Aberdeen are heading back to Hampden for the second time this season after a comfortable victory against Championship side Queen's Park in the Scottish Cup quarter-finals.

A superb bit of skill from Kevin Nisbet, Oday Dabbagh's first cup goal and Graeme Shinnie's strike on his 600th club appearance gave Jimmy Thelin's men a 3-0 lead at the break in the stunning Pittodrie sunshine.

Dabbagh's second put the game out of sight for the visitors, who scored a consolation through Zak Rudden, and his brace did its damage with the Reds now set to return to the national stadium for a second time.

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It's been 35 years since they won the Scottish Cup, and that ambition is moving closer, but there was a lot to take from a superb attacking performance that will be needed in the race for third in the Premiership.

The game was barely 20 seconds old and Aberdeen had an incredible chance to land an early blow, as Topi Keskinen's cross into the box floated in perfectly for Nibset, but the striker couldn't connect with the header.

Queen's Park's first corner resulted in a thunderous strike from Jack Turner blocked by Mats Knoester, before Dabbagh's effort at the other end beat Calum Ferrie but rolled wide of the goal.

Both sides were keen to snatch control, but a frantic opening soon died down as Leighton Clarkson curled an effort over crossbar, with Alexander Jensen's attempt moments later suffering the same outcome.

Aberdeen launched up the pitch on the counter-attack, and Keskinen's pace allowed him to tee up Dabbagh for the cross to Graeme Shinnie - who was looking to cap a special afternoon with a big victory.

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The skipper however was intercepted by the diving Ferrie, with the 10-time winners of the Scottish Cup looking slightly nervy in defence against an Aberdeen side chasing the cup for the first time since 1990.

A well-worked corner routine teed up Keskinen after Shayden Morris split two defenders with the pass, but the Finnish winger's strike was easily dealt with by Ferrie - the first shot of the game on target with 23 minutes gone.

Keskinen was the hero of the day the last time the two sides met in the Premier Sports Cup back in August, and again he was causing chaos for the Spiders as his charge forwards led to a trio of chances.

The winger's cross was missed by Nisbet, before Jensen's cross to Dabbagh saw the striker beaten to the ball in the air, before Shinnie regathered the ball and had his strike saved.

An opening goal was coming, but the Dons were being made to work hard for it, but then came the breakthrough from Nisbet who skilfully flicked Ante Palaversa's cross behind him on the edge of the six-yard box into the top corner.

It was a silky smooth finish from the birthday boy, and he was soon celebrating once again for his fellow striker Dabbagh who stabbed home an immediate second goal.

A Morris cross was inch perfect for the Palestine international to prod the ball beyond Ferrie, and suddenly the spirited Championship side looked all but down and out.

Two goals in two minutes left the Red Army relaxing in the stands eyeing up a day out at Hampden, with Thelin's men having put one foot into the final four.

Three minutes were added on, and in the final minute of added time the skipper made it 3-0 to cap an incredible week for the Aberdonian.

Making his 600th club appearance, the Dons veteran fired the ball home from the edge of the box to bring a perfect half to a close with the tie all but settled.

A forced half-time change saw Rangers loanee Adam Devine come off for Jadan Raymond for the visitors, with the midfielder another on-loan player from Crystal Palace.

It also forced Callum Davidson into a reshuffle, but immediately the Dons were pressing for a fourth as Nisbet's close-range effort was fired directly into Ferrie after Palaversa's pass once again picked apart the Spiders.

Morris too was causing Queen's Park a lot of issues in defence, and his latest charge into the area created the opportunity for Dabbagh to get his second, slotting the ball into the roof of the net.

If the game wasn't over at half-time, it certainly was now, with Keskinen, Nisbet and Dabbagh making way for Peter Ambrose, Pape Gueye and young Fletcher Boyd, with the Portsoy teenager looking to follow in Eoin Jess's footsteps by winning the Scottish Cup.

Morris again threatened the Queen's Park goal but this time Ferrie could only parry the ball away before recovering and avoiding yet another goal in what was becoming an afternoon to forget for the visitors.

They did however get something to cheer as Rudden burst into the box and punted home their first of the afternoon after Palaversa missed the ball into the box.

Dimitar Mitov was left fuming as his clean sheet was gone, and a VAR check for offside against Rudden came back clear as Davidson cracked a wry smile on the touchline.

Jack Milne, back from two months out through injury, replaced Alfie Dorrington who had been called into the starting lineup for the injured Kristers Tobers in Thelin's fourth change.

And in the final change Dante Polvara was sent on for the final 10 minutes as Morris made way to the sound of rapturous applause for an outstanding performance.

Ferrie had endured a difficult afternoon, but Polvara's effort from close range was saved before Gueye's header required a diving effort from the keeper, who got enough of a hand to the ball to prevent the fifth.

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Just two minutes were added on at Pittodrie, and as they came and went the players were greeted by plenty of applause from a fanbase that can now gear up for a trip to Hampden.

Aberdeen will joins Hearts and the winners of Celtic v Hibs and Livingston v St Johnstone in next month's semi-finals, with the draw to take place on Monday night following the Livi clash.

And while the final four opponents will be in the minds of many in Red, St Johnstone will be also as they're up next in the Premiership as Aberdeen continue in the battle for third place.