Rangers are through to the CIS Insurance Cup final after a 2-0 win over Hearts at Hampden Park.
Gers through to CIS Cup final
Rangers took a major step towards ending their trophy drought by sweeping aside Hearts 2-0 to book a place in the CIS Insurance Cup final.
Skipper Barry Ferguson and Jean-Claude Darcheville were both on the scoresheet to set up a clash with Aberdeen or Dundee United at Hampden Park.
The occasion provides Walter Smith with his first final since returning to the Ibrox helm a year ago, and Rangers with the chance to claim their first silverware since a dramatic final day championship triumph in May 2005.
Hearts started positively and there was only a minute on the clock when Andrius Velicka dragged a shot across the face of goal and wide of the upright after collecting a long throw-in from Robbie Neilson.
At the other end, Steve Banks demonstrated exactly why Rangers were keen to add him to their squad earlier this month when he denied Charlie Adam the opener.
A superb ball from the right from Steven Whittaker sailed over the head of Darcheville and fell to the feet of Adam only for Banks to pull a save out of the top drawer to block the well-struck volley.
Busy
Christian Nade looked busy for Hearts and he could have won a penalty after going to ground under pressure from Carlos Cuellar on the edge of the box.
Whether the challenge took place inside the area was debatable but referee Mike McCurry was unimpressed by the pleas and refused to award a free-kick let alone a penalty.
Saulius Mikoliunas then sent a smart shot wide from 25 yards, before Eggert Jonsson's angled drive was held by goalkeeper Allan McGregor.
Ten minutes before the break Darcheville took a tumble in the box after finding himself sandwiched between Neilson and Christos Karipidis but, again, the claims were dismissed.
Then Velicka connected firmly with a Jonsson cross and a full-stretch McGregor looked beaten by the header - but the crossbar came to Rangers' rescue.
Four minutes after the restart Ferguson collected a Chris Burke cross from the right flank on the edge of the box, turned and lashed an unstoppable left-footed shot into the bottom corner - although he appeared to control the ball with his hand.
Justice
As far as Rangers were concerned, the goal was justice after a handball by Jose Goncalves went unpunished seconds earlier.
Boosted by the opener, Darcheville then saw a tight-angled shot touched onto the post by the Hearts goalkeeper and McCulloch was not too far away with an effort which whistled just wide of the target.
Hearts could have capitalised on those missed opportunities when Nade's pass split the Rangers defence but Velicka dragged the ball wide.
And there was no way back for Hearts when Darcheville claimed his eighth goal of the season with 21 minutes to go. Burke whipped the ball across the face of goal to the back post where Darcheville was waiting to side-foot home from six yards to settle the contest.
