Resurrection and delight for Hibs
Sunday 14 April 2013

THIS has to be their year, doesn't it?
Falkirk goalkeeper Michael McGovern secures the ball from a cross with Hibernian's Paul Hanlon having anticipated a chance for a header Photograph: Jeff Holmes/SNS
Falkirk goalkeeper Michael McGovern secures the ball from a cross with Hibernian's Paul Hanlon having anticipated a chance for a header Photograph: Jeff Holmes/SNS

The team without equal when it comes to Scottish Cup hard-luck stories are in the final for a second successive season and, given everything Hibernian endured before prevailing in this remarkable semi-final, maybe the old trophy is destined to wing its way back to Leith after an agonising 111-year wait.

Celtic or Dundee United, who meet this afternoon in the other semi-final, will provide the opposition but, regardless of what happens on May 26, it will surely struggle to match the drama and tension witnessed at Hampden yesterday.

After 120 minutes of pulsating play, there had been seven goals, a missed penalty, a change of referee, a goal disallowed and plenty more besides. And Hibs, somehow, had found a way to turn a 3-0 half-time deficit into the unlikeliest of 4-3 wins. "It was an unbelievable game," said Pat Fenlon, the Hibs manager. "I've never been through anything like that before. And never want to again. I might just sleep until Monday or Tuesday now."

Once more Leigh Griffiths was at the centre of Hibs' success. The striker was not at his best, and even missed a second-half penalty, but his peerless ability to come up with crucial goals again proved to be the difference. Griffiths scored the winner when Aberdeen were seen off in last year's semi-final and he was at it again here, lashing in a ferocious drive five minutes from the end of extra-time to finally extinguish the resistance of plucky Falkirk and send his team into another William Hill Scottish Cup final.

After their infamous 5-1 capitulation to Hearts in last year's showpiece, Hibs showed they were made of stronger stuff here. Following a pitiful first-half performance they trooped up the tunnel three goals behind, and were lucky it was not more. When Ben Williams saved well from Falkirk's Lyle Taylor late in the first half, it seemed an act no more significant than preventing further embarrassment. Instead it became the turning point of the game.

Fenlon was reluctant to give away too much about his half-time team talk – "it's probably not really suitable for the papers or television," he added with a smile – but whatever he said, allied to the decision to put on a second striker in Eoin Doyle, turned the game in Hibs' favour. "I probably got the shape of the team wrong at the start," Fenlon admitted. "We didn't get enough from certain players in the shape and putting Eoin up gave them a different problem."

Suddenly the patient, presumed dead, started to show some signs of life. The impressive Alex Harris's effort thudded against a post via the palm of goalkeeper Michael McGovern, before Tim Clancy was denied what looked a stonewall penalty after being clipped by Falkirk's Stewart Murdoch. Then Hibs got a break, Harris's shot glancing off the unfortunate Darren Dods to wrongfoot McGovern. The comeback was on. Griffiths missed a sitter, then a penalty, after Murdoch brought down Danny Handling, but redeemed himself in making it 3-2 with 12 minutes of regulation time left after being set up by Harris.

Falkirk's young side, having given so much in the first half, were now visibly toiling and Hibs scented blood. Doyle rattled in a long-range effort after 83 minutes to level at 3-3 and take the match into extra-time, during which injured referee Iain Brines was replaced by John Beaton, the fourth official. Griffiths missed another snip and had a 'goal' erroneously chalked off for offside, but would not be denied five minutes from time when he fastened on to Dods' clearance to fizz in a spectacular effort that gave McGovern no chance.

The prospect of extra-time being needed had looked extremely remote after a first half which Falkirk completely dominated, while missing a couple of decent chances to add to their tally. Hibs were a mess, impotent in attack and vulnerable in defence, to the point that it was almost impossible to envisage any way back for them. It was enough for large swathes of Hibs fans to head for the exits, no doubt learning of their team's remarkable fightback as they headed east. "If I had a way I might have walked out the door myself," said Fenlon.

Falkirk were so vibrant and full of running in the first half that it was perhaps no surprise they later ran out of steam. They scored after just six minutes with a well-worked move, Taylor cutting back the ball to Craig Sibbald, who sidefooted a shot past Williams. They looked thoroughly comfortable, and likely to score with every attack. A second goal arrived after 18 minutes – Jay Fulton getting in front of Paul Cairney to nod Conor McGrandles' cross past the goalkeeper – and by the half-hour mark they were three goals in front. Taylor's effort was pushed out by Williams but only as far as Blair Alston, who tapped into an empty net. It all looked like being a dream start for Gary Holt in his first match as Falkirk manager but Hibs would have other ideas, Falkirk left to rue a late miss by the usually clinical Taylor that would have taken the tie to a penalty shoot-out. "It just wasn't to be today," said Holt. "We just couldn't get over the line."

Resurrection and delight for Hibs

Taken from the Herald