A division separates the teams.
Although, on paper, there’s not much between the squads.
Falkirk meets Inverness in the first Scottish Cup semi-final of the weekend at Hampden today.
It’s all or nothing as one lower-league side bids to take on Rangers or Celtic in the showpiece final event on June 3.
Callumn Morrison vs Cameron Harper
The former is a tricky winger with bags of pace. His dynamism is sure to play a part in the outcome of today’s game. If he can get motoring, there’s no doubt he can cause Inverness’ defence a whole host of problems. The ex-Hearts player certainly showed his capabilities in Falkirk’s previous rounds against Darvel and Ayr. He can go inside as well as hugging the touchline. He’s no stranger to a goal either. The Bairns will need to get him involved as much as possible. He seems like the type of player to relish the big occasion. He will likely come up against a formidable opponent in Cameron Harper, though. More known for his attacking prowess too, Harper will be as much of a threat for Caley. He’s more physical than Morrison but also has a good turn of pace. This individual battle could come down to who manages to get the edge in an offensive sense, thus making the other chase back to defend more often than they’d like.
Stephen McGinn vs Sean Welsh
Both players are the captains of their respective teams. They’ve each had good careers in Scotland and boast a wealth of experience, which could prove vital on such an occasion. McGinn has had two positive experiences in high-pressure situations, winning promotion to the Premiership with both St Mirren and Kilmarnock in the last five years. He will lead the Bairns out in Mount Florida. Welsh netted the winner for Billy Dodds’ side back in March as they put Kilmarnock to the sword on a cold Friday night. The 33-year-old totally dictated the game that day, as his range of passing played a key role in Caley’s progression. McGinn played as big a part in Falkirk’s 2-1 win over Ayr in the last round. However, Falkirk will need to stop Welsh from controlling the tempo.
Billy McKay vs Brad McKay
The battle of the McKays. The Northern Ireland striker will arguably be the best player on the Hampden pitch today. The striker had bagged 17 goals so far this season. You wouldn’t bet against the 34-year-old marksman significantly adding to that between now and the end of Inverness’ campaign. He netted a deadly double in Caley Thistle’s stunning win over Livingston in February and from the spot against Killie in the quarters. Both Brad McKay and his centre-back partner Coll Donaldson will have their hands full all afternoon. If they manage to handle him, it’s fair to say John McGlynn’s side will stand a better chance of reaching the final. If not, the striker could go a long way to securing another memorable day out for the Highlanders in Glasgow.
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