Even though the game was scoreless for most of the first half DC were handed a huge advantage after 20 minutes when United suffered the dismissal of 'keeper Simon Smyth following a challenge on Brendan Shannon.

Paul McVeigh broke the deadlock two minutes from the end of the first half before Celtic doubled their lead early in the second through Ballymoney's Adam McKinney when he turned a David Munster cross into his own net.

Ciaran Gargin made it 3-0 on the hour with a header while McVeigh brought his tally for the season to 22 just six minutes later with a sweetly taken free-kick.

United defender Mark Surgenor pulled one back for the visitors from the spot not long after with McKinney atoning for his earlier error with their second late in the game.