CELTIC suffered cup heartache for an incredible fifth time against one of the Highlands' senior teams as Ross County took advantage of an early Efe Ambrose red card and will face Hibernian in the League Cup Final.

The victory is testament to the incredible job Jim McIntyre has done in the Highlands, taking the team from a near certain relegation to a cup final in little over a year.

For Ronny Deila, there will be no Treble once again. He may point to bad luck but this failure and the awful European record just might mean the club begin to look for a new manager. The supporters have turned or are turning against the Norwegian. You could feel that hostility at Hampden.

The hapless Ambrose was unfortunate in some ways but it does rather sum up his time at Celtic that he missed a really good chance just a few minutes before his red. County then showed how to play against ten men. A second semi-final win over Celtic is what dreams are made of.

But nobody would have thought this outcome was anywhere close to a reality by the way Celtic started the game; they needed only 26 seconds to score.

A great touch from Callum McGregor in midfield sent Leigh Griffiths scampering in on goal. The Ross County defenders were caught sleeping as the striker bore down on Scott Fox and then unselfishly squared the ball to Gary Mackay-Steven who had a simple tap-in.

Ricky Forster cleared off his own line to deny Ambrose who rose well to get his head to Stefan Johansen’s corner. It wasn’t the defender’s day. But at this stage it was easy for the holders.

The Highlanders looked half asleep but stirred themselves on seven minutes when Alex Schalk got some power in a shot that brought the best from Craig Gordon who got down well to make a fine save at his near post.

Ambrose should have doubled Celtic’s lead moments later with a free header from another corner, the ball coming off his head at a strange angle.

And then on 13 minutes came one of those moments that always seem to happen when Celtic meet a team from the Highlands in a cup.

A low ball sent into the Celtic area was misjudged by Ambrose who allowed Schalk to run behind him and in on goal. The County man was touched/brushed/tripped by Ambrose, depending on your point of view, and dutifully went down. Who could blame him?

Referee Craig Thomson immediately pointed to the spot and, because he had done so, Ambrose had to go as he was last man. It was arguably both harsh and justifiable. There was contact and these days that is a penalty. County’s Martin Woods sent Gordon the wrong way from 12 yards.

McGregor made way for new signing Erik Sviatchenko who was asked to help his team in circumstances neither he nor his manager would have wanted. Now we had a game on our hands. Stuart Armstrong went close for Celtic with a well executed curling shot on 25 minutes which was only a few inches too high.

Gordon was forced into a fine save when he just about dealt with a long range effort by Woods after the half hour, the ball moved quite a bit in front of Celtic’s goalkeeper. Then the Glasgow side went agonisingly close to a goal on 38 minutes. Another corner caused problems in the County defence as Mikael Lustig flicked the ball on at the near post, it was well kept out by Fox with a one handed save, Bitton was onto the loose ball, but couldn't squeeze it past the goalkeeper who at the third attempt got things under control.

And then Ross County took control of the semi-final just a few minutes into the second-half. Michael Gardyne aimed his corner towards the back post, Andrew Davies did really well to sent the ball back into the six yard box from a tight angle and Paul Quinn – who scored against Celtic for Aberdeen earlier in the season – sent a full length diving header into the net.

Celtic struggled to get into the game. Craig Gordon was booked for arguing with Thomson and then Lustig was also cautioned. The frustration of the situation was telling – and then it got worse for Celtic and a whole lot better for County on 62 minutes.

It was all so simple. Woods saw that Schalk had made a run between Lustig and Dedryck Boyata, he found his team-mate with a pass and the striker gave Gordon no chance with a superb shot into the top corner.

There was still a glimmer of hope for Celtic. Thomson awarded them a penalty with 14 minutes remaining when the ball touched the arm of Brian Graham who was back defending a corner – it was soft as you will ever see – but the usually reliable Griffiths was left distraught as Fox pulled off a good save from his spot-kick.

Gordon saved from Irvine with nine minutes to go, Fox made a fine stop to keep out a Griffiths shot but McIntyre's men were worthy winners.