 Having finished in the top half of the 2011 – 12 Scottish Premier League , Hearts were involved in the battle to qualify for the 2012 – 13 UEFA Europa League competition . A victory against St Johnstone in their penultimate league match lifted Hearts into fifth place , a qualifying position . Hearts then rested some players for their final league match , a 5 – 0 defeat by Celtic . Entering the week before the cup final , Hearts had concerns about the fitness of striker Craig Beattie , who was unable to train due to a hamstring injury . 
