MX23RW : Tuesday, December 17 23:00:48| >> :120:57742:57742:

Paul Hanlon warns Hibs about "potential banana skin" against Stranraer

Paul Hanlon warns Hibs about
© Reuters
Hibernian travel to Stair Park this weekend looking to make the last eight of the Scottish Cup.

Paul Hanlon admits Hibernian's Hampden nous will count for nothing as they bid to avoid a Stair Park slip-up against Stranraer.

Hanlon is a Easter Road hero having helped take the Scottish Cup back to Leith in 2016.

And Jack Ross' current side have plenty of recent experience of playing at the National Stadium having reached the last four of both last season's competition and this term's Betfred Cup.

They will hope to take another step towards a return to Mount Florida on Sunday when they travel south to take on Stranraer in the last 16.

But Hanlon has warned his team-mates to beware the threat of a banana skin.

He said: "You'd like to think that experience will help but everyone knows what can happen in cup football.

"You have to prepare properly and be as professional as you can and that's what we'll do this weekend.

"Yeah we've got experience of going to Hampden but that doesn't prepare us for going to Stranraer away.

"I've never been before and it's a fair journey away. There's a potential banana skin there for us.

"They are a team in form, scoring a lot of goals so that makes it very dangerous. We can't take them lightly and we won't."

That 2016 triumph over Rangers sparked wild scenes of jubilation round Edinburgh as Hibs ended their 114-year cup hoodoo.

But their last two visits to Hampden have produced only despair, with Hearts claiming victory in last year's delayed Scottish Cup semi before St Johnstone produced a shock 3-0 win in the last four of this season's Betfred Cup.

But that pain has not put Hanlon off going in search of fresh glory.

He said: "Obviously there has been disappointments throughout the season.

"But they come every season. You're not going to go through it all plain sailing.

"The majority of this campaign has been positive for us and we just see this as another opportunity to take a step further.

"The disappointments have been so big because they've been in the final stages of major tournaments. That's what makes them so heartbreaking and difficult to get over.

"But on the flip side we're getting to these situations time and time again.

"So we're just viewing this as another opportunity to get to these big matches and hopefully we'll go one further."

ID:443550: cacheID:443550:1false2false3false:QQ:: from db desktop :LenBod:restore:3770:
Written by
P A
Restore Data
Share this article now:
Martin Boyle in action for Hibernian in January 2015
Read Next:
Martin Boyle hits back at "bizarre" John Hughes diving comments
>
rhs 2.0
Today's games header
Tables header RHS
TeamPWDLFAGDPTS
1Celtic1514104444043
2Aberdeen16104230181234
3RangersRangers1510232791832
4Motherwell168172226-425
5Dundee UnitedDundee Utd166642519624
6St Mirren176382228-621
7Dundee165472729-219
8Kilmarnock174581834-1617
9Hibernian173682129-815
10Ross County173681333-2015
11St Johnstone1742112032-1214
12Hearts1734101826-813


Sports Mole provides in-depth previews and predictions for every match from the biggest leagues and competitions in world football.
Argentina's Lionel Messi kisses the World Cup trophy after collecting the Golden Ball award on December 18, 2022Sign up for our FREE daily preview newsletter direct to your inbox!