Kenny was bitterly disappointed by the 2-1 loss at Inverness which meant they will drop out of the Bank of Scotland Premier League this summer.

The Fife club have made huge strides since the Irishman left Derry City to take over at East End Park in November, and they sat just one point behind St Mirren going into this weekend's fixtures.

In addition to that, Dunfermline will play in the UEFA Cup next term after reaching the Tennent's Scottish Cup final, in which they will meet SPL champions Celtic on May 26.

But St Mirren's 3-2 victory over Motherwell, coupled with a heartbreaking loss at the Caledonian Stadium, means Dunfermline will begin life in the First Division after the summer, much to Kenny's frustration.

He said: "The reason I am disappointed is because I think Dunfermline look a really good side at the moment and there is a lot of talent in the team.

"Had we stayed up then I think we could have done well in the SPL next season.

"Now we are relegated there are implications such as players possibly wanting to leave and that would definitely make us weaker.

"Nevertheless we have to make sure we have a strong squad because our ambition must be to try to win the First Division next season.

"It was cruel because we have played some outstanding football in the last few weeks, but that's the way it goes.

"It is very unfortunate for a club like Dunfermline with the ground that we have, the momentum of the last few weeks, getting to the cup final, qualifying for Europe and the potential which exists, that we have to go to the First Division.

"That is a real kick in the teeth for us because it sets us back as a club."

Dunfermline looked set to take their quest to avoid the drop to the final day of the season next weekend, when Jim McIntyre volleyed them into a 37th-minute lead.

But goalkeeper Dorus De Vries fumbled Richard Hastings' free-kick into his own net and then substitute Rory McAllister's drive in the final minute of regulation time took a huge deflection off Sol Bamba to beat the helpless Dutch goalkeeper.

Despite the calamitous mistake from De Vries changing the course of the game, Kenny refused to be critical of his goalkeeper.

He said: "I certainly won't be pointing the finger at Dorus and it was just one of those things, a mistake at a crucial moment, but he's a good person and an excellent goalkeeper who I am very happy to have."

Inverness manager Charlie Christie was sympathetic towards Dunfermline's relegation to the First Division and paid tribute to the great form the Pars have shown of late.

Five wins out of six and a good first-half performance at Inverness had given Dunfermline a real chance of avoiding the drop, until Caley Thistle struck twice in the last 12 minutes to confirm the Pars' plight.

Christie thought that his side deserved their victory and said: "I think you have to enjoy any win, although I definitely feel some sympathy for Dunfermline.

"When you think how far behind they were at one stage, their recent run has been tremendous.

"They got a couple of bad breaks in the game, but to be fair I thought our play deserved those breaks and all credit to our players, because it is very difficult to turn around a deficit in the SPL.

"The players never gave up and it is that desire which has taken us so far."