SPFL Team of the Week

Craig Fowler selects his latest SPFL Team of the Week in a 4-4-2 formation, with Inverness Caley Thistle left-back Graeme Shinnie his star man.

Goalkeeper - Jamie MacDonald (Falkirk)
Despite seeing his team-mates defend for most of the 90 minutes, MacDonald wasn't called upon too often against Hibernian but, when those moments did occur, he rose to the occasion. Mr Scottish Cup will be playing in his third final with three different clubs, which is an astounding record for a non-Old Firm player only halfway through his career. Such a feat would not have been possible were it not for an incredible fingertip save to deny Fraser Fyvie in the first half, which he followed with a crucial block of Farid El Alagui's chance late in the game.

Right-back - David Raven (Inverness CT)
There weren't a whole host of choices for right-back this week as very few stood out from the crowd. Raven, on another day, wouldn't have made this select XI. He struggled to deal with the pace of James Forrest at times, and had the winger stayed on the park instead of being sacrificed following Craig Gordon's red card, it might have been a different outcome. Only it wasn't a different day. It was April 19th, 2015 - a day which will forever live in Inverness Caledonian Thistle history. Should Inverness CT win the final then Raven will literally have scored the most important goal in the club's history. On the basis of that, how could he not be included in this team?

Centre-back - Kyle Turnbull (Albion Rovers)
It was a bit of a Jekyll and Hyde performance from Rovers on the day they clinched the League 2 crown. The visitors went 2-0 down to Clyde before 30 minutes had been played and looked in real danger of crumbling under the end-of-season pressure. Then Chris Cadden pulled one back before half-time and Darren Young's men were a changed team, eventually going on to win 3-2. A number of players performed excellently in the second half, but it can only be said of Turnbull that he played to his best over the full 90 minutes. The natural full-back deserves extra credit for performing so well in an unfamiliar position at centre-half.

Centre-back - Peter Grant (Falkirk)
Hibs may have dominated much of the Scottish Cup semi-final but any time a team enforces such pressure and can't turn it into gilt-edged chances it means the opposition defensive unit has been rock solid. That can certainly be said of all four members in the Falkirk back-line. In particular, the two centre-backs were outstanding, with the 21-year-old Grant just edging it over his veteran defensive partner David McCracken.

Left-back - Graeme Shinnie (Inverness CT)
Shinnie's drilled ball across goal for David Raven to tap home could prove to be the most valuable assist in Inverness Caledonian Thistle's history, though that was far from his only contribution in the Scottish Cup semi-final. It wasn't a performance out of the ordinary for the full-back, he's just an excellent all-round footballer whose abilities have been underestimated and overlooked for the past two years. Make no mistake about it, Aberdeen are getting a top-class player when he moves this summer, and he proved that on the national stage against a Celtic team gunning for the treble. He was up and down the left side for 120 minutes and, from the look of his late burst into the penalty area and awareness to drill the ball to the back post, he could have gone on for 120 more. For being Caley Thistle's best player on a historic day for the club, Graeme Shinnie is this week's star man.

Right midfield - Danny Carmichael (Queen of the South)
The midfielder makes it into this team for the second week in a row after a dominating display in Queens' 2-2 draw away at Alloa. Having gone in at the break a goal down, the away side came roaring back to lead the match after netting two goals in three minutes. Carmichael was the architect of both. After being fouled for Derek Lyle's penalty, he burst forward on the counter attack before crossing for Mark Millar to put the visitors in front. Aside from his direct contribution to the scoreboard he also stood out with some excellent touches on a congested Indodrill Stadium pitch.

Central midfield - Scott Allan (Hibernian)
If one player deserved sympathy more than any other in the losing Hibs side it was their talismanic midfielder. Allan, like his team-mates, had a quiet first half as the favourites felt their way into the game. In the second 45, however, he exploded into life with one of the best halves of football you're likely to see from a single player all season. On the same day the NBA play-offs started, Allan played football like a basketball point guard - continually taking possession, looking for alleys to thread passes through the Falkirk defence, and sometimes just plain attacking the defence himself, as he showed with the outrageous run and shot off the bar. Even when Hibs didn't have the ball he worked tirelessly chasing back, nicking it away from unsuspecting Falkirk players time and again.

Central midfield - Andy Murdoch (Rangers)
The youngster has been in consideration for this select XI just about every week since it started, which should tell you a lot about his form in the Rangers first team since Stuart McCall took over. On Saturday against Dumbarton he found things tough in the first half, but showed mental strength not usually evident in one so young by refusing to hide. Murdoch always wants the ball and rarely wastes possession when he receives it, and this attitude enabled him to play himself out of the early funk as he would go on to have another sterling game at the heart of the Rangers midfield.

Left midfield - Willie Gibson (Stranraer)
Stranraer went top of the League 1 table thanks to a superb performance in the first 60 minutes against Stenhousemuir. The hosts built up a comfortable 3-0 lead, which came in handy as the visitors came alive in the closing stages before the match finished 3-2. Gibson, in particular, was outstanding. The midfielder has always possessed bags of ability and he demonstrated that against Stenny. He scored the opening goal and would have netted a hat-trick were it not for a pair of excellent saves from keeper Greg Fleming in the away goal. Stephen Aitken's men now face a crunch home game against Morton in a match that may go a long way to deciding the League 1 championship. If Gibson can replicate his form from this week they'll more than fancy their chances.

Centre-forward - Marley Watkins (Inverness CT)
The improvement in Watkins since John Hughes walked through the door at Inverness has been evident for all to see. Despite being signed by the previous managerial regime, Watkins was little more than a bit-part player in his first few months in the Highland capital. Slowly, Hughes built up his confidence and on Sunday it hit a crescendo with Watkins giving Celtic no end of trouble. With height, technique and finishing ability, Watkins is a multi-tooled weapon. His greatest asset, though, is his pace, which he used to devastating effect against Celtic with the sprint through on goal that drew a foul out of Craig Gordon, resulting in the penalty and red card that swung the game. Any other Inverness CT player on the pitch would either have been stopped by the back-tracking Adam Matthews or beaten to the ball by the advancing Gordon, but Watkins was just too quick to deal with.

Centre-forward - Ryan Hardie (Rangers)
The 18-year old repaid the faith shown in him by Stuart McCall with a crucial double on his Rangers debut. Typically full of running for a youngster full of enthusiasm, Hardie also displayed an ability to hold the ball up and link well with team-mates. However, it is his pace which could prove to be his biggest strength. He's very slight right now, but if he bulks out his frame on that 6ft plus body then Rangers could have an attacker with the perfect blend of strength, height and speed. Oh, and he can finish as well. His second goal in particular showed off excellent technique as he delivered a standing overhead kick which sent the ball nestling into the far corner.