- Published
As time ticked on at Hampden, you waited for the Hearts kick to the Hibs solar plexus, the late sickener that became such a huge theme in their clashes last season.
asserted
that → publish → clashes
Were Hibs, bottom of the league and incapable of buying a win in recent weeks, really about to beat their city rivals at Hampden for the first time ever?
asserted
Hibs → buy → time
There were 10 minutes between Hibs and a League Cup final against Rangers, but 10 minutes can be an eternity between these two.
asserted
minutes → be → two
Five minutes left to play now and Hibs still holding a 2-1 lead, but recent history tells us that even five minutes is plenty of time for everything to turn on its head.
asserted
everything → leave → head
Late, late plot twists and late, late Hearts victories came in minutes 86, 88 and 90 in three different Edinburgh derbies last season - all in Hearts' favour, all dropping Hibs to their knees in angst.
asserted
all → come → angst
Now we enter sniper's alley; two minutes left and Hearts pushing hard.
asserted
Hearts → enter → alley
Jordi Altena's delivery from the right finds Claudio Braga, one of the chief dangermen in maroon left all on his lonesome a few yards from goal.
asserted
delivery → find → goal
Braga's already scored one and is about to score two.
asserted
Braga → score → two
Extra time beckons.
asserted
time → beckon → ?
Braga blows his big chance.
asserted
Braga → blow → chance
He stands there almost in disbelief.
asserted
He → stand → disbelief
Some of his team-mates are rooted to the spot.
asserted
Some → root → spot
Hibs fans, meanwhile, go berserk.
asserted
fans → go → ?
Joy at last in a season that has brought little more than bitterness and rancour about the state of the club, on the field and off.
asserted
that → bring → field
Short of handing the Hibs fans the winning numbers in the lottery there is no greater way for him to endear himself to supporters than beating Hearts.
asserted
him → hand → Hearts
Beating them anywhere, anyhow is special.
asserted
Beating → beat → them
Beating them in a cup semi-final is extra special.
asserted
Beating → beat → final
Team of contradictions finally makes sense
Hibs are a giant curiosity.
asserted
Hibs → make → sense
Reedijk will know that only too well by now.
asserted
Reedijk → know → that
They have good players but they're bottom of the Premiership.
asserted
they → have → Premiership
They have goal threat but have delivered precious few goals.
asserted
They → have → goals
They have accomplished players in midfield but routinely get bossed in there.
asserted
They → have → midfield
They have plenty of seasoned pros but have lacked bottle.
asserted
They → have → bottle
Could they put it together on their biggest day of the season so far?
uncertain
they → put → season
Braga had scored.
asserted
Braga → score → ?
You didn't write them off at that early stage, but more Hibs things kept happening.
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things → write → stage
Felix Passlack should have scored, but he didn't.
asserted
he → score → ?
Owen Elding should have scored, but he didn't.
asserted
he → score → ?
The signs were not good that Hibs would suddenly metamorphose into a convincing, steely bunch of players capable of rolling with the punches instead of being floored by them.
asserted
Hibs → metamorphose → them
But that's what happened.
asserted
what → happen → ?
For the rest of the half, Hibs were terrific, albeit against a Hearts team dropping like flies.
asserted
Hibs → drop → flies
Hibs folk will be sick of hearing the chat about the freakish Tynecastle casualty list - Wouter Vrancken isn't exactly loving it either - but
asserted
Vrancken → hear → it
it's reality.
The curse struck again in the opening half - a disorientated Tomas Magnusson removed after a horrible clash of heads and then Calvin Miller succumbing to injury and finishing his day with his knee in a brace.
Vrancken intervened on the touchline when it appeared that Magnusson was about to be sent back into the fray.
asserted
Magnusson → strike → fray
The Hearts manager could see - as anybody who was watching could see - Magnusson clearly unsteady on his feet and wobbling.
uncertain
who → see → feet
Hearts should maybe explain what tests were done on the midfielder and on what basis they decided he was considered fit enough to carry on.
asserted
he → explain → midfielder
Vrancken's alertness and decisiveness may have saved a vulnerable Magnusson a more troubling fate.
uncertain
alertness → save → fate
Hibs earn moment but has corner been turned?
asserted
corner → earn → moment
None of this was Hibs' concern, but it was Hibs' opportunity - and they took it.
asserted
they → take → it
Joe Newell found space and dominance in the middle of the park.
asserted
Newell → find → park
Their big players - the ones who have spent far too long playing way below par - found themselves at last.
asserted
who → spend → themselves
…and 20 more, not listed.
The Aporia
