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Celtic captain Neil Lennon (right) attends a training session. Celtic lost to minnows Ross County in the Scottish Cup semi-final at Hampden Park.

Celtic face finishing the season without any silverware when they sensationally crashed out of the Scottish Cup after First Division minnows Ross County pulled off a shock 2-0 semi-final win at Hampden on Saturday.

The highland league side, in their first ever semi-final appearance, dominated the match against a Celtic side who were competing for their only realistic chance of a trophy this season.

Steven Craig gave County a well deserved lead ten minutes into the second-half with a superbly taken solo goal.

Martin Scott then wrapped things up for the giant-killers when he bundled home with two minutes to go to send County in the Scottish Cup final for the first time in their 81-year history.

It was the 14th and most surprising defeat of the season for Celtic, who are 13 points behind Rangers in the race for the championship, now face finishing the season without any silverware.

Interim manager Neil Lennon had named an unchanged side from the one which ground out a narrow victory over Hibernian last weekend. County's opponents were making their 69th appearance at this stage of the competition but despite this gulf in experience it was Celtic who looked more nervous in the opening exchanges.

Andrew Barrowman was the first to try his luck with a drive from the edge of the box which trickled harmlessly past the post. At the other end Alexander Keddie put in a great tackle to stop Robbie Keane in his tracks as the Irish international beat the off-side trap and raced in on goal.

Michael Gardyne showed great skill to dribble past two Hoops defenders and set up Richard Brittain for a shot but his fierce strike was blocked. Zaluska had to be alert to turn over a Scott Morrison cross from the left which looked like it was going to dip under his bar.

County captain Brittain showed quick reactions when he cut out Keane's cross and then recovered to block Marc-Antoine Fortune's follow-up strike. Ross then survived a scare when keeper Michael McGovern let Fortune's drilled cross from the right slip past him but Scott Boyd cleared on the line.

The Staggies kept up the pressure at the start of the second-half with Iain Vigurs picking out Craig unmarked in the box but the striker snatched wildly at his first-time volley which flew high and wide.

However he made amends in the 55th minute when he gave County the lead with a tremendous solo goal.

Craig picked up the ball close to the half-way line and burst through the Celtic defence before lifting the ball over Josh Thompson and slamming it past Zaluska into the bottom left-hand corner from just inside the box.

Their Premier League opponents looked stunned and County spurned a couple of chances to double their lead through Scott and Gardyne. Fortune missed a golden chance to bring the Hoops level in the 66th minute but his weak shot was deflected out for a corner.

Substitute Paddy McCourt's inviting cross was inches from finding Samaras as the Hoops pushed for an equaliser. However it was County who came closest to another goal in the 79th minute when Brittain stung the hands of Zaluska with a fierce rising drive from 20 yards.

McGovern then pulled off a tremendous save from Samaras to knock the striker's shot from Aiden McGeady's cross off the post. The Staggies doubled their lead in the 88th minute. Barrowman charged into the box and his cross was bundled over the line by Scott to cap a remarkable performance.