Carl Tremarco’s injury-time winner secured IRN-BRU Cup glory for Caley Thistle in a less than impressive final against Dumbarton at McDiarmid Park.
The game looked destined for extra-time following a dire 90 minutes, with Iain Vigurs coming closest to winning it for Inverness when his 83rd minute penalty was saved by Scott Gallacher.
Tremarco struck at the death from teenager Daniel MacKay’s cross however, with Caley Jags manager John Robertson steering the Highlanders to victory for the second time in the competition following his triumph in his first spell in 2003.
Caley Jags, who had seen off Aberdeen under-20s, Peterhead, Falkirk and Crusaders to make the final, were able to call upon Coll Donaldson from the start once again following a hamstring injury absence. He replaced the suspended Brad McKay, while winger Jake Mulraney came in for Charlie Trafford from the side that drew 1-1 with Dundee United the previous weekend.
Dumbarton had the first sight of goal within the opening two minutes when Stuart Carswell’s strike from the edge of the box was deflected wide.
Caley Jags’ first opening came on 12 minutes when Liam Polworth showed great control to take on Iain Vigurs’ pass, with his threaded ball just evading the run of George Oakley.
Some of Inverness’ play was neat but they were unable to create clear-cut chances, with Dumbarton close to an opener on 20 minutes when Donaldson deflected Iain Russell’s shot into the side-netting.
The Sons continued to create the better opportunities, with Carl Tremarco forced to clear Russell’s low drive across the face of goal, before attacker Russell nodded wide from David Smith’s delivery.
Chances were few and far between for both teams but it was Caley Jags who ended the first half on top, with Connor Bell and Polworth both seeing low shots comfortably held by goalkeeper Scott Gallacher.
There was little to excite both sets of supporters at the start of the second half, with Collin Seedorf and Vigurs both off target with wayward shots from long-range.
Vigurs tried his luck from distance once again on 66 minutes, this time coming close to breaking the deadlock with a 30-yard strike that flew narrowly over.
Vigurs could have been punished for a moment of slackness on 75 minutes though, when his misplaced pass led to a chance for Danny Handling, however Mark Ridgers stood tall to claim his effort.
Robertson introduced 16-year-old Daniel MacKay, who had scored in the Scottish schools under-18s side’s 2-0 win over England in York the previous evening, on 78 minutes, in place of Bell, and he was to have a telling impact on the game.
Caley Jags were handed the perfect chance to take the lead seven minutes from time when Chris McLaughlin was penalised for handball by referee Andrew Dallas under pressure from Daniel MacKay, however Vigurs, who missed a spot-kick in the semi-final victory over Crusaders, saw his low effort saved by Gallacher.
Doran saw a shot saved by Gallacher but the winner came in injury time when a great burst down the right flank from MacKay resulted in an driven low delivery for Tremarco to hammer into the empty net at the far post, prompting scenes of jubilation.
