Jason Cummings: Hibs can repeat as Scottish Cup winners

Jason Cummings opens the scoring against Hearts in Hibs' Scottish Cup fifth-round triumph. Picture: PA

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While the majority of Hibs fans were happy to write off this year’s Scottish Cup having finally, as Cummings put it, “got the monkey off their backs” with last season’s triumph at Hampden, the club now find themselves favourites to once again return to the national stadium.

Neil Lennon’s side ripped their rivals apart in a whirlwind first half. Cummings and Grant Holt had them 2-0 up before the break and the game was dead as a contest when Andrew Shinnie fired in a third, even if Esmael Goncalves netted a consolation for the visitors.

Ayr United now stand between the holders and a place in the final four. And, if they can play even half as well as they did against Hearts, it’s difficult to imagine them not getting there.

If they reach the semi-finals, Hibs believe they have as good a chance as anyone of upsetting Celtic’s quest for the treble.

Cummings said: “Can we win it again? Definitely. It’s not like we have any pressure, we’ve got the monkey off our back.

“Last year was more pressure because people were like ‘is this the year?’ but now we are just enjoying it.

“And what a chance we’ve got. Ayr at home, who we’ll respect, but what a chance to get to Hampden.

“If we play like that we can beat anyone on our day.”

Cummings took his goal record in recent derby games to five goals in his last six, a run only blotted by the 0-0 draw at Tynecastle ten days prior.

He added: “I always enjoy these games. In the morning I’m buzzing, I can’t wait to get out there. I couldn’t have written a better script, we were different class from back to front. I got my goal and set one up so personally it was good, and overall it was brilliant.

“This [derby victory] definitely up there [with the best], just with the manner of the win. It was never in doubt and I really enjoyed it - I played with a smile on my face and the boys in there deserve that.”