Billy Dodds reckons Caley Thistle must do all they can to try and make Premiership showdowns a weekly fixture.
The elated head coach guided Inverness into Monday’s Scottish Cup semi-final, with the prize being a trip to Hampden for the 2015 trophy winners.
A Billy Mckay penalty and a clincher from captain Sean Welsh sealed a 2-1 quarter-final win on Friday against top-flight Kilmarnock after Kyle Vassell gave Derek McInnes’ side an early lead.
Morning #ICTFC Fans!
Just a gentle reminder – WE’RE GOING TO HAMPDEN! 🔴🔵 🏆pic.twitter.com/cZfxVgBTHq
— Inverness Caledonian Thistle FC (@ICTFC) March 11, 2023
The Highlanders, hampered by injuries for much of a troubled campaign, still have plenty of work to do in the Championship to edge into the promotion play-offs, with Saturday’s trip to leaders Queen’s Park next up.
ICT were handed a Scottish Cup reprieve this year. After losing 2-0 to Owen Coyle’s Spiders, they were reinstated in the fifth round as Queen’s Park were expelled for fielding an ineligible player in their win in Inverness.
In round five, Dodds’ determined group beat Livingston 3-0, having won there in July in the League Cup group stages, then comfortably took care of Killie in Friday night’s tasty tie to reach the club’s fifth Scottish Cup semi-final.
‘Our side can play in Premiership’
Manager Dodds said it wasn’t just the 90 minutes against Killie which showed ICT can handle higher-tiered opponents.
He said: “I take confidence from beating two Premiership sides and I think the boys should.
“In a one-off, it might be one where the Premiership team was off it. But we ran St Johnstone close last year in the play-off final, where we came back from two goals down.
“Now we’ve beaten Livingston twice this season away from home and David Martindale was brilliant after the game, very respectful about our performance. He gave us a lot of plaudits.
“On Friday, Derek McInnes was the same. He realises we have got a good team. When you beat Premiership opponents so many times, you realise we have got players who can play in the Premiership.
“I knew they believed they could win before Friday’s game, but they had to go out and show it again.”
Inverness target fresh play-off push
With Monday’s semi-final draw to look forward to, Dodds can dare to dream of a season to remember for all the right reasons.
He said: “It would be great if we can now go on and reach the play-offs.
“They could do it, but we need the sort of performance we had on Friday against Kilmarnock.
“We need that for the next nine games. We won’t win every game, but we’re a team that can give it a go. It’s going to be difficult, and we appreciate that.
“But what a season it will be, with the injuries we’ve had, if we can nick a play-off spot and enjoy the semi-final. You never know, maybe a bit more.”
Players deserve praise, says Dodds
And Dodds, who won the Scottish Cup as a Rangers player in 2000, wants his class of 2023 to soak up the experience at Hampden in late April.
He added: “I’m happy for the boys. I’ve won the cup and been in cup finals as a coach. It’s brilliant to do it as a manager, but it’s not about me. It’s about the players.
“This is the first time nearly every one of those boys will have reached a Scottish Cup semi-final at Hampden. I want them to enjoy it.
“Danny Devine, Mark Ridgers, Aaron Doran and Cammy MacKay have been there and fair play to them.
“They all deserve it and hopefully they enjoy this one. Later in life, you appreciate things more.”
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