LIAM BOYCE, with an exquisitely-taken hat-trick, wrote his name into the Highland derby record-books. Then, with a heartfelt dedication, he wrote his baby daughter's across the pages of the Sunday newspapers.

It was quite a weekend for the intriguing Northern Ireland international talent, not to mention unsuspecting two month-old Scout, but none of it came as any surprise to his captain Paul Quinn.

Remarkably, it was the first time a treble had been recorded in 22 years of competitive action between the two northerly foes - a feat past players of derby renowned like Barry Wilson, Dennis Wyness and Billy Mckay all failed to achieve.

As far as Quinn is concerned, though, Boyce, the former Werder Bremen and Cliftonville striker, can pretty much do anything he wants when in the mood.

After an untimely broken hand last January, Boyce had lost his way in the second part of last season with a goal drought that cost him a place in Michael O'Neill's Northern Ireland Euro 2016 squad.

A return of 18 goals up to Christmas evaporated into just two more before the season finished, leaving the former Werder Bremen and Cliftonville striker at home with new baby daughter Scout.

The wee lass is too young to know it but her daddy - who saved the match ball for her on Saturday - has since said he would never have swapped being at her birth for the big stage in France.

But on this kind of sensational form, Boyce will surely be hurtling back into contention in O'Neill's plans for the looming World Cup qualifier in the Czech Republic.

"Big Boycey is unplayable when he is in that kind of form," Quinn said. "He was an absolute handful for them. His touch, finishing, movement and desire are amazing.

"On another day, he could have had a few more goals, but he is away home with the match ball and the man-of-the-match award - and deservedly so. When we get service to guys like Boycey and keep the door closed at the back we are a very good side.

"There will be dips along the way this season but we have total faith in the manager we can have a good season. We have brought in some excellent players this summer and it adds to the quality we already had here."

The Ross County players must be sick of having to answer for their club's historic failings in Highland derbies.

Saturday's deceptively one-sided victory was only the 13th all-time win in all competitions in more than two decades since joining the Scottish leagues. Caley Thistle have claimed 26 wins in 52 fixtures.

Quinn, though, knows the history weighs heavily on County supporters and, after three league defeats to their great foes last season, was delighted to set about correcting past misdemeanours.

"We are all football fans at the end of the day and we know the County fans are disappointed with our derby record," he said. "This game was all about us setting our season off and running. We treat everyone with respect but we came here intent on the win.

"It's nice that all the disappointing derby records are broken and now we are looking to go on a good run against our Highland rivals."

From the off, County looked the likeliest and held the edge, although an early Erik Cikos attempt saved by Inverness keeper Owain Fon Williams was swiftly followed by a Scott Boden header clutched high by County's Scott Fox.

But the Dingwall team seemed sharper and hungrier, taking the lead when Craig Curran picked out Boyce between home defenders Kevin McNaughton and Gary warren for a headed opener after only seven minutes.

The second, after 27 minutes, confirmed County's dominance - and was a moment of sheer magic from Boyce.

Richard Foster's long, angled high ball forward from the right found the Belfast-born hitman controlling sweetly in the box to leave David Raven for dead and, in a flash, thump a shot past Fon Williams.

Controversy flared on half-time, when referee Andrew Dallas clearly blew his whistle before a challenge between Andrew Davies and Scott Boden produced a fortuitous trajectory of the ball past Fox.

County were incensed, claiming Fox had hesitated in his dive when the whistle sounded. It is understood Dallas admitted later he had mistakenly blown for off-side.

Nevertheless, the away team still retained the upper hand in a hard-fought second period, despite some Inverness improvement and pressure.

When Christopher Routis launched a pin-point free-kick from deep left high into the wind, Boyce showed greatest awareness and timing to outleap Gary Warren and thump home the third with his head.

That goal ensured that when Ross Draper drove in a fine volley for Inverness in the tense closing stages, County retained a comfortable cushion.

For Scott Boden, the Inverness striker signed from Newport County in the summer, it simply wasn't good enough.

"We were a million miles away," Boden lamented. "We were nowhere near good enough. We just didn't get going. We've set high standards for ourselves and we were nowhere near them.

"We've just got to go into the next game and react."

INVERNESS CT: (4-2-3-1) - Fon Williams 6; Raven 6, McNaughton 3 (Horner 27, 5), Warren 5, Tremarco 6; Draper 7, Tansey 6; Polworth 6, Vigurs 6 (Doran 75, 4), King 6 (Mulraney 56, 4); Boden 6. Subs: Esson, Brown, Fisher, Sutherland.

Booked: Raven 12, Fon Williams 18, Draper 50, Horner 75

ROSS COUNTY: (4-4-2) - Fox 6; Cikos 6, Davies 7, Quinn 6, McEveley 7; Foster 6, Woods 7, Routis 7, Gardyne 6 (Franks 90, 1); Boyce 8 (McShane 90, 1), Curran 7 (Schalk 88, 2). Subs: McCarey, Dingwall, Graham, Van der Weg.

Booked: Curran 28, Davies 75, Foster 79, Gardyne 81, Routis 85.

Referee: Andrew Dallas 5

ends

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140957 GMT AUG 16