Lennon hails his thumping derby heroes as they reach quarters
Holders blow their top-flight rivals away in replay
NEIL Lennon last night singled out Jason Cummings, whose performance he had savaged at the weekend, for praise after his Hibs side’s stunning 3-1 win over arch-rivals Hearts at Easter Road.
The striker scored the opening goal and set up Grant Holt for the second in a Scottish Cup fifthround replay triumph which sets up a quarter-final against Ayr United at home next month.
Lennon has publicly lambasted his side, Cummings in particular, in the wake of a 1-1 draw with Raith Rovers in a Ladbrokes Premiership game at Stark’s Park on Saturday.
But the Northern Irishman was delighted with the forward’s showing and the all-round display of his team in a one-sided win which keeps alive their hopes of retaining their trophy.
Asked about his outburst at the weekend, Lennon said: “I didn’t want to do it, but I felt the need to do it. I know what I’ve got in that dressing room. My players were just mag-nificent. We blew Hearts away. We were so dominant. As a manager I couldn’t ask for any more from the players or from the supporters.
“It’s been a very, very good night for the players and the supporters, but that’s all it is: one game. It puts us in the quarter-final. Psychologically, it will hopefully give the club a lift.
“You can see what it meant to the supporters and you could see what it meant to the players. They were ferocious, absolutely ferocious. The