Inverness CT 1 Hearts 1: Callow Tynecastle side come of age on encouraging afternoon for Scottish football
Hugh Macdonald
Chief Sports Writer
Monday 28 January 2013

THE motley corps of the Scottish football press has negotiated more than 100 years of wicked deflections, games of two halves and defences on top without being awarded a single Victoria Cross.

The opportunity to prove such valour was presented to the assembled mass in the media room of Easter Road on Saturday as Terry Butcher, manager of Inverness Caledonian Thistle, waited with admirable patience for Jamie MacDonald, the Hearts goalkeeper, to be interviewed before he faced his inquisition.

The temptation was to approach the big Englishman and inform him that on the evidence of more than two hours of play and 10 penalty kicks there were reasons for Scottish football to be cheerful.

This urge was thankfully resisted because Butcher's expression suggested than any VC for such an observation would have to be awarded posthumously.

The unspoken sentiment, though, remains valid after this Scottish Communities League Cup semi-final. This was an afternoon where Scottish football flourished in the chill of Easter Road.

Hearts' success did not embody the sensation of yesterday's victory by St Mirren in the other semi-final but Edinburgh hosted an engaging contest, marked by misses, watched by more than 16,000, and featuring both a controversial display of refereeing and conspicuous contributions from a debutant.

Technically, the match was not of the highest quality and Butcher will have most cause to rue this observation. He has a vibrant, quick and enterprising side and they fell short of their best in the clamour of a frenetic encounter. When they conspired to produce their most cutting football, they discovered that Billy McKay, the club's prodigious goalscorer, was unusually hesitant and feckless.

However, Inverness featured the most proficient player in Andrew Shinnie, whose touch was consistently excellent, who provided the goal with an assured finish and who had just one of the chances to take Inverness into the final. The 23-year-old did more than enough to suggest his first cap against Luxembourg will not be his last.

"We have had plenty of chances of our own but just couldn't convert them," he said after Philip Roberts missed the only kick of the penalty shoot-out. He said of McKay: "Billy has been having a great season and he had chances but it just wasn't to be. He's been rattling the goals in but sometimes it just doesn't happen. This was one of those days and nobody is putting blame on anyone else."

Blame was certainly apportioned to referee Euan Norris, particularly by the Hearts supporters. The dismissal of Scott Robinson caused the most ire in the Tynecastle ranks but it was correct. Norris, though, was lenient to Richie Foran and McKay after both had been booked, and to Michael Ngoo, the striker on loan from Liverpool. He was the most conspicuous Hearts player because of his size, pace and power but Danny Wilson, playing at left-back, had a fine match and, with Shinnie, advertised his abilities to the new Scotland coaching team.

Jason Holt, at 19, quietly showed that he could become a midfield mainstay of a Hearts side dotted with youth.

"Everyone thinks that it's a young team but we're all good players, every one of us, and it shows the good work behind the scenes by our academy coaches that we can play at first team level," he said confidently of a side that included Fraser Mullen, Jamie Walker and Callum Tapping, all aged 19.

Holt can therefore look forward to Hearts' attempt at winning their first League Cup for 50 years. He has, though, joyful memories from last year's William Hill Scottish Cup final victory over Hibernian. "I was not in the squad but I went through on the bus and obviously was involved in the celebrations afterwards so it was a great experience. I was in the dressing room after the game and it was different class, you can't beat it," said Holt.

John McGlynn was there that day, too, as a supporter. Now he can be proud of leading the club to a Hampden final himself but paid due recognition to another consideration.

"We've done brilliantly and it was massive for the club financially," the manager said. "It is astonishing it is 50 years. It's obviously one competition that's haunted us. In recent years it's maybe not been looked upon as so important and sometimes they've played weakened teams. It came back to bite them. But such is the squad we've got, we've always got to play our strongest team."

That team will be diminished in the final by the absence of captain Marius Zaliukas, whose yellow card incurred a suspension.

"It will be a massive loss. He is such an influential character. When the ball goes in that box, there's only one man winning it," said McGlynn. "He's a great professional, a great captain."

McGlynn also paid tribute to the support of his wife and daughter. "They go through an awful lot," he said. "They feel as much frustration and pain and jubilation at times as you do. It's hard. They were both here and I'm sure they will enjoy a nice, comfortable night and their old man will not have a soor face."

Taken from the Herald