70 yards into the empty net - and that piece of superb imagination was enough to book Queens their last-four berth.