Hibs deservedly took the honours and bragging rights after a pulsating 90-minutes at Easter Road this afternoon.
And the result means Hibs now, for a few hours at least, sit third in the table.
Hibs head coach David Gray made two changes to the starting line up that beat Dundee United in midweek.
Chris Cadden replaced Lewis Miller and Kieron Bowie replaced Mykola Kuharevich.
Credit: Ian Jacobs
Credit: Ian Jacobs
Credit: Ian Jacobs
Credit: Ian Jacobs
Hearts head coach Neil Critchley also made two changes to the side that beat St Mirren on Wednesday.
Jorge Grant and Blair Spittal replaced Sander Kartum and Calem Nieuwenhof who both dropped to the bench.
The first chance fell to Lawrence Shankland after Nectar Triantis was caught in possession in midfield, but Jordan Smith parried the shot away.
Then moments later Martin Boyle gave Hibs the lead when he outpaced Gerald Taylor and side-footed the ball past Craig Gordon to the delight of the home fans.
Hearts responded immediately and a mistake in the Hibs defence culminated in Grant firing home from just inside the box.
More carelessness by Hibs allowed Spittal a strike from distance but his effort went wide.
Another mistake, this time from Warren O’Hora gave Hearts a chance which ended with Shankland heading into the side net.
Hearts thought they had taken the lead when Elton Kabangu beat Smith with an angled finish, but the Hearts striker had gone too early with his run and after a VAR check he was clearly offside.
At the other end Nicky Cadden fired the ball in hard and low and Boyle was inches away from connecting inside the six-yard box.
Just before the break O’Hora picked up a knock and was replaced by Miller.
Shankland was then booked for kicking the ball away after a foul on Nicky Cadden.
Hibs started the second half on the front foot and a superb cross from Nicky Cadden just evaded Campbell.
At the other end James Penrice fired over following a Spittal corner.
Hibs had a penalty claim when Nicky Cadden went down under a challenge from Taylor but a VAR check decided there was insufficient contact.
Bowie almost got on the end of another Nicky Cadden cross as Hibs pressed forward.
Boyle was booked for tripping James Wilson to prevent a Hearts break.
On the hour mark Nathan Moriah-Welsh fired inched wide from 20-yards.
Nicky Cadden then did well to clear the danger from a Penrice cross.
Chris Cadden then tested Craig Gordon with a powerful angled drive.
Moriah-Welsh then set up Boyle but his volley flew well wide.
In the 67th minute Sander Kartum and Calem Nieuwenhof replaced Grant and Wilson.
Moriah-Welsh and Bowie were replaced by Dylan Levitt and Dwight Gayle.
In the 73rd minute Hibs regained the lead when a Nicky Cadden cross was cleared into the path of Jack Iredale who fired a sensational strike into the corner of the net.
In the 84th minute Jordan Obita and Junior Hoilett replaced Nicky Cadden and Boyle.
Hibs continued to dominate and Gayle had the ball in the net in added time but was clearly offside.
Then at the final whistle three sides of Easter Road erupted in celebration and the customary ‘Sunshine on Leith’ was belted out by the delirious fans.
After the final whistle goal-hero Iredale told Sky Sports. “I’m struggling for words at the minute.
“You can see what it means to this club, to these fans.
“The ball just sat nicely, and I just thought ‘why not today’? I just need to go and enjoy this now.”
Hibs: Smith, O’Hora, Bushiri, Iredale, C Cadden, Triantis, Moriah-Welsh, N Cadden, Campbell, Boyle, Bowie.
Substitutes: Bursik, Miller, Levitt, Youan, Obita, Gayle, Hoilett, Kwon, Kuharevich.
Hearts:: Gordon, Taylor, Steinwender, McCart, Penrice, Baningime, Grant, Spittal, Shankland, Wilson, Kabangu.
Substitutes: Clark, Drammeh, Vargas, Milne, Neilson, Nieuwenhof, Forrest, Kartum, Forrester.
John graduated from Telford College in 2010 with an HNC in Practical Journalism and since then he worked for the North Edinburgh News, The Southern Reporter, the Irish News Review and The Edinburgh Reporter. In addition he has been published in the Edinburgh Evening News and the Hibernian FC Programme.
