Relegated Dunfermline's preparations for next weekend's Tennent's Scottish Cup final were interrupted by a Falkirk side who finished their season in style.

Dunfermline manager Stephen Kenny made eight changes to the team whose 2-1 defeat at Inverness last Saturday confirmed their relegation from the Bank of Scotland Premier League.

However, with goals from Steven Thomson, Alan Gow and Pedro Moutinho ensuring there would be no morale-boosting victory, the Pars will need a vastly improved display to have any chance of success against Celtic at Hampden.

Few of the fringe players drafted in did their chances of a run-out at the national stadium any good in a poor performance.

Goalkeeper Dorus de Vries was left out, apparently due to injury rather than his mistake against Inverness which effectively cost the club the Bank of Scotland Premier League. Fitness permitting, he will be expected to return in the final.

And Kenny was obviously intent on finding replacements in his line-up for the quartet of regulars - Tam McManus, Jim O'Brien, Stephen Glass and Gary Mason - who have been ruled out of the clash with Celtic.

In contrast, Falkirk, who confirmed their seventh-place finish last weekend, named an unchanged line-up, with Gow making his last appearance ahead of his summer switch to Rangers.

The swirling wind played havoc as both teams attempted to settle into the match, and the visiting supporters taunted their rivals relentlessly over their relegation from the SPL.

Free of pressure on the last day of the season, Falkirk were intent on showing off the passing game which has earned them a seventh-place finish this season.

And it almost brought them the breakthrough in the 21st minute when Gow's chip over the defence found Carl Finnigan but Roddy McKenzie came to the rescue with an important block.

The Fifers then suffered a major scare when Finnigan was allowed to race clear on goal in pursuit of a long ball over the home defence.

The covering Greg Shields was deemed guilty of pulling back the Falkirk striker and would have been relieved to see referee Eddie Smith hold up only a yellow card, rather than a red.

Latapy's effort from the 20-yard free-kick was low and tame and easily held by McKenzie.

Dunfermline made a double substitution at the break, with Jim Hamilton and Calum Woods introduced at the expense of the ineffectual Daquin and Scott Muirhead.

However, within two minutes of the restart, Falkirk were ahead.

Shields did well to head away from Gow but the Bairns forward joined strike partner Finnigan in scrapping for the loose ball inside the six-yard box.

When the ball eventually broke back from the melee, Steven Thomson swept a low shot across a crowded goalmouth and into the bottom right-hand corner of McKenzie's net to prompt a pitch invasion from the visiting support.

With Dunfermline all at sea in defence, Falkirk threatened again four minutes later when Latapy's cute chip arced just too high and landed on the roof of the net.

And in the 56th minute, the Bairns got the second their probing possession play deserved.

Gow broke free on the right and, after his path was blocked, he played an excellent one-two with Latapy before sweeping a left-footed shot past the exposed McKenzie.

Dunfermline tried desperately to work their way back into the match and long-range efforts from Darren Young and Shields slipped agonisingly wide as they were gifted more possession in the closing stages.

Stevie Crawford's corner from the right flank was also headed powerfully goalwards by McManus but the effort crashed back off the crossbar before Crawford's follow-up was grabbed by goalkeeper Kasper Schmeichel.

Falkirk striker Gow was giving a rousing send-off by the Falkirk fans as he made way for John Stewart, but it was fellow substitute Pedro Moutinho who rubbed salt in their hosts' wounds with a third five minutes from time with a powerful drive.

Teams

Dunfermline McKenzie, Shields, Muirhead (Woods 46), Bamba,Wilson, Young, McCunnie, Simmons (McManus 68), Crawford,Daquin (Hamilton 46), Burchill.

Subs Not Used: Paterson, McGuire, Ross, O'Brien.

Booked: Shields, Wilson.

Falkirk Schmeichel, Ross, Scobbie, Barr, Milne, Lima, Thomson,Craig (O'Donnell 81), Latapy (Moutinho 74),Gow (John Stewart 86), Finnigan.

Subs Not Used: Lambers, Uras, Mcstay, Twaddle.

Booked: Thomson, Craig, Lima, Scobbie.

Goals: Thomson 49, Gow 57, Moutinho 90.

Att: 5,087

Ref: E Smith (Scotland).