Inverness CT 1–0 Raith Rovers: Devine intervention

HE had previously mustered only 90 minutes’ action all season, but Danny Devine’s intervention last night wrote his name large in the campaign – sealing a much-craved Scottish Cup semi-final date for Inverness Caledonian Thistle.
Danny Devine celebrates after opening the scoring for Inverness. Picture: SNSDanny Devine celebrates after opening the scoring for Inverness. Picture: SNS
Danny Devine celebrates after opening the scoring for Inverness. Picture: SNS

Scorers: Inverness - Devine (63)

Raith Rovers, Rangers’ conquerors in the last round, couldn’t come close to replicating the magic of Ibrox. Indeed, they looked a pale shadow of the brash shock troops that floored Kenny McDowall’s men. In sharp contrast, the Highlanders were assertive and dominant virtually from the off as they secured a first Hampden Park date in more than a decade through the Northern Irishman’s winner.

John Hughes’ side will face the winners of the Celtic v Dundee United quarter-final replay next Wednesday and there is burgeoning belief in the Highland capital that they can secure a second major cup final appearance in as many years.

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Long before the end, home keeper Ryan Esson was thumping his gloves against the chill, idle through most of the evening. It had always looked like a potential banana skin for last season’s beaten league Cup finalists, not helped by the absence of two influential figures in injured keeper Dean Brill and suspended defensive mainstay Gary Warren.

Devine deputised again in the heart of defence for only his second appearance of the campaign, while Nigerian striker Edward Ofere made his second start since joining the club ten days ago.

Raith’s Christian Nade showed early energy and menace but, mostly, it was John Hughes’ side who made the running. Raith remained under the cosh again in the second half, but escaped after an incredible Marley Watkins miss.

A Josh Meekings cross from outside the left angle of the Raith box fell perfectly to the Welshman barely four yards out, but he somehow skied over the bar.

When another Meekings header was tipped over the bar before the hour, you felt it just wasn’t going to be the hosts’ night against the charmed Championship side. But the spell was finally broken after 63 minutes with a deserved opener.

Greg Tansey’s swerving corner from the left dipped at the far post and defender Devine glanced a three-yard header in off the inside post. For all their dominance, there was always a sense that the failure to take so many chances might come back to haunt the Highland hosts but, in truth, Raith were woefully short on finesse where and when it mattered.

Inverness: Esson; Raven, Devine, Meekings, Shinnie; Tansey, Draper, Williams (Kink 78); Christie (Ross 90); Watkins, Ofere (Doran 78). Subs not used: Mackay, Vincent, Tremarco, Polworth.

Raith Rovers: P McGurn; Thomson, Watson, Barr, McKeown; Anderson (Vaughan 75), Fox (Conroy 88), Callachan, McKay; Stewart; Nade. Subs not used: Cuthbert, Hill, Moon, Scott, Matthews.

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