High-five Hearts hammer Hibernian in derby final to claim Scottish Cup

Scottish Cup 2011-12
Hibernian 1

McPake 41

Hearts 5

Barr 15,
Skacel 27,
Grainger (pen) 48,
McGowan 50,
Skacel 75

Kevin McCarra at Hampden Park
guardian.co.uk, Saturday 19 May 2012 17.32 BST

A Scottish Cup final is intended to be memorable, but this outcome will linger in the mind of each club for contrasting reasons. Hibernian were ultimately chastened by so hefty a defeat, yet joy is not entirely unconfined among the victors. The Heart of Midlothian manager Paulo Sérgio is quite likely to have his name added to a list, in double figures, of the individuals removed from that post by the owner Vladimir Romanov.

All the same, rancour and unease are usually plentiful in football. The Hibs manager Pat Fenlon was sent to the stand by the referee Craig Thomson in the second half, although he insisted that he had been remonstrating with his own side rather than aiming to provoke Hearts supporters.

These flurries of contentiousness did not make up for a shortfall in competitiveness that would be aggravated further by the loss of the Hibs left-back, Pa Kujabi, who was shown a second yellow card in the second half.

Even so, the superiority was more broad than a mere advantage in numbers. "It is my biggest achievement," Sérgio said. There was an elegiac tone to the statement but if the Portuguese is likely to be attending job interviews shortly his CV has been burnished by this success.

"For me," Sérgio said, "it's not winning the Cup or not that lets me stay. There are a lot of things to think about." He has at least an occasion to treasure whatever he does. It will be an indelible event in the minds of Hibernian, too, much as they would love to expunge it.

A Cup final that is also a derby has a multiplying effect. The intensity reaches great heights from the moment the contest begins, but the fervour allows no time for poise in the early stages at least.

There was a certain randomness to the goal that broke the deadlock early on. Following Danny Grainger's corner in the 15th minute, the Hearts right-back Ryan McGowan struck a drive that cannoned off Hibs' Matthew Doherty and the defender Darren Barr converted from close range to notch his first goal for the club.

No matter how elated he must have been onlookers would have been absorbed at that stage only if they owed allegiance to one of the clubs. All the same, it did not take much longer for Hearts to establish a superiority that grew ever more marked as the match developed. This occasion was rigorous in displaying the truths of the entire season. Hearts finished fifth in the Scottish Premier League, while Hibs finished second from bottom of the table, with relegated Dunfermline Athletic beneath them. Their modest status was exposed well before the end of the first half. With 27 minutes gone, Sérgio's players extended their lead. Andrew Driver tapped the ball to Rudi Skacel and his attempt found the net with a small deflection off James McPake.

It appeared then that Hearts would go on making the score echo their superiority. As if lagging 2-0 were not bad enough, Hibs might have begun to remember the club's sombre record in this event. They last won the Scottish Cup in 1902. Considering that the final was staged on the opposition's ground, Celtic Park, it was quite a success, but the victors have displayed too little resilience in this competition over the subsequent 110 years.

They did rally to a degree on this occasion, with a goal in the 41st minute as Tom Soare's testing delivery was turned into the net by McPake. But their search for stability was still futile. Their Gambia international Kujabi's previous notable contribution had been a goal-line clearance, but he was shown a red card for a second bookable offence. He was deemed to have brought down Suso Santana for a contentious penalty, since the offence seemed to take place outside the area. Danny Grainger converted with calm assurance in the 48th minute.

Hibernian's resistance had been broken beyond repair. McGowan had no difficulty in heading a fourth two minutes later and the fifth came when Skacel struck once more with a low finish 15 minutes from time.

By then, Hearts were sated. It was hardly the occasion anticipated at Hampden. Much as Hibs have suffered in the league over the season the final was an opportunity to remove the pain.

Instead there was to be the more profound suffering of a rout at the hands of opponents with whom they share a city. They had little else in common over the course of the match with a Hearts side who did them such severe harm as they picked up the trophy they also secured in 2006.

Irrespective of the rightful joy felt by the Hearts fans, these are still uncertain days. Rangers' financial position is parlous indeed and there are more muted regrets elsewhere. Romanov, irrespective of the joys at Hampden, is expected to continue with his plan to sell the club. Potential buyers can hardly be numerous, but there was a sheen to Hearts that comes from the joy of winning a cup final.

The pleasure of the occasion may also be a valuable comfort to the supporters with uncertainty lying before them and several other clubs in Scotland.

Taken from the Guardian/Observer