Rangers vs Hibernian. Scottish Cup Final.
Hampden ParkAttendance50,701.
Saturday 21 May 2016 15:36, UK
Rejuvenated Rangers will be looking to complete a treble in the Scottish Cup final on Saturday - live on Sky Sports 1 HD from 2pm - against an Hibernian side whose sole focus will be on laying a 114-year hoodoo to rest.
Mark Warburton's reshaped side already have the Petrofac Training Cup and Ladbrokes Championship trophy on the sideboard and, like Hibs, have the additional carrot of a ticket to the Europa League qualifiers if they prevail on Saturday.
Rangers' Dominic Ball is suspended after picking up a yellow card in the semi-final win over Celtic and Harry Forrester is out injured while Billy King and Michael O'Halloran are cup-tied.
Martyn Waghorn returned from three months out in the final game of the season at St Mirren, and the 28-goal striker is sure to be a key figure in Warburton's pre-match planning. He is likely to be given a pivotal role in attack alongside Kenny Miler and Barrie McKay.
Rangers have not played a competitive game for three weeks although they did enjoy a work-out in a bounce game at Tottenham's Enfield training centre last week.
This weekend's match is only their second appearance together in the final after 1979's three-game saga, eventually won by Rangers 3-2 following a second replay.
On a day rich with possibility, the 131st final is the first time two sides from outside of the top flight have met in the national showpiece.
The clubs have locked horns five times this season; Rangers hold a 3-2 advantage in the head-to-head and they have shared 23 goals so it all points to an entertaining encounter this afternoon.
Hibs' agonising play-off loss to Falkirk may have consigned them to a third successive season in the Championship, but it did afford them a nine-day break ahead of this game, their 53rd of a gruelling season.
The season began last July with a 6-2 Challenge Cup defeat by Rangers and they will be looking to go one better than they did in the League Cup final against Ross County in March, a last-minute Alex Schalk goal sealing County's win.
The weight of history will be on their shoulders as they have lost 10 finals since they last tasted success in the competition in 1902.
Many of their fans will be pinning their hopes on talisman Jason Cummings, who has a fine record against Rangers - eight goals in the past two seasons - but manager Alan Stubbs says he is not guaranteed a start.
He told the Evening News: "I want players who are going into the game in form. Jason got left out on Friday against Falkirk, it was just a call I went with. The fact that James Keatings scored twice has done him no harm whatsoever.
"Was it justified or not? Other people can decide that, but on the day I felt it was the right decision."
The loss of five goals in two matches against Falkirk may prompt Stubbs to turn back to Mark Oxley ahead of semi-final hero Conrad Logan in goal.
Midfield schemer Dylan McGeouch is also back in contention having struggled with a groin problem recently.
