Sixth-place finishers reliant on Hibs defeat

A Sixth-place finish in the Clydesdale Bank Premier League will be good enough to secure European football next season, should Hearts win the Scottish Cup final.

As things stand, Celtic and third-placed Motherwell will go forward to the Champions League – with Rangers ineligible – while Dundee United in fourth and St Johnstone in fifth would enter the Europa League at qualifying rounds three and two, respectively.

If Hearts, in sixth, beat Hibernian on May 19, they would qualify for the play-off round of the Europa League. However, if Paulo Sergio's men were also to improve on their league placing, then win the cup, it would have a knock-on effect for the team finishing sixth, who would still earn a UEFA berth.

Had Celtic won on Sunday, Hibs would have earned a spot in the Europa League because the title winners are already guaranteed a place in the Champions League. Now the Easter Road side must defeat Hearts to qualify.

The intrigue will come in the races for third, fourth and fifth given the prizes on offer.

Peter Houston, the Dundee United manager, said: "We now have five cup finals coming up and, hopefully, we will go into the last game with a lot at stake."

Steve Lomas claimed he wouldn't be cheering Hearts on in the final – even if it confirmed qualification for his St Johnstone side. "We want to get to Europe in our own right," said the Northern Irishman.

Taken from the Herald