Bannon gives Hearts the edge

RAY HEPBURN

22 Jan 1990

Hearts 2, Falkirk 0

EAMONN Bannon has battled long and hard to complete the sequence of Scottish football's big prizes.

With Dundee United he captured a championship medal and two League Cup awards.

The one that has always eluded him was a Scottish Cup triumph, for while at Tannadice he was on the losing side in four Hampden Park meetings.

But even at the age of 31, he feels he could complete the set with Hearts following Saturday's 2-0 win over Falkirk and yesterday's draw that pits Motherwell against the Edinburgh team in the fourth round.

Hearts have beaten Motherwell twice at Fir Park this season, but it was not the draw yesterday that encouraged Bannon.

For he feels that there is not a team in the land that would relish coming to Tynecastle in the cup.

He explained: "Our home record is good enough to make any side travel here with trepidation.

We are confident of moving through to the next stage."

Bannon patrolled the left side of Hearts' midfield on Saturday, when it seemed for an hour that Falkirk's brave resistance would earn them a replay.

But they had reckoned without the former Dundee United man's experience.

He was on hand to head in John Colquhoun's cross after 65 minutes when John Robertson took advantage of Gordon Marshall's hesitancy to hit the vital opener.

And it was Bannon's persistence on the left that forced a measure of pressure on Falkirk, that saw Robertson steer in the second with only three minutes remaining.

After the match Hearts' manager Alex MacDonald was quick to recognise the contribution of his £200,000 buy two summers ago.

"It's in situations like this that we appreciate Eamonn's patience and experience.

There is no substitute for buying a player that knows his way around a football pitch."

HEARTS -- Smith, Kidd, Whittaker, Levein, McCreery, McPherson, Colqhoun, Kirkwood, Robertson, Crabbe, Bannon.

Substitutes -- Ferguson, McKinlay.

FALKIRK -- Marshall, Melvin, Beaton, McKenzie, Burgess, Smith, Rae, Baptie, Rutherford, McCoy, McWilliams.

Substitutes -- Logan, Hetherston.

Referee -- B R McGinlay (Balfron).