Ross County produced a commanding Highland derby performance to advance to their first League Cup semi-final at the expense of their north rivals, who fell to a third straight defeat.
Jackson Irvine’s bullet header gave the visitors a deserved lead four minutes before the break, before Michael Gardyne doubled the Staggies’ lead with a drilled low effort three minutes into the second-half.
County missed chances to put the tie to bed, and it could have been costly as Inverness staged a late revival which saw Greg Tansey pull a goal back with a long-range strike 12 minutes from time. Although that ensured a tense finish, the hosts’ pressure was simply too little, too late, as the Staggies ran out deserved winners to book their place in the last four of the competition.
Caley Thistle manager John Hughes made one change from the side that went down 1-0 against St Johnstone on Saturday, drafting in former County midfielder Iain Vigurs in place of Danny Williams.
County made three changes from the side that suffered a 2-0 defeat against Hearts at the weekend, with Brian Graham, Richard Foster and Stewart Murdoch relegated to the bench, making way for Craig Curran, Martin Woods and Tony Dingwall, who was in for his first start of the season.
Both teams looked keen to hit the early ascendancy, with Caley Thistle creating the first opportunity when Liam Polworth slid the ball through for Miles Storey, who was thwarted by County goalkeeper Gary Woods.
The Staggies were quick to threaten moments later, with Jamie Reckord picking out leading scorer Liam Boyce, who flashed an effort just wide. Boyce came close again on 17 minutes, when he nodded wide from Dingwall’s driven cross.
The Staggies continued to look the likelier side, and midfielder Woods came within inches of giving his side the lead with a superb 35-yard strike that crashed off the face of the crossbar.
The Staggies made a deserved breakthrough on 41 minutes. Woods’ driven out-swinging corner found the head of Irvine at the near post, and the Australian flashed a header into the far corner from eight yards to give his side a firm foothold at the interval.
County picked up from where they left off at the start of the second-half, with Boyce flashing a strike over from an acute angle, but the Staggies wasted no time in doubling their advantage on 48 minutes. Curran slid in Gardyne, who cut inside before coolly slotting the ball into Owain Fon Williams’ bottom right-hand corner from 15 yards to give the visitors breathing space.
County should have further punished the hosts, with Dingwall and Curran hitting efforts off target before Gardyne was denied a second by a point-blank save by Fon Williams, as it began to look like a long night for Caley Jags.
The hosts got a rare glimpse of goal when Danny Devine nodded wide from Greg Tansey’s free-kick, but there was a general lethargy about Inverness’ forward play, which was sorely devoid of a creative spark.
Out of nowhere, Caley Thistle came inches away from pulling one back when substitute Williams’ cross was backheeled on to the post by Ryan Christie, before the ball landed in the grateful arms of goalkeeper Woods.
It was looking like the tie was set to fizzle away from Inverness, but they grabbed a lifeline 12 minutes from time when Tansey drilled home a low strike from 30 yards that left Woods with no chance.
A valiant late effort from the hosts, but it was not enough.