Promotion can ease our pain, insists McGinn

FALKIRK captain Stephen McGinn has urged the Bairns to bounce back from their Hampden heartache by winning promotion to the Championship. John McGlynn’s side were wasteful in front of goal compared to a ruthless Inverness as Caley Thistle powered to a 3-0 Scottish Cup semi-final victory. Falkirk will face either Airdreonians or Alloa Athletic in the Championship play-off semifinal as they bid to end a four-year stay in League One. And skipper McGinn wants an upbeat end of the season for Bairns fans who have watched their team toil in recent years. He said: ‘It’s so disappointing. You don’t get the chance to get to the Scottish Cup final every season, so it will be hard to get over. ‘There are bits you can look back on during the cup run and be proud, but it is sore right now. ‘However, we still have a lot to play for. We are in the play-offs, which will take care of themselves. ‘When we lost a sore one in the league at Dunfermline, we went out and beat Ayr United in the next game in the Scottish Cup. ‘So we have shown we can bounce back. ‘The fans were amazing at the semi-final and they have suffered over the last few years. ‘For a club this size to be sixth in League One last season is unacceptable. ‘Their disappointment this season is losing a Scottish Cup semi-final — and we want to keep giving them days out like this.’ In a repeat of the 2015 final, Falkirk got off to a nightmare start when a Jay Henderson cross struck Leon McCann’s outstretched arm. By the letter of the law, it was a penalty. McGinn, however, claimed the law is an ass. ‘If that is where football is going, then use it as a tactic to get penalties,’ said McGinn. ‘Teams who use it regularly should just aim for players’ hands. If it is not going towards goal, then chip it off someone’s hand. ‘Wee Jay Henderson fired a ball in and it isn’t going to lead to a goal. ‘I’m a football fan who is trying to embrace VAR — and a lot of it is good — but the handballs are an issue. ‘It is the rules, but everyone looks at decisions differently and I don’t think that would be given outside the box. ‘It was the worst start possible.’ Worse was to follow when Calumn Morrison missed an open goal in an odd match that saw Falkirk play well but squander great chances. Equally, they were lucky not to concede more than three. McGinn (pictured), said: ‘We had a chance a few minutes later, an open goal, and we have to take them in a game like this. ‘Between boxes, we played the way we wanted to play but Inverness were more clinical than us. ‘The goals we lost were disappointing but we had chances to get back into it and we just couldn’t take them.’