Hearts beat 10-man Hibs to reach Scottish Cup final

Wonderful early strikes from Ellis Simms and Stephen Kingsley sent Hearts into the Scottish Cup final as 10-man Hibernian fell short with a fiery fightback at Hampden.

Chris Cadden replied within 72 seconds of Kingsley’s strike, and a fantastic Craig Gordon save denied Ryan Porteous a leveller. But although Hibs kept pressing after Joe Newell’s dismissal, they could not find parity.

These two have been going at it since 1895 but this was just their fourth meeting at the national stadium. Hearts have won them all.

Not only do they have a chance of cup glory on 21 May but, with Sunday’s semi-finalists Celtic and Rangers already assured Champions League places, it guarantees a crack at the group stage of either the Europa League or Conference League for the Tynecastle side next term.

It also ensures that two of Dundee United, Ross County and Motherwell will qualify for the Conference League.

It’s a long way from little over a year ago, when Hearts were a Championship side reeling from the embarrassment of a Scottish Cup defeat to Highland League outfit Brora Rangers.

Following a typically frantic opening, Hampden was lit up by two special goals inside five minutes, with Simms clattering a shot home from 20 yards and Kingsley curling in a precise strike from a little further out after a well-worked set piece.

The packed-out Hearts end was going wild, with fans dreaming of another Scottish Cup derby drubbing like the ones dished out in the 2006 semi and 2012 final.

There were a few empty sections at the other end of the ground and there looked to be more vacant seats as some headed for the exits only to be brought back by Cadden’s goal, slammed in after great tenacity in the box from Lewis Stevenson.

Hearts, who lost Andy Halliday and Craig Halkett to injuries in a thunderous contest, had a great chance to restore their cushion, only for Liam Boyce to drill inches wide in first-half stoppage time.

Following on from last weekend’s derby defeat at Tynecastle, which consigned Hibs to a bottom six finish in the Premiership, it was to be another disappointing day for a club that has reached this stage of both cup competitions for three seasons running with nothing to show for it other than a couple of sets of losers’ medals.

Shaun Maloney has made an unconvincing start to his managerial career but there were encouraging signs as he choose a more experienced and robust side, who fought for every inch of turf and were denied an equaliser early in the second half when Gordon somehow got fingertips to a Porteous header, diverting it against a post.

Hibs’ continued ferocity was to be their undoing on 64 minutes when Newell was shown a second yellow card for a foolish, lunging tackle, while substitute Josh Campbell was perhaps fortunate to avoid a straight red for a rash challenge soon after.

The depleted underdogs continued to push for a leveller but patched up Hearts held firm amid the broiling froth and fury, with Gordon pushing away a free-kick from Sylvester Jasper deep into eight minutes of added time.

Man of the match – Stephen Kingsley

What did we learn?

Hearts were nowhere near their best as aggressive Hibs knocked them off their stride but they produced two top-class finishes and then dug in to book their place in the final.

Mounting injuries will be a concern for head coach Robbie Neilson, who is already without Michael Smith, John Souttar and Beni Baningime, but he can focus on what has been a fantastic season, wrapping up third place on returning to the top flight, with a return visit to Hampden next month.

This was Hibs’ last chance to rescue what has been a miserable campaign and, while there was much to admire about their spirit, cooler heads were required and there remains a significant disconnect between midfield and attack.

What did they say?

Hearts manager Robbie Neilson: “It was a tough game, credit to both sets of players, it was a real nailbiter until the end.

“We did well to get the second then we made an error to let them back in, but the players did well to hang in and we deserve to go through.

“Now it will be about reinvesting the money we’re guaranteed with the European football today’s result has guaranteed.”

Hibernian head coach Shaun Maloney: “I’m incredibly proud but disappointed the performance didn’t match the result. It’s by far the best performance since I’ve been here.

“We have to get to a point where we’re more clinical. What I need to instil over the next four or five games, months, seasons – whatever it may be – is a level of performance, desire and physicality that we showed today.

“We need to instil that culture again and make sure we never feel like this again, particularly next season.”