CELTIC are on a mission to banish their treble torment and inflict pain at Pittodrie after their League Cup dream died yesterday.

That was the message from Gary Mackay-Steven who has warned Ladbrokes Premiership rivals Aberdeen that their clash on Wednesday night ‘cannot come quickly enough’ on the back of a day of drama at the national stadium.

The Parkhead club bowed out of the League Cup with a 3-1 semi-final defeat to Ross County, who managed to come back from a goal down to beat 10-man Celtic.

It means the Hoops will come up short again in their quest for a hat-trick of domestic trophies, but Mackay-Steven has vowed he and his team-mates are out to avenge their Hampden heartache by going nine points clear of Aberdeen on Wednesday.

He said: “It’s not nice. We had an eye on wanting to do that [win a treble] but it’s such a difficult thing to do.

“As I say, that is gone now and we move on. There is still a lot to play for and there is no bigger game to play straight after this than on Wednesday against Aberdeen. We are looking to bounce back in that.

“Well I think all the boys, me included, we cannot play a game quickly enough after a defeat like this.

“Wednesday cannot come quickly enough and we will be looking to right that wrong.”

Celtic’s hope of a treble were extinguished last year when Inverness beat them 3-2 in the William Hill Scottish Cup semi-finals, and similarities can be drawn with this encounter.

Ahead after just 26 seconds, Ronny Deila’s team held an early lead before getting a man sent off leading to them eventually being pegged back.

Despite having more possession, shots on and off goal as well as corners, the closest they came to pushing County to extra-time came on 77 minutes when Leigh Griffiths’ penalty was saved by Scott Fox.

It was a missed opportunity that Mackay-Steven would not dwell on.

“Yeah there is a chance for us but we had a few chances in the game and didn’t take them. Ross County did and that’s why we are in the final,” said the midfielder.

“We are bitterly disappointed with how the game went. We missed out on a chance of a final so we are gutted.

“A lot of credit has to go to Ross County. They came here and dug in really well, so good luck to them in the final.”

Mackay-Steven added: “We had our chances and started off like we wanted to. We wanted to begin positively and got an early goal which was great.

“The first 15 minutes we created a few chance. Unfortunately we had a man sent off and that knocked us a little bit. But I think in the first half once we got the ball about, we played some good stuff.

“I think the big sickener for us was losing a goal so early in the second half from switching off at a set play.”