Hibs defender Ryan Porteous has revealed a slaughtering from Neil Lennon helped him step up and be confident in the penalty shoot-out win over Motherwell on Saturday.
The centre back struck the fifth penalty for his side as they made it into their third Hampden semi-final in a row, and they'll hope to go further and reach the Scottish Cup Final.
Hibs had been clawed back from a 2-0 lead to draw 2-2 before the shootout, but Jack Ross' men progressed with a 4-2 win on spot kicks.
And Porteous admits it was one of his old manager's that helped him get fired up and be confident enough to get the job done after a rollicking earlier in his career.
Despite being the youngest in the squad, Lennon was fizzing that Porteous didn't show leadership by putting himself forward to hit one during a shootout defeat to Aberdeen.
Thomas Agyepong hit one instead and missed the target and Lennon felt it was a poor decision from him.
And Porteous said: “I had never taken one for the first team. That was my first. I remember we played Aberdeen in the cup here and it went to penalties and I was the youngest in the team.
“But after the game, Lennon came in and he started screaming at me and asking why I let the kid take the penalty. I was looking about and there was no-one younger than me, but he was meaning Thomas Agyepong.
“But he said: ‘You are a man so step up and be a man in these high pressure moments’. And that was going through my mind. Ever since then I have been wanting to get back to one and step up and put one away.
“I've never taken any at first-team level before, but I was confident of my ability to score. I said to the gaffer at the full-time whistle that I fancied taking one. I waited to see what way the goalie went and I saw him move early so put it in the other corner. I'm just delighted to be through and get another chance of Hampden.”
