Heroics at Hampden and St Johnstone are in the final.
This was a truly glorious evening for the Perth club and what a shame supporters were unable to witness it in person.
Goals from Jason Kerr, Shaun Rooney and Craig Conway put Hibernian to the sword. A tremendous 3-0 triumph. The first two were sublime headers.
Saints will now compete in their first League Cup final since 1998 when February rolls around.
This was always going to be a strange experience with no fans perched in the stands. Watching the players stroll onto the field, only to the sound of the Hampden DJ’s music selection, just didn’t feel right.
Still, there were bound to be more than a few nerves in the Perth camp. Occasions like these don’t come along every season.
The start was tentative and Hibs had more of the attacking threat in the opening exchanges. Goalkeeper Zander Clark was scampering across his line on 13 minutes when Martin Boyle’s strike deflected off Ali McCann.
It initially looked ominous but the ball dropped clear of the post and behind for a corner. Regardless, it was a warning.
Hibs continued to threaten and somehow didn’t take the lead just after the 20 minute mark. Clark first denied Paul Hanlon with an acrobatic stop before, moments later, he did remarkably well to deny Jamie Murphy.
Murphy, though, really should have tucked in the rebound. Instead he dinked onto the crossbar. What a let-off.
Saints were weathering a storm and it showed no sign of clearing as the half hour mark approached. This time a Hanlon cross from the left was nodded off the outside of the post by Jackson Irvine.
But sometimes all you need is one chance. And, wow, captain Kerr certainly took it in the 35th minute with the finest of headers.
It mirrored legend Steven Anderson’s opener in the Scottish Cup final of 2014. David Wotherspoon again with the corner.
Jubilant Saints fans would be dancing around their living rooms. Blue and white scarves twirling on a lap of honour through to the kitchen and back.
Soon they were off again. Forty-nine minutes were on the clock when Conway’s free-kick delivery was nodded in by towering wing-back Rooney. He has played a pivotal role in this Betfred Cup success.
Saints led by two. Supporters were in dreamland but they would still be hiding behind sofas every time Hibs mounted an attack.
There was a third celebratory lap of the house on 63 minutes.
And what a starring role Rooney played to storm to the byline and deliver across the face for Conway to tuck home off the underside of the bar from close range.
From here, Saints didn’t look like losing.
