Devastated Celtic star Charlie Mulgrew says that nothing – not even the league title – can make up for the pain of defeat to Rangers.

The gutted Celtic defender concedes it will be hugely difficult for the Hoops players to lift themselves for the final five league matches of the season.

And he believes that even if he goes on to lift the Premiership title, it will do little to ease the painful memories of a horror afternoon at Hampden for Ronny Deila’s men.

“We’ve lost an Old Firm game and nothing really makes up for that,” he said.

“It’s done though, and we need to concentrate on the next thing now which is winning games for Celtic and winning the league.

“This game will need to be put behind us, and as hard as it will be, we have to move on.

“We’ve got to try and win everything in this country, and that was our aim today, to get to the final of the Scottish Cup.

“Everyone is just devastated. The fact it was an Old Firm game added an extra edge to it, and we’re gutted.

“We never played the way we could play and that’s the most disappointing thing. To lose it on penalties is just a further blow.

"There’s no second chances, we didn’t do it on the day and we can only blame ourselves.

“It’s up there with my lowest moments in football.”

Inevitably, the questions that were already being asked over the future of Mulgrew’s manager will now intensify, but he says the players have to shoulder more of the responsibility for Celtic’s failings.

“That comes with being manager of Celtic, I’m sure he’s used to these questions.” Mulgrew added.

“Our minds are firmly on the game and what we could have done better, it’s just gutting.

“We put pressure on ourselves, and we’re all just thinking about our own performance out there and what we could have done differently.

“We take full responsibility, the players on the pitch. We didn’t turn up as a team, we didn’t perform.

“We knew what Rangers were going to bring and we never matched it really. We got it to penalties which would have been a good way to win a game, but it’s the opposite when you lose it that way.

“We know over 120 minutes we never done enough. You come here and hope not to come off with any regrets, and that’s what we’ve got.”