The Celtic Star
·15 January 2026
Rare Opportunity – General Sale of remaining tickets for Scottish Cup tie

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Yahoo sportsThe Celtic Star
·15 January 2026

Celtic has put remaining ‘away’ tickets for the Scottish Cup tie against Auchinleck Talbot on general sale with tickets priced at a very reasonable £20 for adults, £15 for concessions and £10 for under 12s. More details HERE. A reminder that the game will take place at Rugby Park and the kick-off time is 5.15pm to accommodate the television broadcast on Premier Sports.
Meanwhile the Scottish FA has confirmed the match officials lineup for Celtic’s Scottish Cup fourth-round encounter with Auchinleck Talbot.

Celtic Manager Martin O’Neill at post-match media conference. Falkirk v Celtic, Scottish Premiership, Falkirk Stadium, 14 January 2026. Photo Vagelis Georgariou
Celtic manager Martin O’Neill will oversee his first tie in the tournament in more than two decades when his side meets the West of Scotland League Premier Division outfit at Rugby Park.

The fixture was relocated from Beechwood Park to Kilmarnock’s Rugby Park following ‘safety concerns’ raised by Police Scotland. This was a move that upset the Auchinleck Talbot supporters but they seem to have got over that disappointment and will be there in large numbers on Sunday, as indeed will the Celtic support, with the remaining tickets for the two Celtic stands now on general sale.

Referee Ross Hardie during the Scottish Premiership match between Kilmarnock and Hearts at Rugby Park on 27 April 2024. Photo Malcolm Mackenzie/PSI
Ross Hardie has been selected as the match referee for Sunday’s clash in Ayrshire. He will be assisted by Calum Spence and Alastair Taylor, who will run the lines, while Chris Graham will handle VAR duties from Clydesdale House with Andrew Dallas on AVAR.
Although this will be Hardie’s first time officiating a Celtic game this season, he is now an experienced official in Scottish Premiership fixtures, along with a number of high-profile Championship matches, Premier Sports League Cup and Scottish Cup games.

Rugby Park from above, Kilmarnock v Celtic, 14 September 2025. Photo Vagelis Georgariou (The Celtic Star)
Hardie has also built experience in European football, taking charge of matches in UEFA’s Conference League, as well as Youth League fixtures and international qualifiers at Under-17 and Under-21 level.
Celtic reached last season’s Scottish Cup final, where they were edged out by Aberdeen on penalties after Kasper Schmeichel’s disastrous mistake in normal time.

Dumbarton v Auchinleck Talbot , Scottish Cup Third Round at Marbill Coaches Stadium in Dumbarton on 29 November 2025. Auchinleck fans celebrate with their team. Photo IMAGO Andy Scott
Meanwhile, last season Auchinleck Talbot progressed through earlier rounds after victories over Haddington AFC and Albion Rovers before their cup run came to an end with a defeat to Broxburn.

Dumbarton v Auchinleck Talbot , Scottish Cup Third Round at Marbill Coaches Stadium in Dumbarton on 29 November 2025 Auchinleck Talbot’s players celebrate with Kyle McAvoy 24. IMAGO Photo Andy Scott
Sunday’s tie represents the biggest in Talbot’s history and the gate money they will receive will perhaps keep the club going for a number of years.
Celtic will have to do a professional job in their second match in a row on a plastic surface to book their place in the next round as they aim to get back to Hampden for some showpiece matches in April and May.
Conor Spence
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