THERE are experiences and achievements in life that leave you content, satisfied and happy to return to the mundane.

Some can feed off the memory for years to come without the impulse to do it all again.

Then there are those moments that offer a taste so tantalising they generate an overwhelming craving for more.

So it is with Josh Meekings and cup finals. Some players go through entire careers without sampling one such occasion. For the young Englishman, two is not enough.

Meekings insists the joy of winning the Scottish Cup last May has only made Inverness Caley Thistle hungrier for further silverware success.

For the Inverness defender, who sidestepped a retrospective cup final ban and played in the Hampden Park victory over Falkirk, tonight’s Highland derby against Ross County amounts to a rich opportunity. “If anything, winning the Scottish Cup last season has made us hungry to do something like that again,” the former Ipswich Town youth said.

“When you go down there to the national stadium, experience the occasion and what it’s like, you want to do it more times than just once.

“It was an unbelievable day last May, so we want to get back there.

“We have had a decent bit of luck in the cups over the years and have done well. It has been a successful time for us, winning one and getting to the League Cup final.

“But all of the lads are the same – we want more. We have to make sure we do our jobs properly on Tuesday because it won’t be easy.”

Caley Thistle have held sway more often than not in the northerly fixture – with 24 wins to County’s 11 since hostilities began in 1994.

Just before the last international break this month, many felt there might be a power shift in evidence.

County’s rebuilding work had been impressive, as had league form since last February’s revival under Jim McIntyre. Inverness, in contrast, were toiling and ravaged by injuries.

Instead, it seemed like business as usual as Hughes’ side won 2-1.

The last two matches in Inverness since McIntyre’s arrival have been drawn, though, and Meekings is certainly well aware of the threat the near-neighbours hold.

“County are a good side and have been going well in the league,” Meekings, now in his fifth season in Inverness, said.

“The derby is always a great game for the Highlands, the crowd goes up a bit and there’s always a good atmosphere.

“It’s also a good one for us to have after losing against St Johnstone last weekend. We came out of that thinking we could have done more, but instead of dwelling on it for a week we have a big game to prepare for.

“So hopefully we can make amends this midweek and get to a semi final. That would be a great achievement.”