Liam Donnelly on why Celtic cup semi-final clash can be Kilmarnock's Premiership inspiration

dailyrecord.co.uk:

Liam Donnelly reckons Kilmarnock’s League Cup semi-final can inspire a push up the Premiership table. The Rugby Park men are finally back in action this Saturday following the World Cup break and face Hearts at Tynecastle.Gorgie has been a happy hunting ground for Killie in recent years having won in each of their last five visits.Killie haven’t tasted defeat in the maroon side of Edinburgh since 2016 and will be hoping to deliver another dose of capital punishment after beating Hibernian 1-0 before the shutdown.For boss Derek McInnes, points are the priority with Killie eyeing a healthy festive haul to ease relegation fears.And Donnelly believes their survival mission could receive a boost with hungry players desperate to hit a rich vein of form ahead of next month’s cup semi with Celtic at Hampden.The Ayrshire Live app is available to download now.Get all the local news in your area – plus features, football news and the latest on the coronavirus crisis – at your fingertips 24/7.The free download features the latest breaking news and exclusive stories while you can customise your page with the sections that matter to you.The Ayrshire Live app is available to download now on iOS and Android.The 26-year-old said: “Knowing there is a cup semi-final does give you that extra drive and motivation.

Everybody is in the same boat and will want to play in that game.“Everybody will be working hard and trying to impress to get in the team.“It’s massive getting to Hampden.

We know how good it can be financially, it gives the fans a lift and there is a great buzz about the place. It will be a good occasion.“And if you want to win these competitions, you have to beat the best teams at some point.