John O'Neil scored twice to send Hibernian into their first Scottish Cup final
since 1979 with a 3-0 semi-final win over First Division Livingston at Hampden
Park.
The former St Johnstone midfielder took less than 90 seconds to fire home his
first before David Zitelli added a second in the 70th minute with some
quick-thinking under Livingston pressure.
O'Neil secured the Easter Road side's passage into the final with 13 minutes
remaining.
However Livingston deserve some credit for not capitulating completely after
losing such an early goal.
But there was little goalkeeper Ian McCaldon could do about O'Neil's opener.
Livvy were still adjusting to the big stage of Hampden when an Ulrik Laursen
throw found Russell Latapy on the edge of the box.
The Trinidad and Tobago international put the ball into the path of O'Neil who
drove home from just inside the area.
But Marvin Andrews almost inadvertently ended the game as a contest with a
costly gaffe five minutes later.
With Mixu Paatelainen chasing in, the defender mis-judged Paul Fenwick's long
ball into the box.
The Finnish striker used his strength to get beyond Andrews but, to spare his
blushes, referee Willie Young deemed the challenge illegal.
Hibs were looking comfortable but Livvy were refusing to keel over and fought
well in the midfield. David Bingham almost equalised when he flashed a header
just wide of Nick Colgan's goal.
But the First Division leaders learned that an inability to score will be
their downfall if, as expected, they clinch promotion to the Premier League next
season.
The Almondvale side would do well to see the example of Hibs midfielder
Mathias Jack, who was everywhere on the field.
The German had been an injury doubt earlier in the week along with Australian
international Stuart Lovell.
Lovell failed to make the starting line-up but Jack was clearly determined to
almost single-handedly propel Hibs towards the final next month.
The German midfielder was at his imperious best towards the end of the first
period.
Alex Burns rounded two Hibs players, including a static Sauzee and appeared
set to equalise with just Colgan to beat inside the box.
But, from nowhere, Jack raced across and cleared the danger with consummate
ease.
But Jack was grateful to Sauzee after the re-start when the sweeper cleared up
the threat of Steve Tosh after the German had missed a pass.
McCaldon proved his worth to the First Division side when he brilliantly got
down low to his right to turn an Ian Murray header around the post.
Livingston fans were in uproar moments later when a Sauzee clearance hit the
arm of Gary Smith in the area but referee Willie Young waved play on.
But in the 70th minute, Zitelli secured Hibs' passage into the final.
A long Smith header found the Frenchman on the edge of the box.
With Andrews and McCaldon both rushing to clear, Zitelli turned his back to
them and hooked the ball over his shoulder and between his opponents before it
trundled into the back of the net.
There was now no way back for the West Lothian side and O'Neil ensured that
there would be no celebrations in Livingston with his second goal of the
afternoon.
The former St Johnstone man took Laursen's ball in his stride and skipped past
Phillippe Brinquin and John Anderson before placing his shot beyond the
despairing dive of McCaldon.
But while Hibs manager Alex McLeish will be looking forward to the final,
Livingston boss Jim Leishman and his team will have to think long and hard about
their strategies for the SPL if they are promoted.
Teams
Hibernian: Colgan, Murray, Sauzee, Gary Smith, Laursen, Fenwick, Jack (Brebner 80), Latapy, O'Neil, Paatelainen (Libbra 82), Zitelli (McManus 73).
Subs Not Used: Westwater, Arpinion.
Goals: O'Neil 2, Zitelli 69, O'Neil 76.
Livingston: McCaldon, Brinquin, Anderson, Andrews, Deas (Jackson 59), Tosh, Fleming, Burns (Britton 80), McCulloch (Hagen 75), Wilson, Bingham.
Subs Not Used: Hart, McEwan.
Att: 24,658
Ref: W Young (Scotland).
E-mail Article 
Print-Friendly
Subscribe to RSS Feed 
Post to del.icio.us
Facebook