Memorable goals from Andy McLaren and Craig Dargo plus a routine clincher from Peter Canero ensured it was Kilmarnock who will take on one of the Old Firm in the final of the CIS Insurance Cup.

A crowd of just 9,213 rattled around in Hampden Park to see them do it and what they witnessed was a lively encounter that served as an entertaining entree before Celtic and Rangers do battle at the same venue tomorrow night.

Killie's league form may have been petering out gently over the last few weeks but in Dargo and McLaren they had the sort of cutting edge that Tom Hendrie's relegation battlers simply did not possess.

Saints had the game's first real chance though when Mark Yardley outjumped two defenders to head narrowly wide and his height was to be a factor in the proceedings.

But so too were the speed and mobility of Killie's McLaren and Dargo, with the former giving their side a half-time lead.

Saints began well and Paul Rudden showed skills worthy of such an arena, albeit a barely-filled one, when he flicked the ball between two challengers to scamper clear. His layback was inviting for Gary Bowman to fire in a shot but he delayed and his eventual effort was weak.

McLaren had a great chance soon after when he gave the Saints backline the slip to arrive on the end of a long ball into the box but his header was mistimed and bounced off the turf into the hands of Ludovic Roy.

It took Saints half an hour to win their first corner but that almost resulted in the opening goal, when Yardley flicked on at the near post to send the ball goalward near the other upright but Ally Mitchell was stationed for just such an eventuality and nodded clear.

Dargo had already used his pace to fire in a shot that flew over and he sent in another effort on the turn that Roy managed to gather.

Acting skipper Gus MacPherson was also having a few potshots and he too forced Roy into action.

But it was to be McLaren, the man who watched last year's final drying out in Glasgow's Priory Clinic, who made the most significant contribution to the half.

He had gone close just before when a ponderous Saints corner allowed a lightning counter attack that saw him fire across goal and just wide.

But when Paul Wright crossed from the right McLaren made sure he was there first and his header this time had the beating of a stationary goalkeeper.

Another corner at the Killie end was eventually to be Saints undoing with Dargo netting his memorable clincher.

The former Raith man had already shown Saints he could motor and a curling effort early in the second half hinted he had an eye for that portion of the goal as well.

That one missed as did headers from set-pieces from Kevin McGowne, who had gone for the same ball as centre back partner Freddie Dindeleux, and Gary Holt. Both headed off target.

Saints made all three substitutions early and the first to come on was the speedy Jose Quitongo.

The Angolan went on an impressive, twisting run that had begun in his own half and needed MacPherson to intervene at the expense of a corner.

That was cleared to start a counter attack that saw Dargo race off from inside his own half with the ball at his feet and when the whites of the posts were shining bright enough, and Tommy Turner was backtracking to allow him to do it, he let fly before Ricky Gillies could slide in with a perfectly-weighted shot that was soon nestling in the back of the net.

That was game over but Peter Canero made sure with little more than 10 minutes to go when he stabbed in from close range ahead of Turner's challenge after Holt had won a header in the box from McLaren's freekick to set up the chance.

It was the Scotland Under-21 international's first goal for the club.

Teams

St Mirren: Roy, Baltacha, Rudden, Walker, Turner, Bowman (Murray 65), McKenzie (Quitongo 60), Gillies, Kerr, Fenton (McGarry 71), Yardley.

Subs Not Used: Nicolson, Scrimgour.

Booked: Gillies.

Kilmarnock: Marshall, MacPherson, McGowne, Dindeleux, Canero, Baker, Holt, Mitchell (Reilly 81), McLaren, Dargo (Fowler 81), Wright (Cocard 74).

Subs Not Used: Stewart, Hay.

Booked: MacPherson, Mitchell.

Goals: McLaren 39, Dargo 69, Canero 78.

Att: 9,213.

Ref: K Clark (Scotland).