Extra time edge secures cup win for ICT, Celtic up next
William Hill Scottish Cup fourth round replay
Dunfermline 1, Caley Thistle 3 (after extra time)
EXTRA time goals from Andrew Shinnie and Greg Tansey secured a William Hill Scottish Cup fifth round game against holders Celtic.
Former Inverness striker Andrew Barrowman gave Dunfermline the advantage at half-time in this fourth round replay but Jonny Hayes notched a fortunate leveller to take the game to an additional 30 minutes.
The win sets up an attractive home tie against the Glasgow giants on 4th February, in a game which will be live on Sky Sports.
Terry Butcher made three changes to the side that won 1-0 at Motherwell last time out, with captain Richie Foran, goalkeeper Jonny Tuffey and defender Ross Tokely replacing Nick Ross, Ryan Esson and Kenny Gillet respectively.
The hosts stuck brought back shot-stopper Chris Smith - who made the costly error to allow Jonny Hayes to nip in and equalise in stoppage time when the previous cup meeting 11 days ago ended 1-1 - after loan signing Iain Turner played in their 3-2 home defeat against Hibs at the weekend.
Pars manager Jim McIntyre made two other changes with Kevin Rutkiewicz and Ryan Thomson in for John-Paul Potter and Gary Mason.
Dunfermline started brightly with Barrowman forcing Northern Ireland internationalist Tuffey into a diving save after just three minutes.
Martin Hardie and Andy Kirk forced Tuffey into action as the Pars showed more of an attacking threat in the opening stages, despite spells of flowing football from Inverness.
Greg Tansey's shot from just inside the area after good work from Gregory Tade and Lee Cox caused the biggest threat to Smith's goal in the first half but the goalkeeper was equal to it.
Hardie watched as Tuffey saved another of his free-kicks before Barrowman made the breakthrough.
A powerful run from Joe Cardle saw him reach the touchline before cutting inside Foran and crossing deep to the back post for Barrowman to rise strongly against Graeme Shinnie and head home the opener five minutes before the break.
Butcher decided to change things at the interval, bringing on Andrew Shinnie for Cox and he almost made an immediate impact, firing just wide moments after the re-start.
The summer signing appeared to be making a difference playing in Billy McKay, whose angled shot from was blocked by Smith.
Caley Thistle continued in the ascendency when Hayes equalised, capitalising on another Smith error in 54 minutes.
The goalkeeper raced to clear a backwards header from Alex Keddie only to fire the ball at Rutkiewicz and the rebound went towards their own goal with both players taken out of the equation, only for an alert Hayes to tuck it into an unguarded net.
Remarkably the goalscorer was involved in a minor altercation with Foran midway through the half with both men cautioned by referee Euan Norris for raising their hands to each other.
Smith recovered from his calamity and made an excellent finger tip save to deny Andrew Shinnie from putting the visitors ahead with just over 10 minutes to go.
Tuffey made a vital save from Thomson before Roman Golobart made a fine saving tackle when the midfielder threatened again moments later.
Substitute Paul Willis almost set up the decide but his low ball flashed across the face of goal only just evading Kirk.
Golobart was stretchered off in the final minute after being caught by Willis and seemed to injury his right ankle which could put the Spaniard in doubt for Caley Thistle's home game against Hearts this Saturday.
Andrew Shinnie fired Inverness in front with a thunderbolt off the woodwork two minutes into stoppage time when he was found at the edge of the box by Tade and left Smith with no chance.
Pars substitute Liam Buchanan tried to find a leveller but Tuffey saved well.
Substitute Ross pounced on a loose clearance to tee up Tansey on the edge of the box and the summer signing shot low past Smith to give the Highlanders a two goal cushion with 10 minutes remaining.
Ross almost set up Tade for a fourth but Smith blocked him and Buchanan was thwarted by Tuffey as time ran out for the hosts.