Jan Vennegoor of Hesselink netted his second goal in five days as Celtic comfortably maintained their three-point lead at the top of the Clydesdale Bank Premier League.

Gary Caldwell blasted a 29th-minute opener after a slow start by the Hoops and both Vennegoor of Hesselink and Stephen McManus hit the bar just before the break.

Celtic controlled the second half and Aiden McGeady and Darren O'Dea netted after Vennegoor of Hesselink had notched his fourth goal of the season.

However, the victory came at a cost as Georgios Samaras limped off and Scott Brown picked up a yellow card which could rule him out of the last Old Firm derby of the season.

Brown's booking, for a two-footed tackle on Thomas Scobbie, means he will be suspended for the first two matches after the SPL splits. With the SPL keen to avoid a potential title decider, one of those games is likely to be at Ibrox.

Celtic are already short in midfield with Barry Robson unsure of when he will return from a groin injury, while they were again without hamstring victims Shaun Maloney and Paul Hartley, although they are back in training. Celtic also moved four clear of Rangers on goal difference but it was not all plain sailing.

An adventurous Falkirk enjoyed some decent possession inside Celtic's half in the early stages.

Carl Finnigan's 25-yard strike forced a save from Artur Boruc and Michael Higdon rifled just over from 20 yards after a poor defensive header from O'Dea.

Samaras had a shot turned past Dani Mallo's near post after latching on to Caldwell's quick free-kick, but the Greek striker limped off in the 14th minute after an innocuous challenge by Steven Pressley.

Vennegoor of Hesselink, who ended a barren spell of more than six months during Saturday's 4-0 win over Hamilton, entered the fray. Pressley then suffered a groin injury, with Lee Bullen joining Darren Barr in central defence.

Thomas Scobbie missed a good chance for the visitors midway through the half when his free header from 10 yards flashed wide following Neil McCann's inswinging corner.

Falkirk continued to knock the ball around in a manner which belied their status as the SPL's bottom club, but they fell behind after referee Willie Collum harshly ruled that Kevin McBride had pushed McGeady in the corner.

Scott McDonald headed Shunsuke Nakamura's free-kick across the face of goal and Caldwell blasted the ball into the roof of the net from close range.

Brown almost added a quick second after outmuscling Burton O'Brien but he curled the ball just wide from 20 yards.

The goal had given Celtic added confidence going forward and Mallo dived to hold McDonald's header after good wing play from McGeady.

Celtic then piled on the pressure after Brown and McBride were booked in the 44th minute.

McDonald's opportunist volley was parried wide by Mallo and both Vennegoor of Hesselink and Stephen McManus headed Nakamura corners off the underside of the bar.

Celtic carried their momentum into the second half and both McGeady and McDonald shot just over from 20 yards. Mallo then pushed McGeady's shot beyond his far post after the winger had cut in from the left.

The hosts got the cushion they wanted in the 62nd minute. Mallo missed Nakamura's cross from the left and Vennegoor of Hesselink bundled the ball home from four yards.

Falkirk were finding possession harder to come by and Scott Arfield shot weakly at Boruc when sub Dean Holden's crossfield ball found him unmarked just inside the box.

Boruc blocked from Finnigan at his near post after Nakamura underhit a passback but Celtic soon killed off Falkirk's resistance.

McDonald almost did it when ran on to McGeady's brilliant through-ball, but shot wide from 12 yards under pressure from Holden.

However, McGeady scored in the 78th minute when he beat a man and fired into the bottom corner from 18 yards.

Mark Wilson came on for Nakamura before O'Dea further boosted Celtic's goal difference in the dying moments by sidefooting home McManus' cross from two yards.

Teams

Celtic Boruc, Hinkel, O'Dea, McManus, Caldwell, Scott Brown,Nakamura (McCourt 82), Crosas, McGeady (Mizuno 88), McDonald,Samaras (Vennegoor of Hesselink 16).

Subs Not Used: Fox, Wilson, Loovens, Ferry.

Booked: Scott Brown.

Goals: Caldwell 29, Vennegoor of Hesselink 62, McGeady 78,

O'Dea 90.

Falkirk Dani Mallo, McNamara, Scobbie (Holden 46), Barr,Pressley (Bullen 20), McBride, O'Brien, Arfield,McCann (Moffat 84), Higdon, Finnigan.

Subs Not Used: Olejnik, Cregg, Riera, Aafjes.

Booked: McBride, Finnigan.

Att: 57,669

Ref: W Collum (Scotland).