The 27-year-old forward showed tremendous poise to convert from 12 yards as the Gers deservedly prevailed 3-2 in an encounter that saw the visitors go a goal down and concede a spot-kick themselves two minutes from time.
Speaking to RangersTV after the triumph, a delighted Hardy beamed: “There’s just amazing character. We don’t get fazed; if anything, it makes us play more.
“As you saw in the previous game in October and tonight, we just push ourselves and keep going.
“We don’t let it affect us and we keep doing what we need to do.
“You saw it come out tonight and we’ve scored some good goals.
“To be honest, when we got the penalty, I just thought that I needed to score this.
“I knew it would probably be the last chance of the game before we went to extra time.
“When the ball gets put on the spot, it’s just me and the goal - I don’t hear anything else.
“I like to keep my mind calm, pick my spot, and hopefully it hits the back of the net which today it did.
“It’s always nice to get a win in the end, but it always means more when it’s in a cup semi-final.
“All the work that we’ve put in this week has come out tonight.”
The victory ensured a return to the final for Jo Potter’s side where they will face either Hibernian or Partick Thistle.
In doing so, the triumph extended the side’s unbeaten campaign, although Hardy insists the dressing room isn’t patting itself on the back just yet.
She continued: “There’s still a lot of the season to go, but we pride ourselves on keeping ourselves in it. That’s what we’ve done.
“To go unbeaten for such a long time is a great achievement and we should be proud, but there’s a lot more hard work to be put in.
“Nothing is won yet. We still have 90 or more minutes to put on a performance and hopefully get our hands on the first trophy of the season.
“There will be a lot of work put on behind the scenes on the training pitch.
“We’re looking forward to the final; it’s always good to get there and it’s a great occasion for the team.