Danny Lennon aims to banish St Mirren relegation fears

Danny Lennon hopes Hibernian's upcoming Scottish Cup final could help St Mirren to banish their relegation fears.

Lennon, whose side won the League Cup final, said: "One or two players' minds may be on their cup final."

St Mirren travel to Easter Road on Saturday, 10 points clear of bottom side Dundee.

And victory for the Buddies would consign Dundee to Division One next season.

Pat Fenlon has bristled at the notion of anyone at Easter Road thinking beyond their final four Scottish Premier League fixtures.

Saints defeated Hearts to lift the League Cup in March and Lennon said: "We know the buzz and excitement that produces at a football club.

"I would've found it hard to question that without the experience of going to a cup final ourselves, but I certainly witnessed it at St Mirren.

"But Pat has got the experience of last season's final and will have learned from that and how to handle it.

"It's a great feat to reach another Scottish Cup final and I congratulate them on it."

St Mirren are 10 points clear of bottom side Dundee but the form of both teams is stark with the 'Dees improving since John Brown - who has suffered just one SPL defeat - took the reins.

By contrast, Saints have won just once in nine in the league - most recently to Dundee - and just once at Easter Road since 2007.

But Lennon is hopeful they can collect the three points that would condemn Dundee to the drop no matter what they did at home to Hearts.

"Whilst we've progressed in so many ways as a football club, there's still so many ways we have still to develop," he said.

"We've managed to go and win a cup. If some of our players think that's enough to fuel their ambition then they're certainly at the wrong football club.

"But I think you've got to respect the fight and the job John Brown has done since he went to Dundee, with the way they have fought and the way they are digging themselves in.

"But we can't control anything that Dundee are going to bring in their remaining four games of the season. All we can do is make sure we bring our own key strengths and look after ourselves."

While fully focused on the fulfilment of their own fixture list, Lennon insists talks with forward Paul McGowan have been shelved until they are safe from relegation.

But it appears that goalkeeper Craig Samson will be playing his football elsewhere after turning down the club's offer of a new contract.

"I've spoken to Craig's agent on a couple of occasions and they've rejected our offer at this moment in time," he added.

"I've got to respect Craig's decision on that, he's been absolutely terrific for us this season."