Henrik Larsson and Ramon Vega bagged two goals apiece to enable shaky Celtic to progress to the last eight of the Scottish Cup and keep their Treble dreams alive.

Scott Thomson had given plucky Dunfermline some hope as the scores were level at the break but despite being well below their best the Hoops went through to meet Hearts on Sunday.

But the visitors can be applauded as nobody gave them a chance after Sunday's 3-0 defeat to Celtic at East End Park and after conceding 10 goals in their last two games.

Celtic, however, were without Chris Sutton while Stilian Petrov and Paul Lambert were rested.

As expected the home side started the brighter of the two teams as the visitors gave the ball away on far too many occasions early on.

Larsson, who scored a wonder goal on Sunday, should have done better in the eighth minute when recalled Lubo Moravcik curled in a dangerous cross after Alan Thompson's short corner and the Swede headed wide from six yards out.

The visitors did look threatening on the attack but just two minutes later their goalkeeper Marco Ruitenbeek had to get down well to deny Moravcik, who hit a right-foot shot on the turn from Joos Valgaeren's pass.

Ruitenbeek again had to be alert in the 18th minute to save Didier Agathe's powerful effort from 22 yards out.

Moravcik again tried his luck in the 23rd minute with an adventurous right-foot shot which flew just over the bar.

But the home crowd were beginning to get restless and Vega gave them the perfect lift a minute later with the simplest of goals.

Thompson curled in a dangerous corner and Vega was unmarked to easily head into the empty net from all of five yards with the keeper clutching at air.

But if the visiting goalkeeper was at fault on that occasion Celtic counterpart Robert Douglas was guilty of gifting Dunfermline the equaliser six minutes later.

The former Dundee man stayed rooted to the spot as Hampshire bumped a hopeful ball downfield which eluded Neil Lennon and Thomson flicked out his boot to lob the hesitant Douglas.

The home side were missing the presence of Sutton up front but perseverance from his replacement Tommy Johnson almost brought Celtic's second when he burst into the box, only for Ruitenbeek to save low to deny him.

The visitors were growing in confidence as the half went on but they were caught on the break in the 40th minute which should have resulted in another for Celtic.

Larsson broke down the left and unselfishly squared to Johnson, who opted to switch it to his left foot, but produced a poor shot which Ruitenbeek comfortably saved to his right.

Celtic manager Martin O'Neill must have had a few choice words with his players at half-time as they came out with more urgency.

Space again opened up for Moravcik a minute after the restart to try his luck from 22 yards but again his effort sailed over the bar.

But Celtic did regain the lead in the 49th minute - from a near identical corner - but this time Moravcik delivered a cross to the far post and Vega headed home with the hint of a deflection from Thomson for his fourth of the season.

Dunfermline, however, were still causing Celtic problems at the back and Agathe proved the unlikely hero to head Youssef Rossi's header, from Andrius Skerla's corner, off the line with Douglas again found wanting.

Douglas redeemed himself on the hour when Thomson found space in the box before hitting a fierce effort which the keeper did well to parry and Valgaeren cleared behind.

Celtic were desperate to kill the game off this time and they doubled their lead two minutes later.

Larsson went down under the challenge of Skerla and the Swede stepped up himself to blast into the corner of the net.

O'Neill believed his side had done enough and a minute later he brought on Lambert and Petrov to tighten up in the middle of the park and brought off Johnson and McNamara.

Lennon, who bagged his first goal for the club on Sunday, saw glory again in the 72nd minute when he took a return pass from Larsson inside the box but pulled his effort wide of the post.

But Celtic refused to stop there and a minute later they did kill the game off when they were awarded another penalty for Ian Ferguson's foul on Larsson after Thompson's corner.

Larsson took the ball from Vega, who wanted his hat-trick, and again sent Ruitenbeek the wrong way for his 42nd goal of the season, while Rossi went into referee Willy Young's book for dissent.

The visitors did not deserve that while Celtic have come through another edgy test with their Treble hopes intact and now it is over to Hearts this weekend.

Teams

Celtic: Douglas, Mjallby, Vega, Valgaeren, Agathe, McNamara (Petrov 62), Lennon, Thompson, Moravcik, Larsson (Crainey 81), Johnson (Lambert 62).

Subs Not Used: Gould, Boyd.

Booked: Vega.

Goals: Vega 23, 48, Larsson 61 pen, 73 pen.

Dunfermline: Ruitenbeek, Doesburg (Bullen 68), Skerla, Scott Thomson, Rossi, Dair (Dijkhuizen 81), Nicholson, Ferguson, McGroarty, Hampshire, Crawford.

Subs Not Used: Scott Y Thomson, Skinner, Moss.

Booked: Rossi.

Goals: Scott Thomson 28.

Att: 31,940

Ref: W Young (Scotland).