Source: Team_Talk
Dillon eyes Hampden cup success
Dundee United defender Sean Dillon has twice sat on the bench at Hampden and watched the Tangerines suffer penalty shootout heartache.[LNB] So there is no-one in the United dressing room more desperate to take to the field at the national stadium tomorrow than the Irish full-back.[LNB]Dillon was an unused substitute in the 2008 Co-operative Insurance Cup final against Rangers and also found himself kicking his heels in last season's semi-final defeat by Celtic.[LNB]But he looks a certain starter in tomorrow's Scottish Cup semi against Raith Rovers.[LNB]"I'll be trying to make sure I get a game at the weekend, please God," said the 26-year-old.[LNB]"I've missed out playing but obviously they're good occasions and being involved at Hampden is a big thing because there are only a certain amount of games that get played there each year."[LNB]Despite his lack of match action at Hampden, Dillon boasts more than his fair share of cup semi-final and final appearances.[LNB]The former Aston Villa trainee won two FAI Cups and one League of Ireland Cup while at Longford Town, as well as finishing runner-up in the latter competition.[LNB]He also has one semi-final run-out to his name since joining United, playing in the 2008 League Cup victory over Aberdeen at Tynecastle.[LNB]But he never imagined he would be running out at Hampden this season following Craig Levein's departure as manager back in December.[LNB]"It certainly didn't look like that, if we're honest, after the week or two that we had," said Dillon.[LNB]Indeed, United could hardly have produced a worse response to Levein taking the Scotland job, a 7-1 defeat at Rangers summing up a poor run of form.[LNB]But caretaker boss Peter Houston soon steadied the ship and United have not looked back since, charging into third place in the Scottish Premier League and putting themselves on the brink of Scottish Cup glory.[LNB]"The first week or two after Craig left was rough," said Dillon.[LNB]"Houstie deserves a huge amount of credit for the job he's done."[LNB]Dillon also hailed the impact of United legend Paul Hegarty, who returned to the club in February as first-team coach.[LNB]Hegarty bleeds Tangerine and Dillon revealed his passion had helped reinvigorate the side.[LNB]"He can get you going, he can get stuck into you when needs be," Dillon said.[LNB]"You want to do well for him because you obviously have so much respect for what he's done in the past."[LNB]Hegarty's achievements include being part of the only United team to be crowned Scottish champions and reach a major European final.[LNB]Not that he has been boasting to the squad ahead of tomorrow's game.[LNB]"I have to hand it to him - he doesn't like talking about it," Dillon said.[LNB]"You couldn't complain if he did go on about it because he's obviously done a hell of a lot at the club in his career.[LNB]"You just have to show him a lot of respect, which he deserves."[LNB]Hegarty also won the League Cup twice but the Scottish Cup always proved elusive, United's only triumph in the competition coming in 1994, after he had left the club.[LNB]The Taysiders have too often been the nearly men in both cup competitions and manager Peter Houston has urged his side to have the belief to go all the way this year.[LNB]"We're not in the final yet and I hate to talk about a final," he said.[LNB]"But in the semi-final you have to have the belief to go and prove you're a better side than your opponents."[LNB]
