Inverness CT 1-2 Hibernian: Tony Stokes scores twice to send the visitors through

Scottish Cup holders Inverness CT were dumped out of the competition as they lost 2-1 to Hibernian at the Tulloch Caledonian stadium in the quarter-final replay.

On-loan Celtic striker Tony Stokes scored twice in five minutes to set up the victory and although Iain Vigurs pulled a goal back late in the match, the visitors held on to secure a semi-final against Dundee United.

Hibs started the match purposely as they looked to bounce back from Sunday's League Cup final defeat to Ross County, and they limited the home side to a couple of long range shots which both failed to hit the target.

At the other end of the pitch Jason Cummings sent a shot from just outside the box wide of the post on 12 minutes after John McGinn did well to create the space

But the visitors opened the scoring on 36 minutes when Lewis Stevenson delivered a low ball across the box and Stokes crashed his shot past Owain Fon Williams.

And the Irishman doubled the advantage when he struck from close-range after Fon Williams could only parry a shot from Cummings.

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Inverness were given a lifeline when Richie Foran's header dropped to Vigurs and he turned the ball home from close-range on 77 minutes.

Ten minutes later Hibs lost Mark Oxley to injury and he was replaced between the sticks by debutant Otso Virtanen.

But the holders were unable to retain their grip on the trophy and Stokes was denied a hat-trick by Fon Williams deep in stoppage-time as Hibs played on the counter-attack.

Hibs boss Alan Stubbs admitted the only disappointment of the night was the booking for Oxley, meaning the goalkeeper will sit out the semi-final against United.

Oxley was booked for time wasting - his second yellow card of the competition - and Stubbs said: "He lost his contact lens.

"He has asked the referee to try and find it but the referee will probably hide behind the fact that Ox didn't say that.

"But it was obvious to everyone in the stands that he had a problem with his eye, and there was a problem with communication.

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"We have got to a final, and now another semi-final, and we still have a chance of promotion. Sometimes people write you off after one result, but they can keep going as far as I'm concerned. All it does is make us stronger."

The semi-final between Hibernian v Dundee United is live on Saturday April 16 on Sky Sports 1HD, kick-off 12.15pm