FORMER Newport County AFC captain Gary Warren has urged his Inverness Caledonian Thistle teammates to go on and lift the Scottish Cup on his behalf – after suspension ruled him out of his second cup final in two seasons.

Warren missed his side's penalty shoot-out defeat to Aberdeen in last year’s League Cup final after being sent off against Hearts in the last four.

And the nightmare scenario unfolded again as early as the 17th minute of his side's 3-2 Hampden Park win over Celtic on Sunday when he was booked for bringing down James Forrest.

That – on top of a booking earlier in the competition – ruled him out of any final.

But the centre-back kept throwing his body in the way of shots to ensure his teammates can run out on the Hampden pitch again against Falkirk on May 30 – and he is satisfied he did everything to get them there.

“I miss another final, the second one in a row,” said the 30-year-old, who left County after the 2012 FA Trophy final defeat.

“But I have done as much as I can to try to get the boys there now. It's now over to the lads to go and win the cup. They have got a great chance.

“We have a great squad in depth; whoever comes in will enjoy the occasion but will be there to hopefully win the cup on my behalf. It's disappointing but that's football and that's life. That's what happens in the game.

“I'm used to it last year. So for me it was just to get on with the game and concentrate on getting the boys over the line.”

Warren was handed two yellow cards against Hearts at Easter Road last year but he refused to temper his approach on Sunday in order to avoid a booking.

“You can't do it,” he said. “It's not in my nature or mentality. If it's in the back of your mind, you are always thinking about pulling out of challenges. And if you do that you are letting your team-mates down.

“So, for me, it's more about playing your natural game and hope you get through the game unscathed. If it happens, it happens. If not, that's the way it goes.”

But Warren did agree with manager John Hughes that the punishment for two bookings in a competition is too severe.

“I would like it get changed as well, it's a stupid rule," the former Exiles skipper said. “But it's just up to the boys now to go on and win the cup.

“For a club the size of Inverness, a second cup final in two seasons is an unbelievable achievement.

“The boys have worked extremely hard over the last few years to get where we want to be. We have beaten the best team in Scotland and now it's up to us to go and win the cup.”