Scottish Cup final: Inverness CT 2-1 Falkirk

• Inverness CT win cup in first final

• Watkins opens scoring on 38 mins

• Tremarco sent off in second half

• Grant header levels for Bairns

• Vincent knocks in winner on 86 mins

James Vincent slotted in a late goal as 10-man Inverness Caledonian Thistle won the Scottish Cup for the first time.

The Premiership side took the lead after 38 minutes when Marley Watkins ran on to a clever Aaron Doran pass to round goalkeeper Jamie MacDonald.

Peter Grant nodded in an equaliser with 10 minutes to go as Falkirk rallied, shortly after Carl Tremarco was sent off for hauling down Blair Alston.

But, with the Championship side in the ascendancy, Vincent scored a winner.

Inverness broke from defence and MacDonald, Falkirk's semi-final hero, failed to hold a tame Watkins shot, leaving Englishman Vincent a simple tap-in.

It meant that, having lost out in last season's League Cup final, the Highland club celebrated the first major trophy of the 21-year history.

And it caps a season in which John Hughes' side secured their highest ever top-flight placing - third - and qualified for the Europa League.

But they were pushed all the way by a club Hughes previously played for and managed.

Falkirk dominated the second half as their boss, Peter Houston, attempted to become just the third manager to win the Scottish Cup with two different clubs after triumphing with Dundee United in 2010.

But the 14,000 Caley Thistle fans were the ones celebrating, along with those of St Johnstone, whose fourth-place league finish is now good enough to earn a place alongside Hughes's team in Europa League qualifying.

Inverness had looked comfortable going in at the interval in front thanks to Watkins' goal, which he converted with aplomb, gliding away from Grant and MacDonald to slide Doran's pass into the net.

But Falkirk were a changed side after the break and, when Tremarco was dismissed for hauling down Alston and denying him a goal-scoring opportunity, they really turned the screw.

Alston's free kick was headed in at the back post by Grant and the underdogs suddenly became favourites to win the cup for the first time since 1957.

But Vincent dashed their dreams as he fulfilled those of the Caley Thistle fans, who celebrated with their heroes as the full-time whistle sounded.

Marley Watkins rounds goalkeeper Jamie MacDonald to open the scoring at Hampden

Inverness defender Carl Tremarco was sent off on 74 minutes

Peter Grant headed in an equaliser for Falkirk

James Vincent struck the deciding goal

Falkirk goalkeeper Jamie MacDonald looks on after he is beaten for a second time at Hampden