Dundee United brought the curtain down on their best SPL season since 1997 with a disappointing two-goal defeat to Hibs at Tannadice — with the Tangerines’ minds clearly on other things.
With third place and a Europa League spot safely tucked into their pocket a while ago, now comes the Scottish Cup final extravaganza against Ross County on Saturday.
All United’s tickets — barring one or two individual seats — have been sold, meaning there will be a few dozen short of 27,000 supporters cheering on the Tangerines in the national stadium.
They may have gone down to a Colin Nish double on Sunday, but the main thing for manager Peter Houston was getting through this final league fixture without any further injuries, after previously crossing Darren Dods and Francisco Sandaza off his list of options.
The news was good as Houston declared that, barring a few bumps and bruises, all was well on that front.
Ideally, the Tannadice men would have loved to be going into the County clash with a win behind them but Houston decided to keep changing his lineup in the games that followed United’s banking of third spot.
Should the Scottish Cup be theirs on Saturday, then his strategy will have been vindicated.
“Our job was done three or four weeks ago in the league,” Houston said.Great season”For us not to do so great in the last few matches and still be nine points ahead of the fourth-placed team shows we have had a great season so far. It is not finished yet.
“Going into a cup final having lost does not really matter because we will be at it 100% on the day.
“The big squad let me leave a number of players out and we have come through without any new injuries. We will now be at Tannadice every day.”
Houston revealed that Danny Cadamarteri, who had a dislocated shoulder, may yet make it, although Paul Dixon is having an X-ray done on his foot and looks “likely to be out.”
Meanwhile, Hibs boss John Hughes was obviously a happy man to be tucked in behind the Tannadice team in the table.
“United had an eye on the Scottish Cup final and that was understandable but we still had to do the business,” he said.
“To get fourth spot and European football is great. We have played some fantastic stuff at times this season and we looked assured and collected today.”
Predictably, Houston made several changes to his starting lineup. Into central defence came fringe man Pavel Mihadjuks to partner Garry Kenneth, while the likes of Kevin Smith, Andis Shala and Jeno Myrie-Williams got their chance to impress.
Hibs created the first opportunity after just two minutes but home keeper Dusan Pernis did well to hold on to a shot by Anthony Stokes.
They may have been thwarted that time but it was the visitors who took the lead on 12 minutes.
Liam Miller played the ball into the box from the right and Pernis really should have stopped Nish’s side-footed shot instead of letting it squirm under his body and into the net.
United came close to equalising five minutes later but David Wotherspoon was perfectly placed on the post to kick away Kenneth’s net-bound header.
There was little in the way of excitement for the fans but the game warmed up again as it approached half-time.
On 38 minutes, Hibs nearly made it 2-0. A Mihadjuks blunder resulted in Stokes being sent clear on goal but he could only shoot into the arms of Pernis.
It was then the Tangerines’ turn to threaten and, just as Smith looked like getting on the end of David Robertson’s cross, defender Chris Hogg hooked the ball away to safety.
Swanson then fired a delivery in from the right and Damian Casalinuovo nodded the ball into the side-netting.
United brought on Scott Robertson for the second half, with Mihadjuks making way, but it was the visitors who came close to doubling their lead when John Rankin’s drive hit the woodwork on 49 minutes.Farewell appearanceMidfielder Greg Cameron came on for his farewell appearance, after being told he won’t be getting a new contract by United. Swanson was the one to make way for him after 55 minutes, while teenager Ryan Dow replaced Smith.
United should have been level on 63 minutes when Shala was picked out by a Keith Watson cross but the striker’s header was too straight and keeper Graeme Smith saved.
Hibs, battling it out with Motherwell for fourth spot, upped the pace and sub Alan Gow shot over, before a Derek Riordan 25-yarder had to be pushed away by the diving Pernis.
They did finally add to their tally, though, when a superb ball in from the right by Steven Thicot was nodded into the net by Nish with 73 minutes on the clock.
Kenneth tried to haul his team back into it but his header off a Dow corner flew over the bar.
In the dying seconds, Nish squandered the chance of a hat-trick when he tried to lob Pernis but his attempt was easily caught by the United keeper.
The full-time whistle then went and the Hibs players, safe in the knowledge they were on their way into Europe, hugged each other.
The United players trudged off but, joined by those who did not play, they quickly reappeared to take a deserved ovation from the fans who had stayed behind to congratulate them on an excellent SPL campaign.
They will be welcomed by a few more on Saturday when they aim to become Hampden heroes.
Attendance: 6527.
Predictably, Houston made several changes to his starting lineup. Into central defence came fringe man Pavel Mihadjuks to partner Garry Kenneth, while the likes of Kevin Smith, Andis Shala and Jeno Myrie-Williams got their chance to impress.
Hibs created the first opportunity after just two minutes but home keeper Dusan Pernis did well to hold on to a shot by Anthony Stokes.
They may have been thwarted that time but it was the visitors who took the lead on 12 minutes.
Liam Miller played the ball into the box from the right and Pernis really should have stopped Nish’s side-footed shot instead of letting it squirm under his body and into the net.
United came close to equalising five minutes later but David Wotherspoon was perfectly placed on the post to kick away Kenneth’s net-bound header.
There was little in the way of excitement for the fans but the game warmed up again as it approached half-time.
On 38 minutes, Hibs nearly made it 2-0. A Mihadjuks blunder resulted in Stokes being sent clear on goal but he could only shoot into the arms of Pernis.
It was then the Tangerines’ turn to threaten and, just as Smith looked like getting on the end of David Robertson’s cross, defender Chris Hogg hooked the ball away to safety.
Swanson then fired a delivery in from the right and Damian Casalinuovo nodded the ball into the side-netting.
United brought on Scott Robertson for the second half, with Mihadjuks making way, but it was the visitors who came close to doubling their lead when John Rankin’s drive hit the woodwork on 49 minutes.Farewell appearanceMidfielder Greg Cameron came on for his farewell appearance, after being told he won’t be getting a new contract by United. Swanson was the one to make way for him after 55 minutes, while teenager Ryan Dow replaced Smith.
United should have been level on 63 minutes when Shala was picked out by a Keith Watson cross but the striker’s header was too straight and keeper Graeme Smith saved.
Hibs, battling it out with Motherwell for fourth spot, upped the pace and sub Alan Gow shot over, before a Derek Riordan 25-yarder had to be pushed away by the diving Pernis.
They did finally add to their tally, though, when a superb ball in from the right by Steven Thicot was nodded into the net by Nish with 73 minutes on the clock.
Kenneth tried to haul his team back into it but his header off a Dow corner flew over the bar.
In the dying seconds, Nish squandered the chance of a hat-trick when he tried to lob Pernis but his attempt was easily caught by the United keeper.
The full-time whistle then went and the Hibs players, safe in the knowledge they were on their way into Europe, hugged each other.
The United players trudged off but, joined by those who did not play, they quickly reappeared to take a deserved ovation from the fans who had stayed behind to congratulate them on an excellent SPL campaign.
They will be welcomed by a few more on Saturday when they aim to become Hampden heroes.
Attendance: 6527.
Predictably, Houston made several changes to his starting lineup. Into central defence came fringe man Pavel Mihadjuks to partner Garry Kenneth, while the likes of Kevin Smith, Andis Shala and Jeno Myrie-Williams got their chance to impress.
Hibs created the first opportunity after just two minutes but home keeper Dusan Pernis did well to hold on to a shot by Anthony Stokes.
They may have been thwarted that time but it was the visitors who took the lead on 12 minutes.
Liam Miller played the ball into the box from the right and Pernis really should have stopped Nish’s side-footed shot instead of letting it squirm under his body and into the net.
United came close to equalising five minutes later but David Wotherspoon was perfectly placed on the post to kick away Kenneth’s net-bound header.
There was little in the way of excitement for the fans but the game warmed up again as it approached half-time.
On 38 minutes, Hibs nearly made it 2-0. A Mihadjuks blunder resulted in Stokes being sent clear on goal but he could only shoot into the arms of Pernis.
It was then the Tangerines’ turn to threaten and, just as Smith looked like getting on the end of David Robertson’s cross, defender Chris Hogg hooked the ball away to safety.
Swanson then fired a delivery in from the right and Damian Casalinuovo nodded the ball into the side-netting.
United brought on Scott Robertson for the second half, with Mihadjuks making way, but it was the visitors who came close to doubling their lead when John Rankin’s drive hit the woodwork on 49 minutes.Farewell appearanceMidfielder Greg Cameron came on for his farewell appearance, after being told he won’t be getting a new contract by United. Swanson was the one to make way for him after 55 minutes, while teenager Ryan Dow replaced Smith.
United should have been level on 63 minutes when Shala was picked out by a Keith Watson cross but the striker’s header was too straight and keeper Graeme Smith saved.
Hibs, battling it out with Motherwell for fourth spot, upped the pace and sub Alan Gow shot over, before a Derek Riordan 25-yarder had to be pushed away by the diving Pernis.
They did finally add to their tally, though, when a superb ball in from the right by Steven Thicot was nodded into the net by Nish with 73 minutes on the clock.
Kenneth tried to haul his team back into it but his header off a Dow corner flew over the bar.
In the dying seconds, Nish squandered the chance of a hat-trick when he tried to lob Pernis but his attempt was easily caught by the United keeper.
The full-time whistle then went and the Hibs players, safe in the knowledge they were on their way into Europe, hugged each other.
The United players trudged off but, joined by those who did not play, they quickly reappeared to take a deserved ovation from the fans who had stayed behind to congratulate them on an excellent SPL campaign.
They will be welcomed by a few more on Saturday when they aim to become Hampden heroes.
Attendance: 6527.