Inverness Caledonian Thistle’s remarkable Scottish Cup run will end in June’s final after the Championship side dispatched third-tier Falkirk in a ruthless last-four showing at Hampden.
In a repeat of the 2015 final, the Highlanders triumphed again as Billy Mckay’s early penalty – given for a harsh handball after a VAR check – and Daniel MacKay’s precise header earned a two-goal first-half lead.
And the tie was put beyond the League 1 club when Mckay cushioned in his 100th goal for the club and their third of the day.
The semi-final success rounds off an incredible journey to June’s showpiece occasion for Billy Dodds’ men, who were eliminated from the competition by Queen’s Park in the fourth round before being reinstated after their opponents had fielded an ineligible player.
Dodds’ side went on to beat two top-flight sides – Livingston and Kilmarnock – to reach Hampden, and they will have to beat a third to claim the trophy as they will face either Rangers or Celtic in an almighty task.
As for Falkirk, who dominated for spells at Hampden but lacked cutting edge, their attention turns to a promotion push via the play-offs as they aim to make a return to the second tier.
More to follow.
Line-ups
Falkirk
Formation 4-3-3
- 17Kinnear
- 2WilliamsonSubstituted forYeatsat 67′minutes
- 6Donaldson
- 22McKay
- 15McCann
- 5HendersonSubstituted forLawalat 77′minutes
- 4McGinn
- 23KucheriavyiSubstituted forNesbittat 61′minutes
- 73Kennedy
- 19BurrellSubstituted forOliverat 61′minutes
- 7MorrisonSubstituted forWrightat 61′minutes
Substitutes
- 1Morrison
- 10Nesbitt
- 11McGuffie
- 14Yeats
- 16Wright
- 18Oliver
- 21Lawal
- 26Mackie
- 44Watson
Inverness CT
Formation 4-4-1-1
- 1Ridgers
- 2DuffySubstituted forDelaneyat 79′minutes
- 6Devine
- 5DeasBooked at 45mins
- 3Harper
- 20HendersonSubstituted forBoydat 84′minutes
- 18Allardice
- 4Welsh
- 17MackaySubstituted forDoranat 73′minutes
- 22ShawSubstituted forHydeat 85′minutes
- 9MckaySubstituted forSamuelsat 78′minutes
Substitutes
- 10Doran
- 12MacGregor
- 15Ram
- 16Hyde
- 21MacKay
- 23Delaney
- 24Samuels
- 28Woods
- 30Boyd
Live Text
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Match ends, Falkirk 0, Inverness CT 3.
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Second Half ends, Falkirk 0, Inverness CT 3.
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Attempt missed. Lewis Hyde (Inverness CT) header from the centre of the box is too high.
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Attempt missed. Gary Oliver (Falkirk) left footed shot from the right side of the box is too high.
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Sean Welsh (Inverness CT) wins a free kick in the defensive half.
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Foul by Stephen McGinn (Falkirk).
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Attempt missed. Aidan Nesbitt (Falkirk) right footed shot from outside the box is high and wide to the right.
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Scott Allardice (Inverness CT) wins a free kick in the defensive half.
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Foul by Aidan Nesbitt (Falkirk).
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Attempt saved. Robbie Deas (Inverness CT) header from the centre of the box is saved in the centre of the goal.
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Corner, Inverness CT. Conceded by Brad McKay.
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Substitution, Inverness CT. Lewis Hyde replaces Nathan Shaw.
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Substitution, Inverness CT. Steven Boyd replaces Jay Henderson.
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Ola Lawal (Falkirk) wins a free kick in the defensive half.
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Foul by Scott Allardice (Inverness CT).
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Attempt missed. Ola Lawal (Falkirk) right footed shot from the right side of the box is too high.
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Substitution, Inverness CT. Zak Delaney replaces Wallace Duffy.
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Substitution, Inverness CT. Austin Samuels replaces Billy Mckay.
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Attempt saved. Ola Lawal (Falkirk) right footed shot from outside the box is saved in the bottom right corner.
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Substitution, Falkirk. Ola Lawal replaces Liam Henderson.
How to play
Rate players out of 10 throughout or after the game. The rater will close 30 minutes after the final whistle.
Rating range key = Give it up = Pure perfection
Falkirk
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Squad number17Player nameKinnear
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Squad number2Player nameWilliamson
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Squad number6Player nameDonaldson
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Squad number22Player nameMcKay
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Squad number15Player nameMcCann
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Squad number5Player nameHenderson
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Squad number4Player nameMcGinn
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Squad number23Player nameKucheriavyi
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Squad number73Player nameKennedy
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Squad number19Player nameBurrell
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Squad number7Player nameMorrison
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Squad number10Player nameNesbitt
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Squad number14Player nameYeats
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Squad number16Player nameWright
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Squad number18Player nameOliver
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Squad number21Player nameLawal
Inverness Caledonian Thistle
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Squad number1Player nameRidgers
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Squad number2Player nameDuffy
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Squad number6Player nameDevine
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Squad number5Player nameDeas
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Squad number3Player nameHarper
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Squad number20Player nameHenderson
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Squad number18Player nameAllardice
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Squad number4Player nameWelsh
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Squad number17Player nameMackay
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Squad number22Player nameShaw
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Squad number9Player nameMckay
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Squad number10Player nameDoran
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Squad number16Player nameHyde
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Squad number23Player nameDelaney
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Squad number24Player nameSamuels
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Squad number30Player nameBoyd
