Celtic's Scottish League Cup final defeat to Kilmarnock paled into insignificance next to the heartache suffered by Killies defender Liam Kelly.

The English under-21 international was traumatized after the match when he was informed that his father had died from a heart attack just seconds after the final whistle.

Kilmarnock boss Kenny Shiels comforted Kelly and admitted, “The win means nothing to us now, we are all devastated by Liam’s loss.”

Celtic were angry after the game that referee Willie Collum failed to award a late penalty when Anthony Stokes appeared to be fouled as they chased a 1-0 deficit.

Instead the referee booked Irishman Stokes for diving as Celtic treble dream ended.

“We should have had a penalty,” captain Scott Brown told the Glasgow Evening Times.

“Everyone knew what was happening and I think their coaching staff knew as well, but the referee somehow didn’t see it.

“It was definitely not a dive and Anthony Stokes has the scars to prove it. That would have taken it to extra-time had we scored it and we were in the driving seat at that time.”

Kilmarnock keeper Cammy Bell produced a man of the match performance as he saved from Gary Hooper, Brown, Victor Wanyama, Georgios Samaras and Kris Commons.

Brown added, “I think over the 90 minutes we were the better side, but their keeper played very well. We just didn’t manage to get the ball in the back of the net. But I thought we played well and kept the ball well.”

Manager Lennon, looking to become the first man to win the treble as a player and manager, was angry with the ref afterwards but keen to look to the two trophies still available to Celtic this season.

“It was very disappointing,” said Lennon. “We came very close to the treble last year, we’ve maybe come closer this year. We will try to go one closer next year.

“But this has been a fantastic season. The standards that the players have set means that there is huge disappointment that we are not going to win the treble.

“That is the standard that they have set in the last 18 months.”

Dubliner Stokes felt he deserved the injury-time penalty. 

“He has caught me on the ankle. As far as I’m concerned it was a penno. Their keeper played very well but I thought we dominated the game,” he said.