Credit: Imago

Oliver Walton

Mon 20 April 2026 10:15, UK

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Anthony Ralston took a huge step towards being offered a new contract at Celtic as he shone in their Scottish Cup semi-final win over St Mirren.

Ralston was handed a second successive start against the Saints and featured for the whole 120 minutes at Hampden Park as they won 6-2 to progress to the Scottish Cup final.

He made it 2-0 to the Hoops with his first goal of the season just before the interval, as his fierce shot left young keeper Grant Tamosevicius with no chance of making a save.

The 27-year-old has struggled for consistent game time at right-back throughout this term, with the likes of Julian Araujo and Colby Donovan ahead of him in the pecking order under Martin O’Neill.

He is approaching the final year of his contract at Parkhead and has been linked with an exit, but an extension would do little harm to Celtic’s finances, and he looks as likely as ever to stay at the club long-term after Sunday’s showing.

Anthony Ralston was key to Celtic’s success vs St Mirren

Ralston was handed only his third start of 2026 at Hampden on Sunday, with Araujo, Donovan and Alistair Johnston all still sidelined through injury.

He had impressed for 90 minutes in the Hoops’ 1-0 win against St Mirren a week previously, and continued his strong form in the cup victory.

Ralston made more tackles and drew more fouls than any other Hoops player at Hampden, putting in an effective, solid showing as Declan John was kept quiet down the Saints’ left-hand side.

His first goal since April last year was a thing of beauty as he unleashed an unstoppable shot that clipped the underside of the crossbar and nestled in the net.

Ralston now looks set to keep his place in O’Neill’s side for the next six vital games of this season that could define Celtic for several years to come.

He has surely taken one giant step towards earning a new contract at Parkhead, especially considering Celtic’s current right-back struggles.

Araujo’s Celtic future could impact what happens with Ralston

Ralston is sure to give his all for Celtic until the end of the campaign, not least because he will want to clinch a spot in Scotland’s World Cup squad this summer.

He is now suddenly O’Neill’s first-choice right-back, rather than fourth, despite sources previously telling Football Insider that Celtic are willing to sell Ralston this summer.

Such talk came about as Araujo shone for the Hoops in the early stages of his loan from Bournemouth, but he has been injured for over a month now and seems unlikely to stay at the club beyond the summer.

Recent reports have claimed that he may not play again this season due to the severity of his thigh problem, leaving Ralston even more likely to keep featuring between now and the end of the campaign.