HEARTS DISH OUT CAPITAL PUNISHMENT

20th May 2012
By Hugh MacKay

HIBERNIAN’S long wait to lift the Scottish Cup continues after they were thrashed in a one-sided all-Edinburgh final.

The Hibees side travelled to Glasgow looking to end a 110-year drought in the competition but ended with ten men, boss Pat Fenlon in the stand and their dignity in shreds as the Jambos romped to their first final win in six years.

Darren Barr’s first goal for Hearts and a strike from Rudi Skacel put Paulo Sergio’s side into a comfortable lead.

Hibs skipper James McPake struck just before the break but left-back Danny Grainger scored his first Hearts goal from the spot a minute into the second half after Pa Kujabi was sent off for a foul on Suso Santana – his second bookable offence.

Right-back Ryan McGowan headed Hearts’ fourth just three minutes later and Skacel fired his second from the edge of the box.

Fenlon was sent off seconds from the end after he gestured back at taunting from the Hearts fans.

The opener came when Hibs failed to clear Grainger’s corner. McGowan’s blocked drive fell kindly to Barr who stabbed past keeper Mark Brown from close range.

Skacel doubled the lead on 27 minutes with the Hibs defence all at sea again.

When midfielder Ian Black passed to the Czech midfielder on the edge of the box, he was given too much time and space to turn and send his shot – helped by a deflection – past the flailing Brown.

McPake gave the Easter Road side hope when the on-loan Coventry stopper got on the end of an Isaiah Osbourne cross to slide the ball past Jamie MacDonald from a couple of yards out.

But referee Craig Thomson pointed to the spot after Kujabi grabbed Santana just inside the box before sending off the defender.

Grainger slammed in the spot-kick and three minutes later McGowan made it 4-1. Skacel’s mis-hit shot was helped on by Elliott and parried up by Brown, giving McGowan a simple chance almost on the line.

Ex-Southampton star Skacel hit his second with 15 minutes left after taking a pass from Santana to seal an emphatic victory in the first all-capital final since 1896.

Hearts extended their unbeaten run to 11 games against Hibs and the two-goal hero said: “This day will probably be remembered for a long time, for another 100 years.

“I’m so happy – we’re taking the cup home.

“Every trophy is fantastic. This was the derby and we beat our rivals in the final.”

Grainger insisted that Sergio deserved credit for his part in Hearts’ success.

“Words can’t describe it, to be honest,” said the defender.

“We always knew we were the better team, we knew that from the start.

“I can’t explain how much it means to me, my family and all the lads as well. Things have been difficult for us on and off the pitch so a lot of credit goes to Paulo.”

Sergio said: “It’s fantastic. The players deserve this more than anybody so I’m very happy with that performance.”

Black, who was playing his last game for the Jambos, was proud to end on a winning note.

He said: “It’s perfect, outstanding, unbelievable. I came here to the final to bow out with a win.

“It was a tough game but we knew if we went about our business in the right way we could do that to them.

“At this moment it’s the greatest day of my life. You dream as a kid of doing something like this and it’s happened for me.”

Fenlon admitted: “I’m desperately disappointed.

“We didn’t turn up, we didn’t shine, we didn’t deserve to win the game. We didn’t show anything.”

However, Fenlon denied reacting to his tormentors.

“No I didn’t,” he said. “I made a gesture in relation to the way we were playing. We kept giving the ball away.

“I don’t know what they were singing to be honest with you.”