Andy Dorman was once again St Mirren's Scottish Cup hero as his second-half equaliser denied St Johnstone an upset in a 1-1 draw.These teams will have to meet again for the right to advance to the semi-finals after a gritty encounter watched by UEFA president and French legend Michel Platini.

Hugh Murray was a sinner in the battle of the Saints as his clumsy foul on Goran Stanic allowed Liam Craig to confidently convert a 32nd-minute penalty to give the home side the lead.

Despite creating the better openings, St Johnstone could not find a second goal and will now have to face St Mirren in Paisley after Dorman struck to add to his winning goal in the previous round at Dundee United.

Platini, who was in Scotland for an International Football Association board meeting, attended the game prior to making the draw for the semi-finals of the Scottish Cup at Gleneagles.

It is doubtful he would have been impressed with the early stages, which were high in industry yet low on quality.

It took until the 14th minute for the first promising opportunity to arrive when Craig's flighted corner was headed over by Kevin Rutkiewicz.

St Mirren finally rose to the fore as an attacking force when David van Zanten's low effort crept just wide.

However, from coming close to breaking the deadlock, St Mirren then found themselves a goal down after Murray carelessly clipped rampaging Stanic inside the penalty area.

Referee Dougie McDonald awarded the home side a spot-kick which Craig scored with ease.

Despite being comfortably beaten by the penalty, Smith was to make an important intervention shortly afterwards.

Alan Main's long clearance was brilliantly controlled by Peter MacDonald, whose shot was sell saved by the St Mirren goalkeeper.

A strong wind which had been at St Johnstone's backs during the opening period was now blowing in St Mirren's favour and the visitors made good use of the breeze immediately following the restart.

Twice Mark Corcoran whipped in corners from the right side, one of which just eluded Craig Dargo at the back post while the other clipped the crossbar on its way over.

St Mirren failed to build on that encouraging start though and it was St Johnstone who went on to play the more effective football.

In the 57th minute a great touch and turn by Andy Jackson was followed by a neat pass to Steven Milne, who pushed a dangerous cross into the penalty area.

MacDonald tried desperately to get a foot to the ball as it carried tantalisingly across goal, but arrived a fraction too late to make contact.

The lively St Johnstone striker kept up the pressure on the visitors when he robbed the dithering Will Haining of possession and drove purposefully forward before pulling a shot wide.

St Johnstone came agonisingly close to doubling their advantage when Jackson headed downwards from Craig's corner, only for the well-placed Van Zanten to nod the ball away from just in front of his own goal.

That clearance was to prove crucial as St Mirren quickly grew in stature and soon fashioned an equaliser.

Billy Mehmet could well have restored parity with 17 minutes remaining, but he was harshly adjudged to have been in an offside position when collecting a throughball from Dargo.

Unperturbed, St Mirren were not to be denied getting back on level terms and within 60 seconds Dorman timed his surge forward perfectly to calmly lob a shot over the stranded Main.

Both teams had chances to win the game late on, but Dargo failed to capitalise on a mistake by Allan McManus, while for St Johnstone substitute Kevin James saw his header from a Craig corner well blocked by

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