Hampden for semi to avoid 'money going into rugby'

A REFUSAL to put money into rugby's coffers is the chief reason why the Scottish Football Association intends to refuse requests to have next month's Tennent's Scottish Cup semi-final between Hibernian and Hearts played at Murrayfield.

The SFA fears that playing the match at the Edinburgh stadium would help boost rugby at grass-roots level and could even entice youngsters away from football.

Scottish football's governing body is expected to decide officially next week the venue for the eagerly-anticipated all-Edinburgh clash which will be played on Sunday, 2 April. However, any decision would need the approval of the police.

Hearts have asked the association to consider playing the game at Murrayfield because it is bigger than Hampden and to avoid the logistical problems of transporting 50,000 supporters from Edinburgh to Glasgow.

Hibs would prefer the tie to go ahead at Hampden after raising questions about the suitability of both the playing surface and security at the rugby stadium. Tony Mowbray, the Easter Road manager, is also concerned Hearts would gain an advantage at Murrayfield because they played three UEFA Cup matches there last season.

Hibs are expected to get their wish after a senior source at the SFA confirmed yesterday that the association intends to stage the match at Hampden for financial reasons.

He said: "Hampden cost a lot of money to build and is expensive to operate so it is important that we generate as much revenue as possible towards the upkeep of the national stadium.

"It would not make a great deal of sense for us to put money in rugby's coffers to help develop their game at grass roots level and attract kids away from football."

Demand is set to outstrip supply for the game which has thrown together the city rivals in the Scottish Cup for the first time since 1994 and for the first time in the semi-finals since 1901.

The Scottish Rugby Union has contacted the SFA to offer the use of the 67,800-capacity Murrayfield for the match, but the football body wants the game played at Hampden, which holds 52,000 and is the traditional venue for cup semi-finals and finals.

The match will kick off at 12.15pm to suit television, but rail chiefs warned yesterday that services between Edinburgh and Glasgow on a Sunday morning will be limited because of maintenance work.

The other semi-final, featuring Gretna and the winners of the Dundee-Hamilton replay, will be played at Hampden on Saturday, 1 April, again at 12.15pm for television.

Taken from the Scotsman