Burns, beer, blizzards, butties - and another Hampden trip beckons

YORK Hearts enjoyed a double-celebration at the weekend, as Burns Night was followed by a triumphant semi-final trip.

About 25 gathered in Brigantes for Friday night's event, and 15 then made the trip to Edinburgh for the Hearts v Inverness Caledonian Thistle clash in the wee cup.

The group had to contend with blizzards on Friday night and some brutal hangovers on Saturday, but ended up toasting a cracking weekend all round, as Hearts reached back-to-back cup finals for only the third time ever.

Friday's event was a roaring success - even if it did lead to a few sore heads. Our "Marooned" beer, brewed by Gav and Badger with North Riding Brew Pub, made its debut and went down a storm, proving a huge hit at the bar.

The beer has an ABV of 5.1%, reflecting the score in last season's big cup final, and included a hop called Dr Rudi, in honour of goal machine Rudi Skacel.

Badger delivered the address to the haggis with aplomb, wielding the knife with worrying relish, and there were a few more recitals of Burns pieces and Hearts songs later in the evening (culminating in a lengthy rendition of "The Queen Mum was only one... Buffalo Bill was at the shows... We'd no TV, no radio... We'd not yet had a world war... Cars were a new fan-dangled thing... Man hadn't yet invented flight... The Jam Tarts were world champions... Away back in 1902".)

Linda Kay, Rachel Mutters, Nick Nicholson and Stuart Tait all triumphed in the raffle - but there were no winners in the snowball fight in Micklegate afterwards.

Club secretary Gav braved the snow in kilt and shirt sleeves, but was among the worst for wear a few hours later, when the minibus set off from Memorial Gardens, sleeping, moaning and incurring taxes twice for calling unscheduled bus stops.

15 of us made the minibus trip north in the snow, ice and slush, stopping at Washington services and the border-buttie van (plus Gav's 2 stops).

A pint or two in Edinburgh were followed by the match, at an unusually-full Easter Road. Hearts were the better team but the game was largely spoiled by the officials. In the end, like in the quarter-final at Tannadice, Hearts ended the game a man down but ran out 5-4 victors on penalties.

Jack Rudland won the York Hearts sweepstake, due to the 90 minutes score being 1-1 and the long drive home was a happy if exhausted one.

St Mirren beat Celtic 3-2 in the second semi-final on Sunday, meaning Hearts will face St Mirren in the final on Sunday 17 March. Ticket details to follow.

See The Press's story on our Burns Night here.