Billy McKay insists Celtic shock dream inspired by Liverpool feat as Inverness star hopes to be Hampden best men

Billy McKay memory of Inverness lifting the Scottish Cup in 2015 involves best man duties for a marriage which has already bitten the dust.

But the Inverness striker is preparing for a Highland fling after writing the script for a match made in heaven against Celtic at Hampden tomorrow. Odds of 16/1 have been placed on the Championship side pulling off what would be one of football’s biggest ever shocks but Billy Dodds’s side can look back eight years to the last time they lifted the trophy with a 2-1 win over Falkirk for inspiration.

That success against the Bairns is forged in the mind of Mckay who had moved to Wigan six months earlier but he revealed was tuned into events in Mount Florida despite helping to perform the nuptials. He said: “I was actually the best man at my mate’s wedding. It was my mate Peter – he’s actually divorced now!

“It was in a little town called Gretton. Me and my Dad were actually out in the car park watching a bit of the game on our phone. I remember obviously when Carl Tremarco got sent off. We thought it was going to be a tough afternoon from there.

“But the lads did great to dig in and show a lot of character. That’s what we’re all about at this football club. I was obviously cheering on the boys. I had spent a lot of time in that dressing room with them.

“The boys in that team were all my mates and I still keep in touch with the majority of them. It was a special day for them.”

The Irishman has no regrets at missing out on that showpiece occasion after making the move down south as a switch to the Latics was too good to refuse.

He said: “Even though I had left, I was still a fan. I remember watching the semi-final against Celtic when I was at home in Warrington. I was just delighted for the lads. In all fairness, I think anyone in my shoes at that time would have moved.

“It was the right thing for me and my family at the time. It’s not something I regret. The financial side of it is massive. It was something I couldn’t turn down at the time.”

Mckay will have around 50 friends and family inside the national stadium to witness a final which has Inverness being written off by many as lambs to the slaughter against a Celtic side aiming to seal a treble.

The size of the challenge isn’t lost on the 34-year-old who is adamant the mother of all upsets could be on the cards as he’s made a habit of scoring against the Hoops throughout his career and he can point to being part of a shock against Liverpool as proof of having a puncher’s chance.

He said: “We are only one game away, albeit we know it’s going to be a really hard task against Celtic. It’s 11 versus 11 on the day. We just need to make sure we’re at our best to give ourselves a chance. Cup upsets happen every year. Why can’t this be another one? As a club, Inverness have beaten Celtic before in a semi-final at Hampden.

“I’ve played before in other games where we’ve beaten them as well. I scored a winner against them years ago. I’ve had a few results against Celtic over the years both with Inverness and Ross County.

“Nobody is unbeatable. But we know everything will have to go right for us on the day. With VAR as well, you never know what can happen. I’ve been part of some big cup upsets myself. I played for Northampton and scored at Anfield when we beat Liverpool in the League Cup in 2010.

“The rested the likes of Steven Gerrard and Jamie Carragher. But they still had the likes of Daniel Agger, Lucas and Ryan Babel in the team at that time. Roy Hodgson was the manager, but I don’t think he lasted too long.

“We drew 2-2 and we eventually beat them on penalties. Not many people gave us much of a chance in that game. Why can’t we go and do it on Saturday?”

Mckay insists the current Celtic side is a match for any in the club’s recent history and admits even Real Madrid struggled to cope against Ange Postecoglou’s men earlier this season but he insists they still have an Achilles heel.

He said: “It will obviously be a big test to try and cause them problems. I saw the game last weekend and I don’t really think Aberdeen had a shot on goal. We know it will be hard, but we also saw the games against Hibs, St Mirren and Rangers.

“There are goals there and ways to hurt Celtic if you show what you can do. We believe we’ve got players in the forward areas who can hurt them. If a chance comes along, we need to be ruthless and make sure we take it.

“I watched them against Real Madrid earlier in the season in the Champions League – and for 45 minutes they blew Madrid away.

“So we know what they’re capable of. They are right up there as one of the best teams Celtic have had. The work ethic needs to be massive on Saturday and we need to all work together and be tactically spot-on. We’ll also have to ride our luck at times.”