Hibs youngsters set up Youth Cup final

Published on Monday 30 March 2009 09:57

Falkirk Under-19s 0 Hibs Under-19s 3

HAMPDEN here we come – that was the roar today from Hibs' Under-19s after they clinched their place in the final of the SFA Youth Cup.

Victory over Falkirk not only set up a showdown with Rangers, who crushed Inverness Caledonian Thistle 6-2 in the other semi-final, but kept alive the dream of a cup and league double with the Easter Road kids five points clear at the top of the table with only four matches to go.

The Bairns can boast of being the only side to have beaten the Hibs youngsters this season but they were swept aside in convincing fashion with a double from striker Kurtis Byrne and a stunning header by defender Ewan Moyes.

Now Hibs can approach the final, Wednesday, April 29 is pencilled in, with confidence having beaten Rangers at Murray Park only a couple of weeks ago to regain pole position in the championship while turning their attention to the final games of the season with a derby double-header against Hearts among their remaining fixtures.

Although that defeat by Falkirk left the youngsters smarting, they made the short journey not with revenge on their minds but the thought of making the final for the first time since 1992 when, at the third time of asking, Hibs lifted the Youth Cup with a 2-0 win over Ayr United having lost in each of the previous two years to Dundee United.

And it is a chance coach Alistair Stevenson insisted his team thoroughly deserved, having scored 18 goals in their glory run in disposing of Stenhousemuir, Ross County, Raith Rovers and, now, Falkirk without conceding.

He said: "I'm glad it's Rangers in the final. We have had fantastic games with them over the past few years and playing them at Hampden will attract a very good crowd which will make it an occasion the boys won't forget for a long time.

"They have that to look forward to and, to be honest, they have earned the right to be there."

With so much at stake it was understandable both sides served up a nervy opening 45 minutes, the game littered with misplaced passes although Patrick Deane almost opened the scoring after just 11 minutes, getting on the end of an Oliver Russell knock-down only to see his efforts deflected inches wide.

Falkirk showed why they are the only side to have beaten Hibs in 22 matches, playing neat football and forcing a string of corners which came to nothing before the Edinburgh club claimed the opening goal six minutes from the interval, referee Frankie Connor pointing to the spot after the ball struck the hand of Jay Lang.

It looked a harsh decision but Irishman Byrne, one of seven in Hibs' Under-19 side to have signed a contract which will see them step up to boss Mixu Paatelainen's first-team squad next season, stepped up to send Bairns goalkeeper Michael Andrews the wrong way from the spot.

Stevenson said: "There was a bit of pressure on the boys which they probably haven't felt before and the first half was a bit tight and edgy but once we got the goal we relaxed, settled down and went on to play really well against a good Falkirk side which has been hard to beat."

Hibs killed any hopes the Bairns might have had to getting back into the match with two goals at the start of the second half, Byrne claiming his second after Russell's shot was deflected into his path before a training ground move saw David Wotherspoon play a short corner to skipper Sean Welsh, who floated an inviting cross onto the six-yard line for Moyes to power home a header and Hibs' third.

Stevenson said: "The team is the main thing, but we had a lot of good individual performances, boys showing they are hungry and ready to move upwards." Hibs certainly ran out the better side, goalkeeper Thomas Flynn notching his 12th clean sheet of the season as Moyes and Scott Smith provided ample protection in front of him while Welsh's ability to recycle the ball and switch play, allowing fellow midfielders Wotherspoon, Russell and Lee Currie to get forward in support of the front men and full-backs Ally Park and Callum Booth to make full use of the width of the pitch as they patrolled up and down their respective flanks.

Now, while the end of next month can't come quickly enough, Stevenson will be urging his youngsters to remain focused on the crucial league matches to be played while also juggling his squad to ensure there is as little risk of burn-out as possible as a number of this side divide their duties between progressing their careers by playing for the reserve team and the Under-19s.

He said: "It's important we put the final out of our minds. We still have the league, we've got ourselves into a great position to win it.

"We could still win both or end up winning nothing but the boys have proved game after game they are a highly-rated team which is well respected by the sides they play.

"I'm sure they'll be focused on the league games, the matches against Hearts will take care of themselves. They'll be up for them and they know they are games they have to win to take the title.

"But reaching the final is great for them, it's a one-off game, something for them to relish and savour, a game to look back on and one which they will probably never forget, hopefully for all the right reasons."

Falkirk: Andrews, Duffie, Stallard, P McLean, Ecklund (C McLean 56), A Young, Lang (Bonar 56), Murdoch, Davidson, Sludden, Sproule. Subs not used: Walker, Grant, B Young.

Hibs: Flynn, Park, Moyes, Smith, Booth, Russell, Welsh, Currie (Kelly 86), Wotherspoon, Byrne, Deane (Bell 68). Subs not used: Taggart, Graham, Welch.