Billy Dodds: Scottish Cup cash windfall is important for Inverness

Inverness Caledonian Thistle boss Billy Dodds says the financial reward from their Scottish Cup success can be a huge boost for the club – and believes there’s a definite route to the final.

The team’s 2-1 win over Premiership side Kilmarnock on Friday night put them in the final four and guaranteed a big payday.

For a club that announced losses of over £830,000 in their recent accounts, the prize money that comes with reaching Hampden will be significant and Dodds said he had been aware of that going into the quarter-final tie.

“I said we’d love to help (with the club’s financial situation) but I didn’t want to burden the players with it and it will certainly help on that front,” Dodds explained.

“I know the figure that came out but I don’t know what the finances are – but it will certainly help them.

“I had a hug with the chairman (Ross Morrison) afterwards, it was his birthday.

“I told him to enjoy the Livingston game and then I told him to enjoy tonight – and I’ll tell him to enjoy the semi now too.

“I don’t know if the semis are still pooled so it doesn’t matter about getting a money-spinner.

“There’s a route there to get to the final but Ayr or Falkirk will want us too.”

For Derek McInnes, the defeat was a hard blow in what has been a difficult season for the Rugby Park club.

“I thought we were second best,” he said. “Inverness wanted it more than us and that is always a sad indictment of a team.

“It is never easy for a manager to accept that and say it but the truth was Inverness were, hands-down, more energetic than us and had more desire about them.

“What we have found is when we have lost the first goal on the road we have lost confidence but that shouldn’t have been the case tonight.

“The penalty was harsh on us and I thought we could have had one ourselves, but the better team won tonight. The team who deserved it won.”