RONNY DEILA wanted his players to get to a penalty shootout against Inverness at Hampden yesterday.

The Hoops boss was confident his Bhoys could then muster the energy to fire themselves into the final against Falkirk on May 30.

That would have kept Celtic on course for a Treble.

But, having to play with 10 men for an hour after keeper Craig Gordon had been red carded, it proved to be a bridge too far for the side which was playing its 55th game across five competitions in a season which, for them, kicked off back in July.

John Guidetti's extra-time equaliser, just six minutes after the Swede had replaced Leigh Griffiths, gave the Hoops hope they could take it to a dramatic shoot out.

But a third goal for Caley Thistle four minutes from time denied them the chance, and left Deila ruing the one that got away.

The Celtic boss said: "We would have been happy to take it to penalties, of course.

"The players we were very tired in the end.

"We just had to try to carry it to a penalty shoot-out, then we would have had a good chance to win it there.

"Unfortunately, in the last few minutes, we conceded a goal which was a bit too easy from our point of view."

Skipper Scott Brown was particularly incensed at the ease with which left-back Graeme Shinnie was able to waltz into the box before delivering the cross from which right back David Raven was able to score the winner.

However, Deila knows how tough it had been for everyone involved in green and white to keep the club in the semi-final.

He had previously expressed his concerns about fatigue telling in his side.

And, on a huge pitch, and with a numerical disadvantage for so long, he conceded that tiredness did, indeed, become a telling factor.

The cup tie was also draining emotionally for a group of players who feel aggrieved that they were not awarded a spot kick when Josh Meekings prevented a Griffiths header from entering the net to make it 2-0 just before half time.

Had the officials spotted the foul, Celtic would have been awarded a penalty and Caley Thistle would have been reduced to 10 men.

"Of course tiredeness does come into it," said the man who has worked so hard to improve the fitness of his players..

"When you play many more games than the other teams, you do not have that energy.

"But we do have very good morale and discipline in the boys, and I am very proud of that.

"This is something we have to take into the game against Dundee on Wednesday."

It was not just the Celtic players who were put through the emotional and physical wringer.

Deila was also left feeling drained, but is ready to pick himself up and move on - and take his players with him.

"It was a tough game to be involved in," he acknowledged.

"The disappointment we feel is very big.

"But when you have had some time, you just have to focus on the next game.

"That's the hard life of football."

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191616 GMT APR 15