It might not be pretty but for Hearts it’s route won as they bludgeon their way into final with aerial bombardment SETPIECE & JAMBOS
In the end, Craig Levein’s side had far too many weapons for Inverness.
Three second-half set-pieces after a first half that would have had football stopped were enough to see them into their first Scottish Cup Final since 2012.
No one could say they hadn’t earned it, irrespective of whether they had to bludgeon it out of the Highlanders.
Uche Ikpeazu and John Souttar powered home from corners before sub Sean Clare slotted home their third from the penalty spot to wrap it up.
None of it was easy on the eye but neither Levein, under pressure with his side languishing in sixth spot in the league, nor their fans will give a monkey’s about that when they rock back up to Hampden on May 25 for a game that will define their season.
They were the better side by a distance, the Championship play-off hopefuls putting up a decent fight for 45 minutes but never more than that.
As Levein and his former Jambos team-mate John Robertson shared a hug and a handshake at the end, there’s no doubt Robbo was the first to acknowledge that.
From his point of view, the good thing was he had known since the draw was made what exactly he would be preparing his players for.
With the arsenal Hearts have, that never meant it was going to be easy.
From the get-go, the ball came into and around the box from every angle, direction and distance – deep, wide and long – whether it was from Michael Smith throw-ins or Bobby Burns diagonals.
When Ikpeazu’s your target, it’s hard not to deliver missile after missile in his direction.
You’re secure in the knowledge that ball is going to be difficult to defend, whether it’s in the air or chasing it down into the channels with a guy who’ll run you down like a high-speed train.
In fairness, the youth and experience of Jamie McCart and Carl Tremarco on the left of the Caley Thistle defence tag-teamed him superbly with Brad McKay doing his shift well on the other side.
Their problem was there was no respite. The ball retention when Inverness did win it back was non- existent, Peter Haring picking them off at will in midfield.
The one time they got forward, a brilliant turn and cross from Tom Walsh on the right in the 18th minute, it was brilliantly defended under the bar by Souttar as Jordan White closed in but these moments were few and far between.
Not that Mark Ridgers had a whole lot to do at the other end either. McCart deflected a Christophe Berra shot over and former Inverness winger Jake Mulraney’s evil delivery beat everyone including the keeper, only for Tremarco to hoover it up in the six-yard box.
The one time Ikpeazu did get clear McCart and Tremarco applied enough pressure that his squeezed shot was easily mopped up by keeper Ridgers.
It was one- dimensional cat and mouse, what it wasn’t was one for the purists or the armchair neutrals.
As if they heard the criticism at halftime, the Jambos came out with flames coming from their exhaust.
Inside 20 seconds, Olly Lee had seen a 30-yarder brilliantly tipped over the bar by Ridgers. Aidan Keena had carved out another 20-yarder within a minute. Within four they were ahead.
It was the first moment of slackness in the Highland defence all day and they paid the u lt imate pr ice, sleeping as Mulraney peeled off to pick up Lee’s short corner just inside the box.
The winger drove it hard and low into the mixer, Liam Polworth snaked out a boot to clear from the line but it only got as far as Ikpeazu, who barrelled through Shaun Rooney to fire home from the six-yard line.
For the sake of the game as a spectacle, it was maybe the best thing that could have happened. Inverness had to come out hunting and to be fair they almost got their prey early.
Eight minutes after they had gone behind, Joe Chalmers’ free-kick from the edge of the box had top corner written all over it until a touch from Bobby Zlamal tipped it on to the bar.
McCart then had the ball in the net with a stunning finish only for the flag to deny him, questionably since the ball seemed to come off Mulraney.
It was the briefest flutter of their flag before it was finally reduced to halfmast with another two devastating dead balls inside six minutes.
Another corner, this time Lee pinging the delivery in at the near post and while Charlie Trafford was perhaps unlucky with the f lick, there was no messing from Souttar at the back post as he rampaged in and smashed home a brilliant volley.
From there on in, it was one-way traffic and No.3 came from the spot after Ridgers had clumsily taken out Ikpeazu as they went for the ball.
Clare had been on the park for just one minute and stepped up to fire home his third penalty in six games to seal the deal.