Another Impressive cup display leaves Hibs boss Lennon scratching his head

Neil Lennon revealed his exasperation with his Hibernian side, despite their 3-1 William Hill Scottish Cup quarter-final win over 10-man Ayr United keeping them on course to retain the trophy.

The Hibs head coach was frustrated by the 2-0 defeat at Championship bottom side St Mirren in midweek which left them with three points from the last four games, but they bounced back at Easter Road with a display as energetic as the 3-1 victory over Edinburgh rivals Hearts in the previous round.

A 25-yard curling shot from midfielder John McGinn in the sixth minute was followed by a Jason Cummings penalty five minutes later.

Midfielder Craig McGuffie reduced the deficit in the 32nd minute with a stunning strike from 30 yards, but hopes of a comeback faded when defender Scott McKenna was shown a straight red card by referee Nick Walsh for a challenge on McGinn just before the interval.

Substitute James Keatings headed in a third in the 78th minute to take the Championship leaders, who are six points ahead of Falkirk, into the semi-final draw on Sunday.

Lennon said: "I thought we were very good. I thought it was an emphatic performance and it is driving me mental because in the last two cup games we have been spectacular and the last four league games we have been below par.

"I am really excited, proud of the players, we are in the semi-final again, something to look forward to, but I would swap it all for promotion .

"We need to transfer those performances into the league because we are capable of doing that.

"It was a Championship team and no disrespect to them, but it could have been five or six today. We were really strong.

"So we need to park the cup and really concentrate on getting promotion.

"We are in both competitions, we are having a hell of a season. Our standards have dropped now and again, but the players are giving me everything."

"But I want more of that transferred into the league."

Ayr boss Ian McCall knew it was not their day when predominately left-footed McGinn scored with his right foot.

He said: "What you don't need is young McGinn putting one in from 25 yards with his right foot, a curler into the corner.

"He is a good player, no doubt about that, but he doesn't do that very often.

"When you bring smaller clubs to bigger clubs you need these to hit the post or for the goalie to make a save, but it went in.

"I was very proud of how much effort and endeavour there was.

"It was obviously very difficult with three moments in the game, I have not seen them yet and I am looking forward to seeing them again.

"I don't know if it was a handball by Efe Ambrose (a penalty claim), not sure if it was a penalty, not sure if it was a red card, but all three went in favour of Hibs .

"But the referee might have got them right."