By Ian Roache

DUNDEE BOSS Alan Kernaghan last night admitted the Dark Blues have been handed an “incredible incentive” following last night’s Tennent’s Scottish Cup draw.

For, should they beat Hamilton Accies in the quarter-final replay at Dens a week on Thursday, they will face second division Gretna in a Hampden semi.

The all-Edinburgh final, so longed for in certain quarters, will not happen.

Instead, Hibernian—first out the hat, selected by Scotland manager Walter Smith—will meet city rivals Hearts at the penultimate stage.

That leaves giant-killers Gretna to take on either Dundee or Hamilton—a great opportunity for each of the non-SPL sides.

Now the Dens Park men are just two winnable games away from another final fling, just three years after losing to Rangers.

“If we do our work properly next week against Hamilton, then we can look forward to an amazing semi-final,” said Kernaghan.

“I am not being disrespectful to Gretna when I say that drawing them offers us or Accies the best chance of getting through.

“There is an incredible incentive to get past Hamilton and it adds more spice to the replay.

“We will be going hell for leather, that’s for sure.”

Kernaghan revealed how the Dark Blues’ cup exploits are putting smiles on faces at a club that has not had its troubles to seek of late.

“Making progress in this competition is helping to put us back on our feet and put a spark into everybody,” he said.

“People at Dundee, both staff and players, have taken a lot of knocks in recent years and it is nice to be able to enjoy this run.

“We still have work to do, though, and we won’t be getting ahead of ourselves.”

Draw:

Hibernian v Hearts

Gretna v Dundee or Hamilton

Ties to be played April 1 and 2.