Tony Mowbray will have to answer some tough questions at Celtic's AGM on Friday after the Hoops crashed out of the Co-operative Insurance Cup at the quarter-final stage last night with a 1-0 defeat by Hearts at Parkhead.

The Celtic boss watched his side go top of the Clydesdale Bank Premier League with a win at Hamilton on Sunday but once again his team slipped up in front of their own fans.

Mowbray's team have won only twice in nine attempts at Celtic Park since he arrived in the summer and the crowd of around 20,000 indicated an apathy which is sure to be another worry for the Parkhead board.

Gorgie midfielder Michael Stewart scored from the spot in the 58th minute after Danny Fox had tripped Christian Nade inside the Celtic box.

Mowbray had left strikers Scott McDonald and Georgios Samaras on the bench but hurried them on immediately after going behind.

However, the Greece international missed a series of chances to equalise before the final whistle brought a crescendo of boos down from the stands.

To compound another frustrating night for the home side, skipper Stephen McManus was deservedly red-carded for an outrageous lunge at Andrew Driver as the Jambos wide-man tried to speed past him with seconds remaining.

Mowbray insists he is not worrying about his side's costly inability to convert chances at Celtic Park but will have to persuade frustrated Hoops' shareholders that he has the answers.

He said: "I think we would be concerned if we weren't making chances but we are making chances every game we play and it will click.

"In a stadium that is normally more atmospheric, we showed great desire to win a football match.

"I didn't see a lack of belief. I seen a very positive team playing against a team who deserve credit for defending as well as they did.

"We deserved better than we got but sometimes you don't get what you deserve in football.

"We take it on the chin and move on to the next game."

Hearts lost 2-1 at Celtic Park in the SPL earlier in the season but keeper Janos Balogh was honest in his assessment of what made the difference in the cup tie.

The Jambos go in to the semi-final draw with Rangers, St Mirren and St Johnstone and Balogh is confident of going all the way.

He said: "There was no difference from the league game except this time we had more luck.

"We are in the semi-final and it doesn't matter who we beat to get there, that is the important thing.

"Every team has the same opportunity to win the cup, there are only small things which decided who wins or loses.

"But I believe in the team so I hope we can win the cup."