Elliott starts for Hearts in Scottish Cup final

Striker Craig Beattie will begin the William Hill Scottish Cup final on the bench as Hearts took on fiercest rivals Hibernian, who were seeking to win the trophy for the first time in 110 years.

After netting the decisive penalty in the semi-final defeat of Celtic, Beattie missed the final three matches of the Clydesdale Bank Premier League season with a hamstring injury and was deemed fit enough only for a place among the substitutes, with Stephen Elliott starting up front.

Semi-final scorers Garry O’Connor and Leigh Griffiths begin in attack for Hibs, who field five loan players in their starting XI, including captain James McPake, in the first all-Edinburgh final since 1896.

Hibernian: Brown, Doherty, McPake, Hanlon, Kujabi, Soares, Osbourne, Claros, Stevenson, O’Connor, Griffiths.

Replacements: Grant, O’Hanlon, Doyle, Sproule, Francomb.

Hearts: MacDonald, McGowan, Webster, Zaliukas, Grainger, Black, Barr, Santana, Skacel, Driver, Elliott.

Replacements: Ridgers, Beattie, Taouil, Robinson, Prychynenko.

Referee: Craig Thomson (Scotland)