Hibs 3 - Hearts 1

Hibernian showed impressive determination to keep hold of the Scottish Cup with a convincing 3-1 win over Edinburgh rivals Hearts in the fifth-round replay at Easter Road.

Jason Cummings made sure the goalless first game at Tynecastle would not be replicated when he drove the home side into the lead in the 20th minute, before setting up fellow attacker Grant Holt for the second before the break.

Cummings scored the winner against the Tynecastle side in a replay at the same stage last season before the Leith club went on to win the competition for the first time in 114 years.

He, like the rest of Neil Lennon's Championship leaders, were fired up with intensity and substitute Andrew Shinnie added a third in the 62nd minute with a drive, before Jambos striker Esmael Goncalves pulled a goal back but it was no more than a consolation.

At the final whistle Hibs were cheered to the rafters by their fans, who will be back for the quarter-final against Ayr United, while Hearts head coach Ian Cathro was left seeking answers, especially after such a lacklustre first half.

The Gorgie boss returned Jamie Walker and Malaury Martin to his starting XI at the expense of Moha Choulay and Bjorn Johnsen, while Lennon acted after criticising his side following the 1-1 draw with at Raith Rovers at the weekend.

Fraser Fyvie, James Keatings and Brian Graham dropped to the bench with Martin Boyle, Grant Holt and Chris Humphrey, the three substitutes in Kirkcaldy, coming in - although the latter only lasted three minutes before he was helped off with an injury, replaced by Shinnie.

Before that, in a frantic start, Hibs midfielder John McGinn went down in the box after a challenge by Tasos Avlonitis but it looked like referee Steven McLean had already blown for an earlier infringement.

The visitors were being outfought and Hibs deservedly took the lead in the 20th minute when Shinnie split the Gorgie defence open with a pass, allowing Cummings to slot a left-footed drive past Hearts keeper Jack Hamilton and into the far corner.

Moments later, amid some mayhem, a shout for a Hearts penalty when Walker was challenged by Liam Fontaine was ignored by McLean before the Hibs defender headed a Cummings free-kick past the far post.

The Leith side carved open another chance in the 33rd minute but Hamilton did well to block a left-footed drive from McGinn before Shinnie blasted the rebound over.

However, the second was not long in coming and a lovely reverse pass from Cummings in the 36th minute found the unmarked Holt, who slipped the ball past Hamilton.

Hearts staggered up the tunnel at the interval looking desolate and Cathro replaced skipper Perry Kitchen and Martin with Rory Currie and Sam Nicholson.

But it was Hamilton who had to pull off the first save of the second half, grabbing Shinnie's close-range effort at the second attempt after good lead-up play by McGinn.

Hamilton had kept Hibs at bay but he looked at fault when Shinnie stepped inside Avlonitis and fired in a shot from the edge of the box, which the Gorgie keeper allowed past him all too easily.

The Ladbrokes Premiership side looked bereft but five minutes later were handed a lifeline when referee McLean adjudged Hibs defender Darren McGregor to have fouled Goncalves in the box.

Hibees keeper Ofir Marciano saved the striker's penalty and then the rebound, but the former St Mirren forward got the break of the ball and forced it over the line.

The match swung from end to end.

McGregor headed a Cummings free-kick past Hamilton but turned to see the flag up before Tynecastle midfielder Arnaud Djoum sent a 25-yard drive inches past the post, but Hibs were in no mood for any more slip-ups.

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