HIBERNIAN LADIES RE-WROTE THE RULES of engagement in the 'other' Scottish football league yesterday afternoon at Almondvale, when they upset the confident predictions of another Kilmarnock clean-sweep to lift the Scottish Cup.  It will hardly cause a ripple in media circles, indeed many Hibs fans were probably not even aware that the Hibee girls were even involved in the national final, but that should not detract in the slightest the feeling of pride the Hibernian Ladies side should feel this morning as they reflect on a stunning victory against all the odds.

If comparisons must be made with the male game, then Kilmarnock can be seen as the Rangers AND Celtic of Scottish football.  Killie have dominated the game here for some years, far and away the most professional Ladies football club in Scotland.  They arrived in Livingston yesterday seeking a second consecutive treble and few doubted they would achieve that aim, even if their opponents were the one side that had troubled them in the national league this season. In front of just 1,300 fans at Almondvale, Hibs were clearly determined from the start not to play second-fiddle to the hot favourites, the Hibees taking the lead when skipper Clare Smith picked up the ball at the edge of the Killie area and slotted home after 36 minutes.  That came just minutes after referee Hugh Dallas had denied Hibs by ruling out a Suzanne Malone effort as offside.

Suzanne Malone helped Hibs Ladies to Scottish Cup glory at Almondvale (hibs.net)

Killie had looked confident however and forced an equaliser early in the second half, and the favourites then looked to have wrapped things up in extra-time when Love scored what many thought likely to be the winner.  Hibernian were having none of that however and in direct contrast to their male counterparts habitual loss of late goals, deep in added time Julia Ralph sent the Hibs fans into raptures by finding the net almost as referee Dallas had the final whistle to his lips.  That set up a penalty shoot-out, and it was hero to villain for Killie's Joanne Love who missed her spot-kick - while the Hibs girls found the net with all five and so recorded a famous victory.  "We are both physically and emotionally drained, we just kept going and fighting to the end," said Hibs hero Smith, who it is hoped will be offered the chance to parade the trophy at Easter Road along with the rest of the side at the earliest opportunity.

The cup win will be seen as vindication for those who have been coach Paul Johnston and his sides determination to produce a side Hibs fans can identify with.  Before the start of this season, Hearts dropped their involvement with Ladies football as part of their cost-cutting exercise, and some have expected Hibernian to follow suit however the Easter Road side have retained their connections with the side and that faith has now been rewarded.  Having broken the strangle-hold Kilmarnock have on the Ladies game, the hope now is that Hibs can build on this and launch a serious challenge in the league next season, with European competition now the reward for national champions.  The Hibernian Ladies side who collected the cup were: McCandlish; Roberston, Smith, Young (Doig 46), Manson, McBride (Wood 91), Ralph, McFarlane; Pearson, Kennedy (Hearn 51), Malone

Meanwhile another Hibs side took a giant step towards cup glory - and set up a tantalising clash with city rivals Hearts into the bargain!  Erin Hibs, the internet football side, continued a successful defence of their British National cup, won last year in a pulsating final in Leeds, by defeating Scunthorpe 4-1.  That win means that the Hibee lads now face Hearts in the semi-final for the right to contest the final, once again to be played in Leeds.  The Edinburgh sides will clash in the city at a date to be decided later this month or early next.