HAVING recently disclosed a rare talent for recounting even distant match incidents in near-photographic detail, Russell Duncan produced a moment few in yesterday's 3402 attendance will easily forget.

The former Aberdeen midfielder's increasingly authoritative displays for Inverness Caley Thistle have been an integral feature of recent, exceptional team performances against the likes of Hibs and Celtic.

For once, Duncan, an oft-overlooked and undervalued contributor to his club's successes, stole centre stage after sealing Caley Thistle's third quarter-final appearance in the last five years.

The 26 year-old now senses that the Highland side can recapture the phenomenal cup reputation they held before the challenges of the SPL set it in the shade. Before progression to the top flight, Inverness achieved back to back semi-finals, only to be knocked out by Dundee and Dunfermline.

But with SPL sides now perishing like flies on a hot window sill, Duncan, who operates in a Neil Lennon-style role with a career goal tally to match, dared to look further ahead last night.

"Obviously, we could do with a good home draw again in the last eight, as we feel we can do well against most teams up here these days," Duncan said. "If Celtic beat Livingston tomorrow, we'd prefer to avoid them, clearly, but then again we gave them a very good game only last week.

"I think every SPL side left in the competition will now fancy their chances of a terrific run, given the teams who have fallen by the wayside, and it would be fantastic for this club to do that."

It said much of United's stodginess in that first half - both in terms of defensive resistance and a lack of attacking fluency - that it took something like Duncan's effort to prise them open.

The Highlanders dominated from the opening exchanges until a long-overdue United backlash in the final quarter of the game created a few jitters in the home stands.

The visitors offered little in attack in the first half despite Craig Levein playing Collin Samuel as supporting striker to new signing Jon Daly.

Dublin-born Daly had ploughed a lone furrow last week in the scoreless draw with Dunfermline and with the Highlanders dictating the midfield he seemed starved again. Still, after a messy spell, it took Duncan's spectacular turn to break the deadlock in 15 minutes.

With United pegged back, Lee Wilkie's headed half- clearance fell to the midfielder 25 yards out. Duncan claiming only his sixth career goal and his first of the season, lashed a wonderful, dipping and swerving volley high into Derek Stillie's net.

Caley Thistle's stranglehold only heightened after the opener and patient build-up work in 28 minutes might have reaped a second. Barry Wilson collected a pass on the far right and his measured cross was nodded over with the goal gaping by Rory McAllister from just a few yards out.

Young McAllister, in only his second start this season, was benefiting from Caley's double blow of losing both Dennis Wyness and Craig Dargo to shoulder dislocations. But in partnership with the equally powerful Graham Bayne, the Caley Thistle attack made sure Wilkie and David McCracken knew they were in a game.

There was a slight improvement from the visitors before the break, but they were restricted to long-range efforts from Mark Kerr and Barry Robson.

Early in the second half, a flurry of United pressure had the ball in the net from a David Robertson header, but the offside flag was raised.

Levein pushed Craig Conway into a more attacking role and subbed ineffective Irishman Daly for top scorer Noel Hunt on the hour. There was certainly a major upturn in possession for his side and an increasing shakiness in the home ranks as they protected the slender lead.

As pressure heightened, Wilkie was booked for a clash with goalkeeper Mike Fraser after 70 minutes. A bit of unnecessary dribbling from goalkeeper Fraser did nothing to ease the home jitters, but he cleared his lines eventually.

It was unashamed backs-to-the-wall stuff in the final 10 minutes for Inverness with even attacking substitute Gary McSwegan making a timely clearance in the box.

United's all-out attack left gaps at the back and Wilson was wasteful with his supply after bursting away on the right.

Ross Tokely almost pulled off a stunning individual goal in 83 minutes when he wound past three challenges only to smack the side-netting.

Despite the progression, Inverness manager Charlie Christie was disappointed with the late show of jitters.

"I said before the game there would be a big physical aspect to it and I was proven right, especially at their set-pieces" the home manager said.

"Over the last half hour we did get a bit jumpy, especially given what's happened to us late in games as recently as last week against Celtic.

"But I thought overall, any football that was played on the ground was played by Inverness today."

Levein disputed that was the case, claiming there was little between the sides, although he was critical of United's lack of quality in the last third.

"I can't fault our players for effort, but I thought we didn't perform at all in the first half," Levein admitted. "Defensively, we were pretty good, but the quality of passing from midfield was poor and the guys I'd expect to be match-winners didn't perform at all well."