Scott Allardice insists Inverness will put the Scottish Cup final on the backburner to re-focus on promotion to the cinch Premiership.
The Championship side comprehensively beat Falkirk 3-0 in the semi-final at Hampden Park on Saturday to ensure a June 3 meeting with either Rangers or Celtic, who meet in the other last-four tie on Sunday afternoon.
However, Billy Dodds’ men still have ambitions of reaching the top flight and, ahead of the final regular league fixture against Ayr on Friday night, Caley Thistle are in fifth place – behind the Honest Men on goal difference and one and three points behind Partick Thistle and Queen’s Park respectively.
Midfielder Allardice recalled how Inverness fell short last season when they lost to St Johnstone in the Premiership play-off final and is looking to go one better, starting with qualification to the play-offs by getting into the top four.
The 25-year-old said: “It was a massive win. To get through to a final is a big achievement for myself and the club and we are really looking forward to it.
“It is a big achievement to get this far but also for the club, financially as well.
“It has been well documented that the club has not been in the best financial position so now it gives them a financial boost moving forward but we have a massive game coming up in the league on Friday and hopefully (more) in the play-offs before the cup final.
“So it is a big month ahead.
“Hopefully we are playing in the Premiership next season but we have a lot of work to do if we are to achieve that.
“We got close last season, we got a taste of it, but we want to go one better.
“We know we have to beat Ayr on Friday and then take it from there.”
Inverness skipper Sean Welsh concurred with Allardice on the way ahead and praised the club for hauling themselves back into the play-off race.
He said: “We have a cup final on Friday to try to get to the play-offs.
“From where we came from in January when we were quite off the pace and kind of getting the group back together after a really hard start to the season, huge credit to the staff and players.
“We have dug ourselves out of nowhere in terms of the league and we have produced in the cup to get ourselves to the final so great achievement but still a lot to do.”
