HE had previously mustered only 90 minutes' action all season, but Danny Devine's intervention last night wrote his name large in the campaign annals - sealing a much-craved Scottish Cup semi-final date for Inverness.
Rangers' conquerors couldn't come anywhere close to replicating the magic of Ibrox in the last round, indeed looked a pale shadow of the brash shock troops that floored Kenny McDowall's men. In sharp contrast, the Highlanders were assertive and dominant virtually from the off as they secured a first Hampden Park date in more than a decade through the Northern Irishman's winner.
Back-to-back Scottish Cup semi-finals under John Robertson belonged to the old First Division era but the long-forgotten fever will be building towards April 18. John Hughes' side will face the winners of next Wednesday's Celtic v Dundee United quarter-final and there is burgeoning belief in the Highland capital that they can secure a second major cup final appearance in as many years.
Long before the end, home keeper Ryan Esson was thumping his gloves against the chill, idle through most of the evening. It had always looked like a potential banana skin for last season's beaten League Cup finalists, not helped by the absence of two influential figures in injured keeper Dean Brill and suspended defensive mainstay Gary Warren.
Devine deputised again in the heart of defence for only his second appearance of the campaign, while Nigerian striker Edward Ofere made his second start since joining the club 10 days ago. Both played a big part in victory.
Patient, probing build-up after 14 minutes sparked danger for the Championship men when Danny Williams showed a turn of pace to the left of the box. Williams' chipped cross was met firmly by the head of Ofere and deflected for a corner.
Raith broke immediately and Mark Stewart's long, searching cross from the left was dipping towards the waiting Rory McKeown before David Raven's crucial intervention without stretched leg knocked the ball for a corner.
Ofere was looking strong, lively and inventive and, as play tore to the other end again, sent Marley Watkins striding forward with a lovely pass. Watkins slipped his marker but went for glory, with a shot skimming low beyond the far post. Graeme Shinnie, screaming for it in the middle, was furious.
What had been a steady assault was turning into an all-out siege as the Highlanders' grip on the match built and built. Shinnie's swerving cross from the left generated another clear chance after 24 minutes but full-back David Raven battered his volley attempt high into the heavens. Raith were increasingly hemmed in around their own penalty area and young Ryan Christie's cross from the left after 36 minutes saw the excellent Ofere nod just inches beyond the far post.
Another superb chance went unpunished just before the break. Williams' measured diagonal ball over the top dropped perfectly onto the toes of Shinnie sprinting through into the box.
The Aberdeen-bound left left back struck with his weaker right foot against the outcoming David McGurn, with the rebound smacking off Raith defender Paul Watson and within a whisker of his own goal. Raith were soon under the cosh again early in the second half, but escaped after an incredible Watkins' miss.
A Josh Meekings cross from outside the left angle of the Raith box fell perfectly to the Welshman barely four yards out, but he somehow skied over the bar. But the spell was finally broken after 63 minutes with a deserved opener. Greg Tansey's swerving corner from the left dipped at the far post and defender Devine glanced a three-yard header in off the inside post.
INVERNESS CT (4-3-1-2) - Esson 6; Raven 6, Devine 7, Meekings 7, Shinnie 8; Tansey 6, Draper 6, Williams 6 (Kink 78 4); Christie 7 (Ross 90 2); Watkins 6, Ofere 8 (Doran 78 4). Subs: Mackay, Vincent, Tremarco, Polworth.
RAITH ROVERS (4-4-1-1) - McGurn 7; Thomson 7, Watson 7, Barr 7, McKeown 7; Anderson 6 (Vaughan 75 4), Fox 6 (Conroy 88 2), Callachan 6, McKay 6; Stewart 6; Nade 6. Subs: Cuthbert, Hill, Moon, Scott, Matthews.
Referee: Crawford Allan 6
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