ANTHONY HAGGERTY AT TYNECASTLE
HEARTS .... 2 PARTICK TH .... 1
FORMER Hearts team-mates Craig Levein and John Robertson are on a Scottish Cup collision course at Hampden after the Jambos set up a last-four clash with Inverness Caledonian Thistle.
A goal by Uche Ikpeazu, who also missed a second-half spot-kick, and a penalty by Sean Clare were enough to see Hearts triumph on an atrocious night in the capital after ex-Celtic star Scott McDonald had given the Jags an early shock lead.
Old pals Levein and Robertson, who were Scottish Cup runners-up with the Jambos in 1986, will now go head to head next month for the right to face either Celtic or Aberdeen at Hampden Park in the showpiece on May 25.
Levein made three changes to the starting line-up that overcame Dundee on Saturday with Jake Mulraney, Olly Lee and Craig Wighton coming in for Callumn Morrison, Peter Haring and David Vanecek.
Jags head coach Gary Caldwell welcomed back club captain Stuart Bannigan from injury and Lewis Mansell started up front as Miles Storey and Joe Cardle dropped to the bench.
Hearts were first out the blocks and inside two minutes Ikepazu’s forceful run was halted 25 yards from goal.
Conor Hazard had to react smartly and dive to his left to beat away Ben Garuccio’s clever free-kick for a corner which came to nothing.
On eight minutes Mansell got his angles all wrong when he attempted to steer a header on goal but the ball came off his shoulder and drifted harmlessly wide of the target.
The driving wind and torrential rain made conditions atrocious.
It was Partick, however, who stunned the home side when they took a shock lead on 16 minutes.
Craig Slater chipped a cross to the back post and Hearts goalkeeper Zdenek Zlamal kept out a header from Steven Saunders.
The ball dropped to former Celtic hitman Scott McDonald, who tapped home from close range for the opener.
Hazard then held a Clare drive as the Jambos sought a quick response.
The lead didn’t last long as Hearts were all square on 24 minutes.
Garuccio advanced down the right and fed Wighton, who knocked it on to Ikpeazu on the edge of the area.
He turned before ramming a fine low shot into the bottom left-hand corner for his fifth of the season.
Hearts were awarded a penalty on 35 minutes when a mix up in the Jags defence saw Hazard pull down Mulraney in the box.
Referee Bobby Madden immediately pointed to the spot and booked the goalkeeper for his troubles.
Clare stepped up to coolly slot home, sending Hazard the wrong way for his fourth goal of the campaign as the Jambos turned the game on its head.
It was Hearts who started on the front foot after half-time as Mulraney galloped down the wing and fizzed over a cross which was desperately hacked away.
Thistle made the game’s first substitution on 51 minutes when Christie Elliott made way for Cardle.
The rain continued to lash down but that did not dampen the spirits and enthusiasm of the home supporters.
The maroon hordes howled for a penalty on 53 minutes when Ikpeazu went down in the box under the challenge of Steven Anderson but this time Madden waved away the appeals.
Hearts should have made it 3-1 when Clare’s header from Marcus Godinho’s tempting cross drifted inches wide on the hour mark.
Levein then threw on Haring for Lee as the Jambos made their first substitution of the evening.
Mansell was then replaced by Storey for the Jags on 67 minutes.
Hearts squandered a glorious chance to make the game safe when they were awarded a second penalty on 69 minutes.
Ikpeazu went down in the box and Madden once again pointed to the spot.
The striker took over the responsibilities from Clare but looked on in horror as his weak effort was saved down low by Hazard.
That gave the Jags renewed hope and McDonald flashed a long-range drive wide as the tension increased inside Tynecastle.
Substitute Haring then slipped in Wighton on 83 minutes but he crashed an effort over.
There was late drama in injury time when Partick screamed for a penalty as Jags substitute Cardle went down in the box under John Souttar’s challenge but Madden insisted that he had won the ball cleanly much to the anger and disgust of the away support and Caldwell.
It was the Jambos who just held on for the victory as Hearts booked a second successive domestic cup semi-final spot.
However, Caldwell and Thistle will feel that securing their Championship status this season will be their top priority.