Edinburgh derby is the pick of cup draw

Published on Monday 1 December 2008 23:20

HIBS and Hearts will clash at Easter Road next month in the pick of the Homecoming Scottish Cup fourth-round ties, with two Edinburgh derbies now scheduled within the space of a week.

Mixu Paatelainen's side travel to Tynecastle on Saturday, 3 January for the sides' second SPL meeting of the season, before the pair will meet on cup duty the following weekend, possibly on Sunday, 11 January if, as expected, the match is chosen for live television coverage by Sky Sports.

Scotland manager George Burley helped pick out his former club against Hibs at yesterday's Hampden draw – the last of the 16 ties to come out of the hat – and predicted a game to remember. "Both teams will be desperate to win that game. I think it will be a cracking match," said Burley.

Hearts hammered Hibs 4-0 at Hampden in the semi- finals of the 2006 tournament, before beating Gretna in the final. The only other meetings between the teams in the past 30 years have seen Hearts beat Hibs 2-1 at Easter Road in the fourth round in 1990 courtesy of a Wayne Foster winner, while Hibs won 2-1 in a quarter-final at the same venue in 1979.

First Division leaders St Johnstone have landed a plum home tie with Rangers, while Celtic will host Dundee. If Ayr can overcome Lochee this weekend they will host their rivals Kilmarnock in another derby, while the winners of Inverurie Locos and Vale of Leithen will entertain Motherwell. All ties are scheduled for the weekend of 10-11 January.