Live: Scotland v Republic of Ireland

FULL-TIME VERDICT Graeme Macpherson: "It wasn't pretty at times but this was a result Scotland desperately needed and they managed to dig it out. Shaun Maloney's sumptuous strike was as out of place in an otherwise attritional affair as a penguin in the desert but it keeps alive Scotland's chances of reaching Euro 2016 in a group that is becoming as tight as two coats of paint. The roar from the Tartan Army at full time said it all." 

FULL-TIME VERDICT Macdara Ferris: "It looked like Ireland might get one of those late goals that they seem to have specialised in recently when they hit the bar in injury time but it wasn't to be. Shaun Maloney's strike was certainly worthy of being a winner in this 'derby'.

 

"Ireland have tasted competitive defeat for the very first time under manager Martin O'Neill and have allowed Scotland join them on seven points from the four games played in Group D. Next up for Ireland is a home game in March against Poland before Scotland travel to Dublin in June."

FULL-TIME: Scotland 1 Republic of Ireland 0.

90+2: CROSSBAR! The tireless Walters wins a free kick 45 yards from the Scotland goal. Brady's swirling delivery is met by Hanley who inadvertently heads into on to the bar - just as Walters did at the other end earlier. Scotland survive... for now.

90: YELLOW CARD Quinn goes in on Mulgrew, who has been excellent, with his studs. Ireland are running out of patience and time.

88: SCOTLAND SUB Ikechi Anya is replaced by Darren Fletcher as Scotland aim to close it out.

GMac: "The irony amid all the McGeady hype is that Maloney wasn't born in Scotland either."

83: Ireland apply sustained pressure. First Hanley emerges from a crowd on the six-yard line to clear the danger, then Marshall claims the corner and is clattered by Walters. Scotland, now with their tails up, swarm around the assailant.

MF: "Ireland have brought on Robbie Keane to see if he can get them back into the game. Martin O'Neill's men won't panic. They have scored late both away to Georgia, through Aiden McGeady on 90 minutes, and of course John O'Shea four minutes into injury time last time out away to Germany. Massive last ten minutes to come."

78: IRELAND SUB Robbie Keane on for Hendrick.

GMac: "That was one of those goals you could see was arrowing in the moment it left Maloney's foot. Great technique." 

74: GOAL! Scotland 1 (Maloney) Republic of Ireland 0: From the corner, Maloney finds Brown in acres of space and the captain drags the ball back into his path. Maloney curls the sweetest shot you could imagine low past the despairing dive of Forde.

71 CROSSBAR! Hendrick stupidly shoves Naismith to the ground to concede a free kick in the inside-right channel. The free-kick is headed onto the top of the bar by the retreating Walters and out for a corner.

GMac: "Scotland struggle to break down teams who sit in. Was the same versus Georgia at Ibrox. Team better equipped to hit on the counter." 

69: Brady immediately sprints away from Naismith and forces a corner.

67: IRELAND SUBS Robbie Brady on for Long and Stephen Quinn for Gibson.

64: Naismith brilliantly worms his way into space and flashes the ball across the penalty box to Chris Martin, whose whipped first-time shot goes wide. Scotland have been too close too often not to have scored, you fear.

GMac: "Scotland struggling to get a foothold in the game since the turnaround. Ireland, led by McGeady, look more likely to score."

MF: "Aiden McGeady playing on the right is linking up well with Seamus Coleman. If Ireland can get Coleman forward overlapping with McGeady it could unlock this Scottish defence. That will be a key battle. Andrew Robertson will need to be on his toes at left back."

59: YELLOW CARD Seamus Coleman blatantly impedes the rampaging Robertson and goes in the book.

58: A misunderstanding between Whittaker and Brown results in the ball looping to McGeady, who strikes a fine low drive on the volley from a tight angle that Marshall just manages to flick to safety.

GMac: "Fletcher has shown some nice touches but if this finishes 0-0 or worse for Scotland then the chances he missed will be held up as pivotal moments." 

56: SCOTLAND SUB Chris Martin comes on for a limping Steven Fletcher, who has failed to add to his one international goal and hasn't had a great night.

55: Walters wins a header in the box and Long diverts it goalwards, but Marshall claims it comfortably and the home fans breathe a sigh of relief.

51: McGeady's cross is flicked on by Walters and earns a corner, but the Irish target man has to leave the field as blood is streaming from his elbow. 

46: The second half is underway.

GMac: "Scotland will probably feel they should be ahead, given their greater possession and that wee burst late in the period when they enjoyed a number of half-chances, most notably Steven Fletcher's Air Jordan attempt. It's  been predictably towsy as well with the Serbian referee just about keeping a lid on things. It's all set up nicely for a barnstorming second half."

MF: "O'Neill will probably be the happiest manager to hear the half-time whistle. The former Celtic manager has seen his team under the cosh in the closing period of the half. Walters has certainly been worth his selection. He has pressurised Strachan's defence the most and has had three shots on goal - two on target. 

"It has been a very physical game - but we aren't surprised at that are we? Ireland have had two players booked to Scotland's one. A red card is a distinct possibility in the second half. O'Neill has shown himself to be a lot more versatile in changing things in matches when required compared with Giovanni Trapattoni, his predecessor. He may need to shore up his midfield if Scotland continue to be on top."

45+2: The half-time whistle is blown and around 60,000 people take a collective breather. It has been fast, frenetic and physical. But it's still goalless. 

GMac: "Personal bugbear: professional players who can't use both feet. None of yer rabona nonsense!" 

41: Maloney does brilliantly to break free in the box on the right-hand side and send a cute cross in for Fletcher, who tries to flick it on the volley with his stronger left foot to no avail. Big chance goes a-begging and Graeme Macpherson is not impressed.

GMac: "The busiest people tonight could be the medical staff and the stretcher bearers. The quality level has diminished and it's generated into a real slog. A red card can't be far away."

38: A sustained period of Scottish pressure comes to nothing, but then a second move ends with Whittaker striking well from distance and Forde saving smartly down to his right.

30: YELLOW CARD That's three in 30 minutes, as Jeff Hendrick goes in on Steven Whittaker and goes in the book for catching his opponent's shin.

MF: "Manager watch - both bosses are suited and booted for the game tonight. If they keep to the strip of astroturf in front of their benches in the technical area they will keep their leather shoes clean."

GMac: "Steven Naismith getting the bird from the Irish fans. Presumably because he's a former Rangers player. And not because they're all Liverpool supporters."

27: It's a war of attrition all right. Gordon Strachan gives Scott Brown and Shaun Maloney some touchline instruction as David Forde receives treatment after a collision with Hanley.

MF: "Ireland lining out 4-4-2 with Long and Walters up front. Walters playing more advanced than in the game against Germany where he played in behind Keane. Ireland only had 37% possession in that game and three shots. They've already let fly twice in this game - both on target - and we are just through 15 minutes."

15: YELLOW CARD McGeady is late on Fletcher as the Scots press in the Irish half. 

GMac: "We expected this to be a midfield war of attrition but every time Scotland have the ball at the back they're either going wide or launching it long. Brown and Mulgrew often bypassed." 

11: YELLOW CARD Grant Hanley is late on Shane Long, Robbie Keane's replacement, and the Irish might feel it could have been a red card as there was no other defender between Hanley and Marshall except for Russell Martin, who was miles away from the action.

10: Action at both ends as a Naismith-Maloney 1-2 just fails to come off and then Robertson heads straight to Darron Gibson, who shoots straight at Marshall. Straight-forward stuff.

GMac: "Ireland fans in the 'Rangers' end singing Celtic songs. It's a strange old night."

5: Huge cheer from the home crowd as Robertson robs McGeady and then is fouled by the Scottish-born winger.

3: Andrew Robertson forces a corner with a searching cross from the left and Steven Fletcher heads Shaun Maloney's delivery just over the crossbar.

1 minute: The match kicks off and Ireland win an early free kick, which ends with Jonathan Walters keeping David Marshall on his toes with a shot from 22 yards.

1940: The teams come out for the anthems. Charlie Mulgrew is in for James Morrison in Scotland's midfield engine room. Here are tonight's line-ups in full.

Scotland (4-2-3-1): Marshall; Whittaker, R Martin, Hanley, Robertson; Brown (c), Mulgrew; Maloney, Naismith, Anya; S Fletcher. 

Subs: Gordon, C Martin, Dorrans, Bannan, Greer, D Fletcher, Burke, Gilks, Russell, May.

Republic of Ireland (4-2-3-1): Forde; Coleman, O'Shea (c), Keogh, Ward; Hendrick, Gibson; Walters, McGeady, McClean; Long.
Subs: Christie, Randolph, Given, Clark, Pearce, Meyler, Pilkington, Brady, Quinn, Keane, McGoldrick, Murphy.

1935: The teams are read out, including the name that has been on everybody's lips all week.

 

Graeme Macpherson: "First booing of Aiden McGeady as the team lines are read out. The Scotland fans will soon have laryngitis if they keep that up all night."

MF: "The atmosphere is really building with the Proclaimers' 500 Miles on the PA. Both sets of fans joining in with the singing."

1930: Gordon Strachan and Martin O'Neill are giving their pre-match interviews to Sky Sports. Strachan says: "I suppose there is excitement, and we are always nervous because we are professional and we know how much this means to people. We are ready."

O'Neill says: "This is always an intimidating prospect at Celtic Park but it's nice to be back. Looking forward to the game - it should be a cracker."

Graeme Macpherson: "They are taking a while to make it out of the pub - Celtic Park was as busy as a Europa League night with less than 30 minutes to kick-off - but gradually the stadium is filling up as Gordon Strachan hoped it would. It is the visitors so far making the most noise, with Irish interlopers popping up everywhere throughout the Main Stand. Anticipation is building nicely."

Macdara Ferris: "The Ireland fans will be coming into the ground to the news that Robbie Keane is not in the starting line-up. Bar being injured that is the first time he has been dropped for a competitive game since 2001. Shane Long is into the starting line-up. Jonathan Walters will play alongside him likely dropping back into midfield when Ireland don't have the ball.

"The main body of Ireland fans are already in good voice singing 'Come on you boys in Green' as their team warm up below them at the Lisbon Lions end of the ground. I can see Ireland flags dotted in and around the ground including a St Patrick's Athletic flag. That League of Ireland club played against Celtic in Europe in 1998."