Dave Mackay became the first-ever St Johnstone captain to lift the Scottish Cup nine months ago.
So he was bitterly disappointed the Perth side relinquished their grip on the trophy before reaching the quarter-final final stage, with their dreams of retaining the cup dashed on the artificial surface at Palmerston.
The Championship side bravely defended an early second-half lead secured by Derek Lyle.
With Saints squandering the few chances that came their way, the Doonhamers ended Perth interest in the competition with a decisive late counter attack rounded off by Gavin Reilly as fog swirled around the stadium.
The big travelling support had chanted for Michael O’Halloran but, ironically, the substitute squandered a point-blank chance to bag an equaliser when he miscued his attempt to touch home Murray Davidson’s looping header.
Mackay admitted: “It was extremely disappointing to go out in that fashion.
“They scored early in the second half but we had a couple of great chances. It’s the cup, and if you don’t take them you are out.
“Ninety-nine times out of 100 Michael would have stuck it away, but this is the one time he missed.
“I don’t know if he was indecisive about going with his head or volleying it. It’s just not happened for him. But we can’t blame him for that.”
Plagued by back pain O’Halloran wasn’t deemed fit enough to start, but replaced ineffectual on-loan debutant Danny Swanson.
Manager Tommy Wright revealed that striker Steven MacLean’s surgeon had warned he could not risk playing on an artificial surface after his last knee operation.
Mackay said: “Macca is a huge miss to us when he doesn’t play. He is such a big part of the way we play, with his intelligence and his link-up play.
“But we have good enough players in the squad to come in and win a game like that.
“We got into some great areas but didn’t test their keeper. Speaking for myself I don’t like the surface. It’s a lot different to grass.
“I don’t think we should be playing professional football on it.
“But that’s no excuse because we have played at Kilmarnock this season and other cup ties on it. The older boys certainly feel it for a few days afterwards.
“But we had enough of the ball and passed it well enough, we just didn’t do enough in the final third.
“And if you give away cheap goals, you make it very hard for yourself.”
Saints took a big following to Dumfries, harbouring hopes of advancing to the last eight. Mackay said: “There was a huge support and they were noisy from the first minute. They were really looking forward to it, trying to defend the trophy.
“It’s really disappointing for them, and for us to know that’s the cup run over already.
“You can see the cup is opening up. If you could get to the quarter finals and get a decent draw who knows if you can defend the trophy. But to go out at this stage is so disappointing.”
With Saints keeper Zander Clark ruled out by the small print of his loan agreement, the Doonhamers relied on number-two keeper Jim Atkinson, and he was rarely tested.
The only genuine first-half opportunity crafted by the Premiership club was a 10th-minute free-kick whipped inches wide by David Wotherspoon from 30 yards.
But they were shocked minutes after the restart when Lyle touched home a miscued volley from Lewis Kidd, within minutes of Alan Mannus thwarting Paul Burns at close quarters.
Reilly sent a shot flying inches past the post and almost flicked home an Ian McShane cross before Saints began to pressurise the home defence, with former Perth youngster Mark Durnan showing why he is being linked with interest from clubs including Hearts.
In May, Steven Anderson was a cup final goal hero but he wasted a back-post header seconds before O’Halloran’s howler.
Another substitute, Brian Graham, was twice barred by bold challenges, and James McFadden sliced a late chance wide.
Lingering Perth hopes of a replay were snuffed out by Reilly in the final minute with a calm, close-range finish to Stephen McKenna’s cross.
Saints manager Tommy Wright said: “Going out of any cup competition is always a disappointment, as holders or not.
“They took their chance well, but we had them on the back foot without ever cutting them open. The lads responded but fell just short.
“Michael had the best chance in the game. He was in line to start but his back was giving him trouble and he didn’t train all week. He knows he probably should have scored.”
Queens boss James Fowler is eagerly anticipating today’s cup draw, saying: “It is a bit of an upset, but we didn’t think it was an impossible task.”