Leading 2-1 and with the clock ticking down, the champions were cruising to a well-deserved three points away to Ross County when striker Alex Schalk took an embarrassing tumble in the box without any contact from Erik Sviatchenko, the only Celtic player in close vicinity.

Astonishingly, referee Don Robertson awarded a penalty to the home side, which was converted by Liam Boyce to give them a share of the spoils. To make matters worse for the Hoops, Scott Brown was then sent off minutes later following a challenge on Boyce.

The penalty decision left the Hoops boss flabbergasted and disappointed for his charges, especially given their exertions in the match. Once they reported back for duty on Tuesday, however, preparations started in earnest for the Glasgow derby with Rangers at the National Stadium.

And the Irishman told the View that his side will go into last-four showdown full of confidence and determination as they bid to preserve their ambitions of a domestic clean sweep.

“We have had a couple of days and now the players have really got going as we prepare for it,” he said in an exclusive interview. “They had been really focused and had two points snatched off them. It was an awful, awful decision.

“I have seen a lot of bad decisions since coming up here, and sometimes you can see it from the referee’s perspective, but that one was awful. It was up there with the worst.