5 Dundee United vs Motherwell cup classics ahead of Fir Park showdown

One of the finest Scottish Cup finals ever.

A Tannadice thriller on the road to 1994 glory.

The 6-1 demolition that wasn’t sufficiently “entertaining” for Jim McLean.

Dundee United and Motherwell have plenty of shared history.

Ahead of Friday night’s Premier Sports Cup quarter final – a place at Hampden on the line under the Fir Park lights – Courier Sport looks back at five cup classics between the sides.

Dundee United 3-4 Motherwell, AET (May 18, 1991)

The most iconic game on this list.

Perhaps the greatest Scottish Cup final of them all.

Brother vs brother as Tommy McLean prevailed over Wee Jim.

For many downcast United fans, it was also the afternoon that cemented a growing feeling that they may be fated to never lift that famous old trophy, as the Steelmen emerged victorious from the “Family Final”.

Despite United dominating the early knockings – a Hamish French goal chalked off and Freddy van der Hoorn rattling the post – it was Motherwell who claimed the lead through Iain Ferguson, before Dave Bowman levelled.

United would go on to peg the Lanarkshire side back THREE times, with John O’Neill restoring parity after a Phil O’Donnell effort and Darren Jackson’s dramatic intervention sending the game to extra-time after Ian Angus had seemingly settled matters.

However, Motherwell claimed the lead for the fourth and final time with 94 minutes on the clock; Stevie Kirk writing his name in Fir Park folklore.

Dundee United 2-2 Motherwell (February 19, 1994)

A pivotal waypoint on the road to FINALLY lifting the Scottish Cup in 1994.

It is also the game that die-hard Arab Craig Brewster cites as the moment he truly felt like a proper Dundee United player.

Brewster – who would, of course, go on to score the decisive goal as the Tangerines beat Rangers in the final three months later – bagged a brace at Tannadice to turn the tables following Kirk’s opener for the Steelmen.

Tommy Coyne saw a spot-kick brilliantly saved by Guido van de Kamp, before John Philliben sent the game to a replay with his 90th minute leveller.

Brian Welsh scored the only goal of the game at Fir Park to send United through – however, it is the breathless 2-2 draw that lives long in the memory.

Dundee United 6-1 Motherwell (March 7, 1981)

This Scottish Cup fifth round triumph was a display of free-flowing, clinical football at Tannadice as Motherwell were swept aside in splendid fashion.

However, this fixture enjoys its notoriety due to the reaction of legendary manager Jim McLean.

Far from being thrilled by Davie Dodds’ hat-trick, Paul Sturrock’s waspish magic or another Dave Narey masterclass, he was seething that the Tangerines did not sufficiently build upon their 4-1 half-time lead.

As Sturrock later recounted: “We got our goals quickly in the first half to go in 4- 1 up. But the perception from Jim was that we’d taken our foot off the pedal in the second.

“He came in at full-time and had a real go at us for that, and the boys were totally shocked.

“In this case, he kept back what was called our “Entertainment Bonus”, which we’d get if the manager felt we’d given the fans their money’s worth. That was our punishment for not racking up more than two goals in the second half.”

Dundee United 2-2 Motherwell (March 13, 2011)

Seventeen years after that outstanding spectacle at Tannadice, United and Motherwell played out another 2-2 draw in the City of Discovery.

The Terrors found John Sutton in fine form for the visitors, giving the Steelmen the lead twice – cancelled out first by David Goodwillie, then Jon Daly. Having equalised with 20 minutes still to play, the tie was there to be won for United.

However, it went to a replay and Peter Houston’s side – the defending holders – crashed out of the Scottish Cup with a 3-0 defeat at Fir Park in the last eight.

Even more irksome for United, Motherwell went on to draw St Johnstone in the semi-final (admittedly, not an easy prospect for the Terrors, as evidenced by the final of 2014) and secured a place in the final. They lost 3-0 against Celtic.

Dundee United 4-1 Motherwell (March 8, 1997)

United outclassed Alex McLeish’s Motherwell in the 1996/97 Scottish Cup quarter final.

Indeed, this performance – Andy McLaren scoring twice, adding to efforts from Robbie Winters and Kjell Olofsson – emphasised that the Tangerines were real contenders for one of the most open editions of the tournament in recent decades.

The final four were Celtic, Falkirk, Kilmarnock and the Terrors.

However, Tommy McLean’s men ultimately came up short against eventual winners Killie (United would finish 21 points ahead of the Ayrshire club that season), with a Jim McIntyre goal in the 86th minute sealing the replay in dramatic fashion.