WHO would want to wake up from an impossible dream which took 114 years to come true?
Not Hibernian and their supporters who are still coming to terms with being the Scottish Cup holders. They will be happy this real life fantasy is to continue for a couple more months yet.
Neil Lennon’s side should have won more convincingly; however, this quarter-final against Ayr United was negotiated without too much bother.
How could last season be topped down Leith way you ask? Well, how about retaining the once elusive trophy and getting automatic promotion. Hibs still do not wholly convince but do not rule out pulling off what would be a unique double in Scottish football terms.
“I thought we were very good, it was an emphatic performance," said Lennon. "I am very excited about going to Hampden with a new club. I got used to doing it with Celtic and I'm very proud to do it with Hibs. I am extremely proud of them to get in the semi-final but I'd swap it all for promotion. For us to develop as a club we need to be in the Premiership.
"We need to earn the right to be there and today, with all due respect to Ayr, we were head and shoulders above another Championship team.
"What we have to do now is park the cup and really concentrate on getting promotion. We are having a hell of a season, the standards drop now and then, but the players have given me everything. I am maybe too hard on them at times but we are doing all right."
Six minutes was all it took for Hibs to take charge of things. John McGinn’s cross towards the back post was headed out to the edge of the box, and it was McGinn himself who got back on the ball, turned on to his weaker right foot and from 20 yards curled a superb shot past Ayr keeper Greg Fleming.
The game was done – or so you would have thought - four minutes later. Andrew Shinnie sent a long ball towards Martin Boyle and he got to it a split-second before Ayr left-back Daryll Meggatt who clipped the heels of the Hibs man just as he crossed the line of the penalty box.
It was unfortunate but a penalty nonetheless. Jason Cumming hit his spot-kick down the middle when Fleming dived to his right.
A great interchange between Grant Holt and Shinnie almost led to a terrific third, only for Fleming to get both hands to the latter’s shot.
So it was all Hibs until the 31st minute when Ayr scored a quite superb goal. It was all about Craig McGuffie who beat two Hibs players near the corner before getting into position for shot. When that didn’t come off, possession was lost then regained, and this time McGuffie sent the ball dead into the top left corner from 25 yards.
It was a lifeline. It didn’t last for long.
The game had been only a minute old when Ayr defender Scott McKenna thumped into the back of Holt who really felt the challenge. Referee Nick Walsh saw no reasons to hand out a booking then but was not so lenient just before the break when the same player showed recklessness in his woefully dangerous tackle on McGinn. A red card was shown and the visitors could have had no complaints about the decision.
Hibs knew another goal would do it and they began the second half in relentless manner. Three times they came close to scoring in the opening moments and three times they were denied by superb defending from Meggatt.
Ayr keeper Fleming pulled off a smart save on 63 minutes when the ball hit off his team-mate Meggatt at some force and only fine goalkeeping prevented an own goal.
It was a strange affair. The second half was all Hibs but the home side were lacking in vision when it came to the final pass and composure in front of goal. Ayr also deserved credit for keeping going and tackling everything that moved.
In saying that, the third goal came with 11 minutes to go. Gray’s cross from the right was powerfully headed in by substitute James Keatings. It might just have been his first touch.
Ayr manager Iain McCall praised his team's effort and tipped the goalscorer for greater things. "Craig is going to be a player. There is no doubt about that. It was a great finish."
Scorers
Hibernian: McGinn 6, Cummings (pen) 10, Keatings 79
Ayr United: McGuffie 31
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