The prospect of playing in a League Cup semi-final was a beaming light at the end of a tunnel for St Johnstone striker Graham Cummins during his two months out of the team.
The Irishman was sidelined for November and December with a hamstring injury and was grateful of the big gap between Saints’ quarter-final victory over Morton and their semi-final against Hibs.
Of all the fixtures Cummins looked at during his time on the comeback trail, Saturday’s at Tynecastle was the one that stood out.
“I didn’t realise there was such a lay-off between the quarter and semi-finals in Scotland,” he said.
“It has been good because I have been out injured.
“I have been out a long time and the semi-final was one I was really targeting.
“Even people back home have been going on about this game. It has been something to really look forward to.
“It is good it is at Tynecastle because the atmosphere there is amazing. I remember it from the first game of the season. I scored and have good memories although we lost the game.
“Hopefully, Saturday can bring a similar atmosphere but with a different result.”
Cummins added: “I have got people coming over but my dad isn’t because my apartment is already booked out. He has said he is going to wait, hopefully, for the final.
“Every time somebody comes over from Ireland I seem to score so hopefully that will be the case again.”
After leaving Ireland Cummins moved around English lower league clubs before Tommy Wright brought him north in the summer.
There might not be the same money to be made, but the striker’s prospects of silverware have certainly improved by coming to a club with cup pedigree.
“You saw Bradford a couple of years ago making a cup final but it doesn’t happen that often down south,” he said.
“Coming up and playing against Celtic and looking to do well in the cups were big selling points in this move but you don’t really think you are definitely going to make a cup final. Even when we beat Rangers I wasn’t thinking about the final even though we are getting closer now.
“We know if we turn up and do what we can do then we can get a positive result.”
There were no cup runs of note in England, but Cummins has tasted semi-final success back home.
“In the League of Ireland I got to semi-finals of the League and FAI Cups,” he recalled.
“We lost the FAI semi-final but the League Cups we won those games and then lost in the final.
“I remember the excitement of those games and getting all the boys going around the club.
“We all want to get to a final but we have to focus on Saturday and we have been looking forward to this game for quite a while now.”