Doran spurred on by cup heartbreak

Aaron Doran will spend the week hoping he gets the nod from John Hughes for Inverness' William Hill Scottish Cup final against Falkirk at Hampden on Saturday.

The 24-year-old Irishman was shocked when he was dropped by the Caley Thistle boss for the Scottish League Cup final against Aberdeen at Celtic Park last season.

He replaced James Vincent in the second-half but the match ended goalless after 120 minutes and, although Doran scored in the penalty shoot-out, it was the Dons who took the trophy home after a 4-2 win.

The former Republic of Ireland Under-21 player admits his disappointment was deep-felt and wants the chance to make amends against the Bairns.

"I was more disappointed in that I didn't start the final," he told Press Association Sport.

"It was a big surprise because it was the first game that I didn't start in two seasons.

"He just said to me that we would try to go more defensively and hold them and then put me on around the 60-minute mark to help win it.

"But unfortunately it didn't happen.

"It was really difficult. It is the manager's decision and you can't do anything about it.

"I was a bit down but I couldn't be too down because I couldn't let the lads see me like that, so I just got on with it.

"I came on, played well, I thought, but unfortunately we got beat on penalties.

"Hopefully if I can start this year and if I can contribute anything and get the win, then it would be huge for us.

"I think we have a real chance this season to win it so we are going to go out there and give it everything we have."

Aberdeen were favourites in the League Cup final but Inverness take on that mantle against Falkirk, who finished fifth in the Championship.

The Highlanders knocked Celtic out in the semi-finals and their third-place finish in the Scottish Premiership was their highest ever, guaranteeing them a spot in the Europa League even before they get to Hampden.

Doran, who started his career at Blackburn, accepts his side are tipped take the cup north for the first time in the club's 21-year history but insists that in order to do that, they have to take an underdog mentality into the game.

He said: "We will be favourites because we are the Premiership team.

"But we have to give a lot of respect to Falkirk and what they have done.

"We have watched them a few times, they are a good team, quick on the counter and play nice football.

"They are a good team and deserve to be there.

"We need to have the same mentality that we had against Celtic. We need to do the same things that we do every game.

"But I know how strong we have been all season.

"We have made Europe with a game to go and rightly, we should be favourites.

"But we need to keep our head on the game and play the football we have played all season."