O'Neil's heartache at another final loss

FORMER Hibs skipper John O'Neil was today resigning himself to ending his career without a winner's medal after losing his fourth cup final.

But the 34-year-old admitted, that, having lost Scottish Cup finals with Dundee United and Hibs and a League Cup final with St Johnstone, his day had finally come as underdogs Gretna gave Hearts the fright of their lives.

Written off as being merely cannon fodder, the Second Division champions took the Tynecastle outfit, fortified by Vladimir Romanov's millions, all the way to a penalty shoot-out before their fairytale finally came to an end.

It was a cruel, cruel way for the Raydale Park side to lose but while Hearts' name will go down as the winners of 2006, it was Rowan Alexander's players who took all the plaudits.

And O'Neil revealed that as the drama unfolded, Ryan McGuffie equalising from the penalty spot after Rudi Skacel had fired Hearts into a half-time lead, he slowly but surely began to think fate was on his side.

The little midfielder, whose man-of-the-match reward was little consolation, said: "When we scored we were in the ascendancy and I felt it was going to be our day.

"Don't get me wrong, they had a couple of good chances in extra-time but I felt that after we equalised we were well on top and had we got another goal we would probably have won it."

O'Neil's premonition became stronger as he watched Paul Hartley, who had scored eight times from the spot prior to the final, sent off just seconds before the shoot-out which would decide whether the cup would be draped in maroon or black and white ribbons, the Scotland defender earning himself a second yellow card for a petulant kick at Gretna's Derek Townsley.

He said: "Everything was going through my mind, their main penalty kick taker was off, it was our destiny but sadly it was not to be."

O'Neil admitted defeat didn't come any easier with experience. He said: "We knew they had better players, more experienced and younger players while we have an ageing squad with a number of us over 30. We knew what we were up against but we battled. It was disappointing to lose a goal just before half-time but during it the manager sat us down, told us to survive the next five or ten minutes and then to have a go.

"I thought I played well, I felt I did a hell of a lot of running, concentrating on getting the game won in 90 minutes but I did tire a bit in extra-time."

With Steven Pressley and Robbie Neilson having traded the opening penalties with Gretna's James Grady and Mark Birch, Hearts placed one hand on the trophy when O'Neil's ex-Easter Road team-mate Derek Townsley's poor effort was parried by Craig Gordon.

Michal Pospisil put all the pressure on Gavin Skelton and when his shot clipped the bar and flew over the maroon platoon around the ground erupted - almost as much in relief as delight.

While Townsley was inconsolable afterwards, O'Neil urged the towering defender not to blame himself, revealing that if he'd taken a penalty he'd probably have missed as well.

He said: "Derek was brave enough to step up. When Davie Irons [Gretna's assistant manager] pulled out the pen and paper the five names were on the sheet before he could ask.

"I'd have taken a penalty although I was hoping we'd win the cup and it wouldn't come to that but had I done so I'd probably have missed because I was thinking about putting it the same way as Derek.

"It's another loser's medal for me and I can't see me getting another crack at it."

Townsley, however, disclosed he had committed the cardinal sin of changing his mind as to where he was going to place the ball in his run-up, it was a tactic which worked for Colin Cameron eight years ago when he scored from the spot to send Hearts on their way to cup glory.

But unfortunately for Townsley the adage that penalty takers should make up their minds and never deviate held true. He said: "There's always going to be a villain and a hero in a penalty shoot-out and unfortunately for me I was the villain.

I was confident after the way the game had gone and told the manager to put me down to take a penalty. I changed my mind which is sinful and I have paid the price.

"A lot of people are going to remember it - I certainly will."

Despite the trauma of that miss, Townsley insisted he had enjoyed his day and claimed he and his team-mates had rammed the sniping comments of their detractors down their throats.

Throughout the build-up to the final, the Black and Whites had to contend with claims that having not met a side from the top flight throughout a campaign which began in the first round with a 6-2 win over Preston Athletic, they were not worthy of their big day out.

Townsley said: "I thought we did ourselves proud. There were a lot of pundits, so-called experts with a standing in the game who wrote us off time and again.

"It was so disappointing when they came out with such stupid quotes and now they look like idiots. We've also been criticised in the league, being accused of buying success but we can only beat the teams in front of us. We didn't make the cup draws and pick the teams we played.

"We went into the game with a lot of self-belief.

We didn't crumble when they scored first, I think we showed a lot of character. If Hearts had scored a second goal it would have been very difficult but I don't think anyone can argue that we were the superior side in the second-half and might even have deserved to win it in the 90 minutes.

"Missing the penalty left a sour taste in my mouth but I enjoyed my day. We are all disappointed but we are going to celebrate what has been a cracking season, no-one can begrudge us that."

Gretna may have departed for their celebratory dinner, reportedly being held in a Carlisle hotel to allow chain-smoking owner Brooks Mileson to finally light up, with only losers' medals to show but they could also reflect on a unique tribute as thousands of Hearts fans rose to them as they set off on a lap of honour. It was a gesture which was appreciated by Irons who said: "It may have been through relief but I'd also like to think it was out of respect.

"Usually at the end of a cup final the losing side is up the tunnel and their fans are halfway home before the trophy is presented, but everyone remained to applaud both sides.

"On the day we pushed Hearts, the second best team in the SPL, very, very close. Not close enough because we didn't win but as close as many teams have done this season.

"I feel very proud of the players, they did exceptionally well. I shouldn't be surprised because I know what they are capable of.

"We knew we could compete. We've taken a lot of snipey and patronising comments but we showed we are tactically aware, very astute, have good players and compete at that level.

"It was a 120-minute rollercoaster but it was a great occasion to be involved in. I've never seen a reaction like that from both sets of fans after a cup final.

"The Hearts fans were actually applauding us as their side were going up for the cup."

Taken from the Scotsman