'It's irrelevant': Hibs' Daryl Horgan addresses favourites tag as he reminisces about 2016

Daryl Horgan watched Hibs end their 114-year Scottish Cup hoodoo in dramatic fashion with that last-minute winner against Rangers and admits he’d love to create his own little bit of history with the Easter Road club.

But, insisted the Republic of Ireland winger, he isn’t looking any further ahead than tonight’s fourth-round replay with runaway Championship leaders Dundee United, the Tannadice side having twice come from behind to have a second crack at claiming the prize which awaits the winners, a tie against non-league BSC Glasgow.

While many will regard the game as one which the Hibs players don’t need given the already hectic schedule they were facing on their return from the winter break, Horgan simply faced the fact of the situation.

“I suppose it’s irrelevant whether we think we should have this game or not,” he said. “We have it and we have to deal with it. I thought we played well up there and probably should have won the game but didn’t.

“We have the chance to put it right tonight. It’s going to be a tough game, they’re flying at the minute but we are at home, we’re the Premiership side and we need to put our stamp on the game.

“We maybe need to be a bit more clinical and when we do take control, finish it off. Being favourites is just a tag. It’s still 11 v 11 and you have to play as well as you can. We know they are a very good side but we know what we have do to.”

Horgan admitted United’s main threat was Lawrence Shankland who claimed the Terrors’ first equaliser nine days ago, the striker taking his tally for the season to an astonishing 27 goals in just 28 matches as he snatched a point for his side with a last-minute goal against Morton at the weekend.

But Horgan pointed out that other than his goal on the stroke of half-time in the original game, Hibs’ back-line had kept the 24-year-old pretty quiet. “He’s a good player but he didn’t get too much service last week but I thought he was really good in the game and took his goal well.

“He’s been doing that for a while and it will be another tricky one for the back four, although I thought they were very, very good in the game. We can only focus on ourselves. If we can play the way we can play then hopefully we can go through.”

Seeing 3100 Hibs fans on Tayside a few days ago reminded Horgan and his team-mates of just what the cup means to them, although he was well aware of its importance having watched the drama of 2016 unfold.

He said: “I remember watching it, it was unbelievable. If we were to get back there it would not be as significant at that 114-year wait, but we’ve had a taste of Hampden this year with Celtic (in the semi-final of the Betfred Cup) and we want to get back there. This is the first step towards that.

“You play football to win things, that’s the whole aim of it. You have limited opportunities to win anything. Any cup you’re in, you want to get as far as you possibly can. The cup is the best chance, there are more upsets in the cup.

“We’re a few games away from Hampden but the priority is to get past Dundee United first and foremost.”

With that in mind Horgan immediately dismissed the suggestion that knowing BSC Glasgow would be next up was a tantalising prospect, carrying the real possibility of further progress.

He said: “If we think about BSC in the next round then you get bogged down by it. If we don’t focus on Dundee United then they could knock us out.”

Horgan’s words were echoed by Ross, the head coach adamant his players’ performance in the 2-2 draw at Tannadice was proof of their determination to do as well as they can in the competition.

He said: “At the start of each and every season for Hibs both cup competitions are important. This is the only one we remain in and the fact that the league campaign has improved, it’s a really good opportunity to have a successful season.

“So it’s always high on the list of priorities. That’s why we treated the first game in the manner we did and produced the type of performance we did.

“Outside of the Premiership clubs, it was probably the hardest draw. But the players gave a performance that reflected their motivation to try and progress and I expect similar tonight.”

Ross conceded Shankland was a major threat but insisted he won’t prepare his side for him any differently to any other striker. He said: “I made the point before the first game that we play in a league against players like Alfredo Morelos, Odsonne Edouard and Sam Cosgrove who all have good individual qualities.

“We recognise the threats the opposition pose and to that consistently in our own analysis and for Dundee United and Lawrence it’s exactly the same

.

“For us it’s more about what we do in an attacking sense. If we defend in the manner we did in the first game then we give ourselves a chance.”