Matchday Thread Inverness CT -V- Falkirk (Cup Final)

[dougiedanger]

That's good, thought I heard something.

[Council Juice]

Pleased as punch but we right went and stole that. Weren't in the game 2nd half at all. Was horrid. Then Carl's unfortunate slip and stone wall red followed by the equaliser...I thought it was going to be a long trip to Bruges and I was only in Gent.

But a great break by Marley, lung busting late run and Vincent was in the right place, right time.

I, for a moment, felt a little for Falkirk... Then remembered they got us relegated.

[Yngwie]

I did not enjoy that game at all, until the end! We were pretty p1sh from 46 to 85 mins, but the history books will forever show that ICT won and lifted the 2015 Scottish Cup.  

[Big G]

For once the result went for us even though Falkirk were the better team second half but after so many times of losing games we should have won this will do nicely.

[Ayeseetee]

I went to the toilet on the 40th minute to save queuing at half time, I am not kidding the second my butt hit that seat I heard an almighty roar and immediately knew it was from our end.

Kind of glad we won 2 - 1 because otherwise I would have celebrated our first cup final winner with my trousers around my ankles!

[PerfICT]

I went to the toilet on the 40th minute to save queuing at half time, I am not kidding the second my butt hit that seat I heard an almighty roar and immediately knew it was from our end.

Kind of glad we won 2 - 1 because otherwise I would have celebrated our first cup final winner with my trousers around my ankles!

should have gone to the bog again in the second half and saved us all a lot of pain!

[us2]

What can I say what a game what a result yes we rode our luck at times but my god I haven't felt this good in soo long.

sadly its all been mirrored by a couple of unsavoury incidents on the 9:01 train from Perth back up the road, no btp on board to enforce the alcohol ban which led to couple of fights between our own fans just after Aviemore. Sad really that if things were handled properly then we wouldn't have the problem. it's all well and good we won and we should all celebrate but trying to hurt other fans cause you have had too much to drink in front of regular commuters with kids can I say is just horrible.

[Ronaldo]

Just home at 1.40am have driven and not drank all day, I now raise a large glass to all our heroes! (whoosh it's gone already, better have another)

 

Might now get Borussia Dortmand or Shalke in the draw for europe? 

[AlexJones]

James Vincent, what an absolutely world class run that was for the winner. Take a bow son.

Not a particularly good team performance overall, but who cares!

 

The better team won.

[Ayeseetee]

Who would have thought that devine/raven/vincent would be the players to get us the most important goals?

All technically defenders since vincent was playing in RB when he scored.

Edited May 31, 2015 by Ayeseetee

[Caleyjag157]

Absolutely wonderful what an achievement! Such a fantastic atmosphere. Thank you to all those at the back of D5 for the craic.

[Caley Mad In Berks]

Well, we don't believe in making it easy for ourselves, do we? That last 10 minutes or so must have taken years off my life, and I don't have that many left to spare!!

 

A magnificent day out made all the better by meeting up with old ICT friends, and quite a few new ones.  Thanks to you all for contributing to one of the best days of my life.

 

Just seen the card display on another thread. Well done to all concerned, a magnificent effort.

 

I thought Watkins was our star today.  He ran himself into the ground.  Pity he appears not to be staying, but what a way to go!.

 

But congratulations must go to the whole team, and management, for their achievements this season.

 

And, its not over yet with a European adventure to come.  Hope to see you all in some exotic location in late July.  Can't wait till the draws done on 22 June to see who we get first.

[Yngwie]

It was great to see so many old faces (!) and many new ones too.

 

This could have been the largest gathering of ICT fans there will ever be.

[Yngwie]

Someone showed me some funny footage on Facebook of the team in high spirits on Auchterader High St - I think they were replicating a song and dance Liverpool did recently. Can anyone get it on here?

[Mithrandir]

Best season ever! It's truly amazing what we have accomplished in my opinion.

Edited May 31, 2015 by Mithrandir

[Scarlet Pimple]

The way we were playing in the first half I thought we were on easy street and  was wondering why we were not more goals ahead.

 

Then the 2nd half started and I got the message:-

It wasn't that we were so much better than Falkirk, it was simply that their manager had told  them to defend, defend,. defend in the 1st half and wear us down,.And it nearly worked for them too!.  That goal by Falkirk was soooo well taken, superb connecting header IMHO.

 

But, on balance, we were just the classier team on the day I suppose and our later goal was very well  executed. Lung-bursting effort from dedicated professionals with just a wee bit of luck thrown in (their goalie palmed the ball instead of grabbing it tight).

 

But the race goes to the swift and we just seemed to have that little something extra---even if the fickle finger of fate suspended judgment on us for the day in recognition of past efforts since our new team of ICT was created out of two small Highland league teams. What a graceful and dedicated effort the club has made since it's inception.

 

The Cup is fantastic recognition of all the hard work, love and dedication put in by so many people  on all levels.

 

But what a lovely day out. Beautiful Hamden park on a lovely sunny day, ICT superb in the first half, drama aplenty. The fantastic card display, Willie Collum  trying hard to be reasonable and actually did a pretty good job in retrospect.

And the drama at the end with the sending off and the last gasp goal to our ten men. And my pal, Gary, said  honestly that he really enhoyed the game and the spectacle and thought overall we were the better team  and deserved our victory. Which really gave me an emotional fillip.

 

This has been THE season to remember for a very long time.  Thank you from Pimple Hall in sunny Maple Ridge , B.C. Canada.        

[+roarer]

Well said Mr. Pimple.

[EvilWhiteStripe]

Someone showed me some funny footage on Facebook of the team in high spirits on Auchterader High St - I think they were replicating a song and dance Liverpool did recently. Can anyone get it on here?

https://www.facebook.com/video.php?v=10206523107294700

[Snafu]

Amazing day, never thought I would ever see us lift the Scottish Cup and after a very long season that bit extra from the players made the difference and what a great turnout from supporters. We have could filled our stadium twice over.

 

We made history.

 

.........what's next?.

[+HawkeyeTheGnu]

What a day!

Thought both teams looked pretty jittery for the first 15 minutes, but then we settled and created some chances. Was just starting to think we needed to put one away when Marley rounded the keeper and slotted home. We then pressed to try and get a second before half time, and only Grants tackle on Doran stopped us being further ahead at the break.

Half time came at completely the wrong time for us! Falkirk changed their system, and we either decided to sit on 1-0, or just couldn't adapt to the change. Thought we might just hold on, but then the moment that changed the game. Tremarco with a horrible miscontrol that Alston was on to in a flash. Tremor I tried to recover with a man or ball tackle, upended Alston, and off he went. Watching the highlights later, it was the ricochet of his heel that did Tremarco, and his calf got a bit of the ball before he got Alston, but we can't complain about the red card.

At this point I was hoping for an Easter Road-esque Alamo style defence, but eventually we cracked and Grant headed home. At that point I thought that there was only going to be one winner - and they weren't from the Highlands. And then it happened. Marley won a header just inside our half and went on a run. Vincent did a 100m that Usain Bolt would have been proud of to get up in support. I was screaming to Marley to square it, but he took the shot, which MacDonald in the Falkirk goal parried to Vincent for him to stroke it home. At this point I was convinced that lack of sleep had caught up with me and I was hallucinating.

I thought Falkirk would get one more chance, which they did with a free kick, but our defence stood firm throughout the 6 hours, sorry minutes, of injury time.

Stone me! We've only won the flipping cup.

A huge well done to the players yesterday. We didn't play anything like our best in the second half, and the winning goal was more than slightly against the run of play, but what the hell. I think losing Raven was a double blow, as Shinnie is less effective as an attacker on the right. I felt for Tremarco, but it was a sloppy bit of control, and he had to make the tackle. It was always a red if he got it wrong.

So the season of a lifetime ends, and we qualify for the Europa league twice. So how do we too that? By qualifying for the Champions League twice, I guess.

Can't wait until the Europa League draw on 22nd June!

[Yngwie]

I was surprised (and disappointed) at how quickly the Falrkirk end emptied when the whistle went.  Their players did very well to get to this stage, gave everything and played well on the day against a better team.  When Falkirk went up to collect their medals they got well deserved and very respectful applause from all the ICT fans but there only a fraction of their own support was there to see it.  I'd like to think we'd have stayed for the presentations had it been the other way around, as nearly all of us did at the League Cup final.

[CaleyCanary]

I was surprised (and disappointed) at how quickly the Falrkirk end emptied when the whistle went.  Their players did very well to get to this stage, gave everything and played well on the day against a better team.  When Falkirk went up to collect their medals they got well deserved and very respectful applause from all the ICT fans but there only a fraction of their own support was there to see it.  I'd like to think we'd have stayed for the presentations had it been the other way around, as nearly all of us did at the League Cup final.

 

I second this, was really quite amazed when they left in their droves. Ok they were stunned and p'd off at the way it ended after their battling 2nd half performance but their team deserved better from them. And yes, I'm pretty darned sure the majority of us would have stayed to show our appreciation at getting this far.

 

Was pleased to see Yogi head their way and give his applause to the few that remained - nice touch from a real gent.

[+HawkeyeTheGnu]

Not only do we have a bridge and a castle, we also have a cup!

And not just a cup, The Cup!

[GaliantGrunt]

Amazing day, never thought I would ever see us lift the Scottish Cup and after a very long season that bit extra from the players made the difference and what a great turnout from supporters. We have could filled our stadium twice over.

 

We made history.

 

.........what's next?.

 

 

Future Success

[bdu98196]

I was surprised (and disappointed) at how quickly the Falrkirk end emptied when the whistle went. Their players did very well to get to this stage, gave everything and played well on the day against a better team. When Falkirk went up to collect their medals they got well deserved and very respectful applause from all the ICT fans but there only a fraction of their own support was there to see it. I'd like to think we'd have stayed for the presentations had it been the other way around, as nearly all of us did at the League Cup final.

I was surprised by the number of ICT fans who left at final whistle too, quite a few I could see from where I was walking out, if this was a home game the number would have been noticeable but feel those who stayed did more than enough to so the players appreciation.