Hibs set to swoop for Northern Ireland's Jamie Mulgrew

HIBS were today linked with a move for Northern Ireland internationalist Jamie Mulgrew but face competition from SPL rivals Kilmarnock for his signature.

The Easter Road outfit are believed to be keen to snap up the Linfield midfielder, who is available on a Bosman-style free transfer when his contract expires in the summer.

However, along with Killie, newly-promoted MLS side Portland Timbers are also interested in taking Mulgrew – who made his full Northern Ireland debut in a friendly against Turkey in May last year – to America.

The 24-year-old was Linfield's player of the year last season, but has become frustrated by his lack of games for the Irish side since the turn of the year.

However, he showed the kind of quality that has put him on Colin Calderwood's radar at the weekend when he scored in Linfield's 4-0 win over Dungannon Swifts at Stangmore Park.

Mulgrew, who has played for Linfield for the last six year, has also previously played for the Irish club's rivals Glentoran.

Meanwhile, Hibs assistant manager Derek Adams begins his appeal against the four-match touchline ban he received following former club Ross County's Co-Operative Insurance Cup defeat to Dundee United last September.

Adams was already serving the last of an eight-match ban when he was reported for an incident in the tunnel at the final whistle.

While he accepted a six-match ban as punishment, he is appealing against the additional four matches that were handed to him for being in the tunnel, which breached the terms of his original suspension.

It is the first of two disciplinary dates that Adams faces in a short period of time as he will be back in front of the SFA again in just three weeks after being sent to the stand during Hibs' defeat to Motherwell last month.