This was intense, physical, gruelling football.

At international level neither Scotland nor Ireland are overly blessed with fragrant skills and, maybe because of that, this match was gripping to watch. In a passionate arena, heightened by carousing Irish fans, the play teemed from end to end, with both sides inflicting their moments of menace.

Everyone knew the sub-plots, too: Aiden McGeady, Martin O'Neill and Gordon Strachan, three men who had been interrogated for headlines for weeks. McGeady, booed and barracked throughout, had quite a night of it, being booked as early as the 17th minute and thereafter walking a tightrope.

And for Shaun Maloney, despatcher of Scotland's delicious winning goal after 75 minutes, what a sweet, sweet moment. How often has this gifted little striker been afflicted with injuries? Too many times to mention. So here was Maloney, mercifully healthy once more, receiving Scott Brown's flick and curling an exquisite shot from 17 yards inside Irish goalkeeper David Forde's left post. It was beautiful.

The Tartan Army, out-sung by a booming Irish choir all night, suddenly erupted to life and made a tremendous racket themselves. The episode sprang Ireland's animated manager into decision-making, throwing on Robbie Keane, whom O'Neill had left on the bench, to try to salvage his country once more. Thus this match unfolded amid incident upon incident.

Something else happened here that might not be a headline, but was very impressive from Scotland. They closed out this match tremendously, weathering the late Irish storm and taking the ball for walks while green-and-white strips lunged at them. The game ended amid jousts galore, and Grant Hanley even crashed a header against his own crossbar in the dying minutes, but Scotland prevailed. And we'll have no simpering from O'Neill on the subject.

These two teams can certainly pass the ball when they need to, but goring each other became more the order of the evening as proceedings wore on. The poor Serbian referee, Milorad Mazic, was frantic by the end, flashing his yellow card about like a man with a hanky on a burning building. It was a terrific bun fight.

O'Neill had been back to Celtic Park a few times since resigning as manager in 2005, but this magnificent spectacle must have brought it all back. It would also have sounded highly familiar to O'Neill in this setting. The Irish fans, scattered all around the arena, sang The Fields Of Athenry and other anthems with volume and panache. For once, the Tartan Army seemed non-plussed.

The question of the "full house" at Celtic Park left a little intrigue. The stadium was pretty bulging, but small areas of free seats around the home sections left you wondering again about the tickets distribution rammy which had broken out between the Scottish and Irish FAs.

In fact, down in that corner of Celtic Park where the away fans are usually housed, a weird segregation policy looked in place - a contingent of Irish fans was separated from another contingent of Irish fans. That overspill of visiting supporters, densely seated among the home fans, appeared to mingle happily with their hosts, albeit their songbook was different.

The fixture had become mired in the old Irish-Scots issue, a subject on which everyone claims to have the right answer. It is said that there is a part of Celtic Park that is forever Ireland, let alone when the Republic's national team is in town, and the attitude can lead to either a fine humour or something altogether more sinister.

One well-known Celtic fan, a Scot who is perfectly aware of his Irish lineage, stopped outside the stadium and, spotting a newspaperman and suddenly sporting a clenched fist, shouted: "Come on, Scotland!" He did so in semi-jest.

On this subject McGeady was the focus of much attention. From the moment he first touched the ball the boos rained down, from a Scottish crowd dismayed that he had turned his back on the land of his birth. McGeady's well-told story, of course, is that he has been steeped in the Irish traditions of his family for most of his life.

It is a sore point for many Scotland fans, though McGeady's is hardly a unique situation in football - or any sport these days - where ethnic belonging and nationality are up for dispute. Anyway, McGeady tried his best to get on with it, though Andy Robertson, his direct foe at left-back, proved a tenacious terrier to try to evade.

That said, McGeady's game grew on him as the night wore on, and he whipped over a few tantalising second-half crosses which had Scotland in a momentary stew. This atmosphere was harsh on the ex-Celt, but it wasn't malicious, and he coped admirable with it all. Indeed, he probably couldn't have given a toss.

Scotland can take great heart. They have started Group D at a decent pace after four matches, but who knows what else will happen when this game is played again in Dublin next June?

The fact remains that just about everyone in Group D - except Gibraltar - has a great chance of qualifying for the France 2016 finals. The eight group winners and runners-up, the best third-placed team, will all advance to the finals. Even failure to grab a runners-up spot in Group D will still leave eight remaining third-placed teams to contest home-and-away play-offs, allowing four further teams to qualify. Scotland appear to be well on their way.