A "RUTHLESS" Scotland performance reinforced their T20 credentials ahead of next month's World T20 qualifiers as they racked up their second win over Ireland in three days.

The strains of Flower of Scotland echoed out of the changing room at Bready in Co Tyrone as Scotland revelled in one of their most dominant performances against their associate rivals in recent memory.

In a game hastily arranged after Friday's washout, Scotland were superior in every department, bowling with control and displaying a new-found ruthlessness towards the back end of the match.

"It was a clinical finish from us with the bat," said captain Preston Mommsen. "We're really focused on finishing these games properly.

"As the Highlanders, we've been dominating the North Sea Pro Series and every time we go out we try to be ruthless, to get the opposition feeling under pressure as early as possible, and then try to keep them down. In the past, Scotland have been guilty of not taking big moments in games, like against Afghanistan in the World Cup, but we've learnt big lessons in recent years and this team is growing by the day. These last two games are very good signs for the next few weeks."

As Scotland continued their preparations for the World T20 qualifiers, the finals of which will be held on this same island, Mommsen won the toss and once again elected to chase on the same strip as Thursday's game.

Ireland welcomed George Dockrell and Andrew Balbirnie to strengthen their side, but were still missing a number of players away on county duty, notably Paul Stirling, with no mandatory release in place for the series. Teenager Gavin Main opened the bowling with Safyaan Sharif, and both claimed early scalps, Stuart Poynter dismissed by a good catch behind the stumps by his opposite number Matt Cross off Sharif, and John Anderson pulling Main straight to George Munsey at midwicket, who took a sharp catch low to his left.

Sharif, Main, and Josh Davey limited Ireland to just 36 in their batting powerplay, but the partnership of 45 between Balbirnie and Andrew Poynter swung the momentum back towards Ireland.

Poynter Snr eventually holed out to Michael Leask with one swing too many, but his departure brought danger man Kevin O'Brien to the wicket at precisely the right time, and he signalled his intent, knocking his first ball for four.

However, his eagerness to provide impetus also brought some ambitious running between the wickets, and well set, Balbirnie was run out coming back for yet another risky second.

When O'Brien finally holed out to Leask at long off, it looked as though the Irish would fall short of the 170 they had threatened but an enterprising innings from 20-year-old Tyrone Kane took Ireland to a total which even for an in-form Scotland batting line-up looked a challenge.

Kane bowled Munsey for a duck Cross joined Kyle Coetzer, and the two Scots put on 73 for the second wicket from just 46 balls, Cross once again exploiting the batting powerplay to pepper the boundary on both sides of the wicket.

Only Dockrell, who got rid of Cross and Coetzer managed to exercise any control. Mommsen finished the game in authoritative style, making 47off 29 balls and knocking Kane straight over his head for four, that one ball proving a microcosm of the Scots' dominance.