| Hibs hoping to break a 104-year jinx
 By
Richard Purden
Hibs have come one step closer to breaking a hoodoo that has dogged them
for 104 years. Northern Irish player Ivan Sproule ended up on the score
sheet again in a stunning 5-1 victory away to Falkirk in the Scottish
Cup quarter-final.
Celtic-bound defender Gary Caldwell also found the net. He’s hoping
to leave the Emerald Greens with the cup before heading to Parkhead at
the end of the season.
He said: “It would be nice to leave Hibs with a Scottish Cup winner’s
medal.
“We were at the same stage last year and lost the semi-final to
Dundee United so there is a long way to go. I’m sure every team
left in the cup will be thinking there’s a great chance to go all
the way but we’ll have to play a lot better than that to do it.
“We won comfortably in the end but that’s only because Falkirk
came at us and left spaces. When you do that the likes of Ivan Sproule,
Derek Riordan and Steven Fletcher can be devastating.”
With Hearts still in the running an all-Edinburgh final is a mouth-watering
prospect. With both teams in stunning form this season they’ve outplayed
the Old Firm on a number of occasions.
In a Roy of the Rovers moment second division minnows Gretna clinched
a semi-final spot with a 1-0 win against St. Mirren. It looks as thought
the club’s motto of Living The Dream is coming to fruition.
Celtic’s Aidan McGeady has paid tribute to his injured teammate
John Kennedy.
The Ireland international currently on the sidelines through injury has
gained inspiration from the defender’s determination.
He said: “It’s been hard for me to sit and watch the team
when I want to be playing but there are others who are in a worse situation
than me such as John and Craig Beattie.
“It shows how mentally strong John is the way he keeps coming in
and doing his training. If that was me, I’d be going crazy.”
Celtic’s recent record-breaking 8-1 win over Dunfermline has also
been good for morale after manager Gordon Strachan laughed off Artur Boruc’s
criticism of the team including a pot shot at John Hartson’s fitness
levels.
He said: “It was hilarious. I think most people understood it was
a fans’ forum and he was having a bit of a laugh. I heard John outside
my door doing shuttles trying to get fitter.”
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