Match Report
Thistle made just one change from the team that started against Morton for this Challenge Cup tie with Inverness. Craig Hinchcliffe replacing Jonny Tuffey who is on international duty with Northern Ireland.
Inverness made a confident start to the game moving the ball about well and they were rewarded with a 5th minute goal. The ball broke invitingly to Danni Sanchez at the corner of the Thistle box and his crisp shot beat Craig Hinchcliffe.
Thistle were nearly level in the 8th minute. Clever play from Mark Corcoran presented Paul Cairney with a chance but he Esson in the Inverness goal was able to block his shot.
The first ten minutes of the game were extremely open. In the 9th minute Craig Hinchcliffe left his goal exposed but Inverness were unable to exploit that fact. A minute later Richie Foran was put clear, despite loud shouts for offside, but Foran couldn't keep his shot down.
A second Inverness goal would have made things extremely difficult for Thistle and they nearly had that goal in the 15th minute. Foran did well to cut the ball back to Danni Sanchez but Craig Hinchcliffe was able to grab hold of the ball and make an important save.
Chances were continuing to come at a fairly rapid rate and in the 18th minute it was Thistle's turn to come close. Patrick Boyle was able to pick out Chris Erskine with a cross but the ball was slightly behind Erskine with the result that his shot from 12 yards went over the bar.
It did signal a decent passage of Thistle pressure. In the 19th minute Liam Buchanan forced Esson to turn a shot round the post for a corner before a David Rowson shot took a deflection for another Thistle corner.
In the 32nd minute Inverness who looked a threat every time they came forward again threatened the Thistle goal. Hayes was able to capitalise on a mistake in the Thistle midfield and raced clear only for Patrick Boyle to get back in time and help snuff out the danger.
Before the game could restart Thistle made their first change of the game with Simon Donnelly coming on for Mark Corcoran.
In the 35th minute Paul Cairney did well to create a chance for himself at the edge of the box but his shot was deflected wide of goal for a Thistle corner.
The last chance of the half came the way of Inverness. Foran, a threat to Thistle throughout the first 45 minutes, turned inside the box but Robertson was across quickly to block at the expense of a corner kick.
Thistle made a change at the break with Bryan Hodge replacing Patrick Boyle.
The first ten minutes of the second half were pretty quiet but Thistle were able to fashion a chance in the 56th minute. Good play from Paul Cairney set up Simon Donnelly but Donnelly's shot was a weak one and Esson was able to make a comfortable save.
Leading scorer Liam Buchanan was close to creating a Thistle goal in the 64th minute. Paul Cairney's dummy gave Buchanan an opportunity to deliver a cross into the box but Cairney, who had continued his run, wasn't able to direct his shot on target when he collected Buchanan's cross.
Thistle were denied an equaliser in the 76th minute only by a magnificent save from Ryan Esson. Paul Paton's cross was met by the head of Liam Buchanan with Esson turning the ball over the bar.
Thistle's equaliser was just delayed a further minute. After Inverness struggled to clear the ball it fell nicely into the path of Liam Buchanan six yards out and he knocked the ball into the net for his 6th goal of the season.
Neither side could manage a winner in the remaining 13 minutes so on to extra-time it was.
Seven minutes into extra-time and Thistle came close to nudging themselves in front. Paul Cairney was able to pick out Liam Buchanan with a cross but Liam saw his shot blocked.
Cairney was in the thick of things again in Thistle's next attack testing Esson with a low drive from the edge of the box.
Inverness though were close to taking t he lead themselves in the 98th minute. A Foran cross being missed by everyone bar John Robertson who hacked the ball clear.
Inverness had the first chance of the second period of extra-time with Hinchcliffe needing two attempts to grab hold of a fierce Russell Duncan shot.
In the 108th minute Thistle made their final change with Jim Hamilton coming on for Chris Erskine.
With three minutes of the game remaining a magnificent Paul Paton cross was cleared for a Thistle corner and penalties became more and more likely.
And so onto penalties. Hamilton, Rowson and Buchanan all scored for Thistle but Cairney, Donnelly and Hodge were all less than successful. Craig Hinchcliffe stopped one Inverness penalty that they had to win the game but he was powerless to prevent Munro from sinking the penalty that sent Inverness through to the last four.
