Dodds delighted Inverness cash in after cup success

Billy Dodds believes Inverness Caledonian Thistle’s win over Kilmarnock to book a place in the Scottish Cup semi-finals will boost the club’s financial situation – and he says every other team will want to draw the Caley Jags in the final four.

Inverness recently announces losses of over £830,000 for last season, taking their total to more than £3million over the last five years.

However, a trip to Hampden next month – thanks to goals from Billy Mckay and Sean Welsh – will provide a financial boost.

Dodds believes that when the draw for the final four is made on Monday evening, his cinch Championship team are the one everyone will want.

He explained: “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.

“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.”

Kilmarnock manager Derek McInnes was disappointed with his side’s performance, saying they lacked the desire to make it into the final four.

He also believed Killie should have been awarded a penalty of their own in the first half but conceded the better team won on the night.

“I thought we were second best,” McInnes explained. “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.”