02/04/2006 - 14:29:02

Hibernian 0 Hearts 4

Paul Hartley carried Hearts past nine-man Hibernian with a superb hat-trick at Hampden Park and into into the final of the Tennent’s Scottish Cup.

The Scotland star, who has scored six times against Tony Mowbray’s men this season, made it a memorable day for the Jambos with three stunning efforts.

It was a miserable day for Hibernian, who had Ivan Sproule red-carded for stamping on Saulius Mikoliunas before Edgaras Jankauskas embarrassed Zbignier Malkowski to add a third goal to Hartley’s first two.

Gary Smith was also sent off late on, and Hartley stepped up from the spot to complete his hat-trick.

Hearts are now red-hot favourites to repeat their success of 1998 when they face Second Division champions Gretna on May 13.

Hibernian manager Tony Mowbray was forced to hand new signing Abdessalam Benjelloun his debut.

The Moroccan was drafted into the starting XI along with Chris Hogg and Steven Fletcher, with Derek Riordan suspended and Michael Stewart and Chris Killen both failing to win their fitness battles.

Hearts interim manager Valdas Ivanauskas also made three changes, Bruno Aguiar and Calum Elliot coming in for suspended duo Julien Brellier and Roman Bednar - while Andy Webster recovered from illness to move Takis Fyssas on to the bench.

Hearts made an encouraging start, Rudi Skacel beating full-back Gary Caldwell down the right flank in the first minute.

The Czech sprinted to the byline and picked out Jankauskas at the near post - but the ball bounced off him and went behind.

Steven Whittaker tested Craig Gordon in the 13th minute – his shot from the edge of the D acrobatically tipped over by the Scotland international goalkeeper.

Hartley almost surprised Malkowski in the 22nd minute as he sent a 30-yard free-kick towards the top corner – but the goalkeeper stretched his right arm to tip the ball behind for a corner.

Hearts took full advantage of a mistake by Benjelloun in their own half to take the lead after 27 minutes.

The new boy gave the ball away, and the Tynecastle men charged down the other en – Hartley playing a neat one-two with Jankauskas before coolly flicking it across Malkowksi and into the bottom corner with the outside of his right boot.

Steven Pressley suffered a head injury in first-half injury time after clashing heads with Benjelloun. He soldiered on but – having suffered a similar injury last week at Falkirk – never appeared after the break and was replaced by Fyssas.

Hartley’s curling free-kick took a deflection off the shoulder of Stephen Glass and looped towards the top corner in the 49th minute – but Malkowski threw himself to his right to touch the ball past the upright.

Chris Hogg was harshly booked for a sliding tackle on Elliot in the 57th minute, and Hartley took full advantage from the free-kick.

Malkowksi, and most people in the ground, were expecting the midfielder to play the ball towards the big men in the danger area as he stepped up between the touchline and penalty box.

But instead he took the goalkeeper by surprise and curled a right-foot effort inside the right post to make it 2-0.

Elliot was booked before Sproule wasted a glorious chance to get Hibernian back into the game, unmarked at the back post.

Gordon, who was later booked for time-wasting after Jose Goncalves was hurt behind the goal, pushed Whittaker’s fierce strike away before Mowbray brought on Amadou Konte for Glass.

Both managers made changes in the 70 minute, Mikoliunas replacing Goncalves and Mowbray putting Oumar Konde on for Benjelloun.

Aguiar was booked for persistent fouling, before the day got even worse for the Easter Road youngsters.

Sproule lost out to Mikoliunas, took his frustration out on the Lithuanian by standing on him as he lay down – and was quite rightly shown the red card.

The in the 81st minute, Jankauskas nipped the ball away from Malkowksi to side-foot the ball into the empty net.

Smith was also sent off in the 87th minute for pulling down Michal Pospisil, just outside the area.

Referee Dougal pointed to the spot – and Hartley ignored the protests to score his third semi-final goal, emulating a feat accomplished by Billy Dodds for Rangers in 2000.