Hibs to net £60k as Sky show Ayr tie

Hibs were today handed a £60,000 boost when it was revealed next week's Scottish Cup replay with Second Division Ayr United will be shown live on television.

The Edinburgh club travel to Somerset Park next Tuesday following a disappointing 0-0 draw at Easter Road with the Second Division outfit knowing another home tie, against either St Mirren or Peterhead, awaits them in the fifth round if they are successful.

Admission prices for the game will be the same as the original tie, 15 for adults and 10 for concessions, and will be cash at the gate. The news that Sky Sports intend to broadcast the match (kick-off 7.45pm) will be welcomed by both clubs, bringing a five-figure bonus which will help compensate for a disappointingly low crowd of 6,056 for the first game in the Capital at the weekend.

Striker Kurtis Byrne, back at Easter Road following a successful loan spell with East Fife, hopes to be part of Colin Calderwood's plans for Saturday's lunchtime clash at home to Celtic. The uncertainty over Colin Nish's future, who turned down the chance to move to Chinese club Tianjin Teda after training with them in Cyprus last weekend, will have Dublin-born Byrne hoping he's moved up the pecking order.

Byrne said: "I've been back a week and I am fighting to get into the squad. I've been told to just keep working hard and my chance will come. It would be great to be involved."

Meanwhile, Hibs' postponed SPL match against Hamilton at New Douglas Park, originally rescheduled for next Tuesday, has been switched again because of the Cup replay and will now be played on Tuesday, March 1.