Meetings between the teams are not common in this competition and the visitors have the better record. The last meeting was in 2010 when Motherwell lost 2-0 to the then lower league team in the Highlands.
Inverness have lost only once since November. That’s a run of nine games with only one blemish. The on/off transfer squabble over Tansey has made all of the back pages this week but we can expect him to be in Hughes’ line up. He scored the opening goal at Fir Park in November when ICT won 3-1.
Inverness won the last cup meeting at Fir Park in 2004
Mark McGhee has been able to field a settled eleven n the last few weeks but there may be a change or two for this tie. Hall left the heavy Firhill pitch on Tuesday with a hamstring problem and that gave Kennedy a chance to partner McManus in the centre of defence. Our new signing, Gomis, may have done enough in his first half hour in claret and amber to persuade the manager that he is worthy of a starting place.
The team have suffered from ‘late goal syndrome’ too often this season with a combination of poor refereeing decisions and players’ slack concentration leading to a loss of points. Any similar failings on Saturday will bring elimination from the cup and dash any nostalgic hope of a 25 year return to the victory balcony at Hampden.
If progress is to be made then Saturday is the day as few would give us much hope in the replay. Home advantage might tip the balance and more in hope than in anticipation, a 1-0 win would do nicely.