Source: Team_Talk
Killie crush Caley in cup stroll
Conor Sammon put the SPL side ahead by lifting a cool finish over goalkeeper Ryan Esson midway through the first half.[LNB]He then set up Kelly to net from the edge of the area seven minutes later, with the scorer doubling his tally with a diagonal finish just before the hour.[LNB]Calderwood made two enforced changes for the match, with Chris Maguire, the scorer in the Rugby Park side's midweek victory over Celtic, cup-tied and team mate Mehdi Taouil injured.[LNB]The duo were respectively replaced by Scott Severin, making his first start, and Sammon.[LNB]Inverness manager Terry Butcher named the same starting line-up which defeated Partick Thistle 2-1 in the First Division last week, extending the club's unbeaten run to seven matches.[LNB]These sides met at the same stage of the competition last year, with the Highlanders winning 2-0 at home to progress to the quarter-finals.[LNB]Adam Rooney of Inverness fell foul of an early offside flag as he shot from Dani Sanchez's cross, while Jamie Hammill had a shot smothered by Esson after good build-up involving Sammon and Kevin Kyle.[LNB]Inverness' Richie Foran then picked up possession in midfield, allowing David Proctor to unleash an effort which Bell leapt to claim at the right-hand post.[LNB]Severin came close for the hosts on 18 minutes following good work by Hamill on the left-hand side.[LNB]Hamill played the ball back from near the touchline out to the midfielder, and his shot from the edge of the area was deflected onto the roof of the net.[LNB]Proctor then headed off the line at the near post when Manuel Pascali sent in a shot from Craig Bryson's corner, while Sammon pulled a diagonal effort wide.[LNB]As the game entered its second quarter, Sanchez intercepted possession well inside opposition territory and tried a drive which went over the target.[LNB]Just a minute later, Kilmarnock took the lead courtesy of a delicate finish from Sammon - Kyle flicked a pass on to his strike partner, who lofted the ball from the right side of the box, over Esson and into the far side of the net.[LNB]The same sequence of events played out 10 minutes from the break, when Inverness came agonisingly close to a goal, but immediately fell 2-0 behind.[LNB]Foran's shot from the right was parried by Bell and somehow beaten away and scrambled clear just inches from the line with Sanchez attempting to apply the finishing touch.[LNB]Instead, the SPL side headed for the other end, Sammon forging a path down the right wing and cutting the ball back for Kelly to score from the edge of the area.[LNB]Inverness made a determined start to the second half, Foran trying his luck with a speculative cross which rolled across the face of goal as the visitors tried to apply pressure and reduce the deficit.[LNB]Rooney collected the ball near Bll's penalty area and ran in on goal but pulled a diagonal shot past the left-hand post without troubling the goalkeeper.[LNB]However, Kilmarnock remained in control.[LNB]Kelly fed the ball down the right wing to Tim Clancy near the byline just before the hour mark, but Esson easily palmed away his shot at the near post.[LNB]Kelly was more successful on 58 minutes when he doubled his tally to make it 3-0, taking advantage when Lionel Djebi-Zadi failed to deal with Garry Hay's cross to send a diagonal shot from the right past the outstretched Esson and into the opposite corner.[LNB]Foran had a shot from the left corner of the six-yard box which Bell blocked, and then forced an impressive save from the Kilmarnock goalkeeper with a 12-yard drive which Bell dived instnctively to beat away round the right-hand post.[LNB]Bell made another good save from visiting substitute Eric Odihambo as the game entered its final quarter.[LNB]Kelly had a further half-chance with a shot which Esson clutched comfortably to his body.[LNB]Inverness sought a late consolation, with Proctor battling past Craig Bryson only for Foran to shoot wide while Munro headed tamely into Bell's arms, and for Kilmarnock, Hamill fired over with a half-chance in the closing stages.[LNB][LNB][LNB]
