MARK Burchill erased the memory of failing to find a place in Dr Jozef Venglos's Celtic team for the Old Firm Scottish Cup Final by scoring the goal that won the President's Cup for Scotland against holders Northern Ireland at the Caledonian Stadium, Inverness, last night.
The 1-1 draw proved enough for Alex Smith's side to finish top in the triangular tournament after having beaten the Republic of Ireland 1-0 on Monday night.
Only 2569 supporters turned out for the match but, though the attendance was disappointing, the triumph provided a timely psychological boost for the squad ahead of Tuesday's Euro 2000 qualifier against the Czech Republic.
The Scots found themselves a goal down after Manchester United's David Healy converted a dubious penalty and, had Northern Ireland managed to hold on to that one goal advantage, they would have held on to the trophy by virtue of the fair play system.
However, Burchill was on hand to turn the match back in Scotland's favour.
Rangers defender Scott Wilson failed to make the starting line-up, succumbing to the virus that has left him bed-ridden for the last few days, while Aberdeen full back Jamie Buchan was ruled out through an ankle injury.
Kilmarnock's Jim Lauchlan was restored to the defence after sitting on the substitutes' bench for the 1-0 victory over the Republic of Ireland in Elgin on Monday night, and Gavin Rae was given his first start for the under-21s.
Scotland started purposefully and captain Grant Brebner almost forced the Irish keeper David Wells into an early save. The midfielder received the ball 20 yards out but his drive sailed just over the crossbar.
Irish full back Brian McGlinchey attempted what would have been an audacious goal in the eleventh minute but from 40 yards his speculative drive was well read by Paul Gallacher in Scotland's goal.
A minute later, referee Alan Freeland awarded the Irish what appeared to be a soft penalty, adjudging that Aberdeen's Russell Anderson had pushed Rangers' young winger Lee Feeney. Healy stepped up and stroked the ball home, sending Gallacher the wrong way in the process.
Anderson failed to heed that early lesson by bundling Healy down just outside the box but, fortunately for the defender, Danny Griffin's effort was well saved by Gallacher.
After a long spell of inactivity in Inverness Burchill brought Scotland back into the match in 38 minutes with a superb equaliser. Anderson galloped upfield and unleashed a fierce shot that cannoned off an Irish defender into the path of Burchill, who swivelled and unleashed a left foot shot that bounced across the goalkeeper and into the corner of the net.
Scotland forced the Irish into their own half immediately after the restart, forcing a couple of corners in quick succession with Burchill, who apart from scoring the goal had a quiet first half, snapping at the heels of the Irish defence.
The visitors managed to force themselves back into the game and Healy tried admirably to bend a free kick from 25-yards into the top right-hand corner of the net, but it was to no avail.
While the match was hardly a classic there were some intriguing head to heads. Dundee United's Thompson found himself up against St Johnstone defender Griffin, but the most hotly contested duel was to be found on Scotland's right-hand side where Barry Nicholson found himself trying to tame the talents of Ibrox team-mate Feeney. The little full back must have realised beforehand just how difficult a night he was in for and Feeney did not let him down by constantly looking to attack down the channel.
Both have been seen only fleetingly in Dick Advocaat's first team but no doubt they will be given a chance to show their worth on the bigger stage before too long.
The Irish goalkeeper looked suspect throughout when put under pressure but the Scots could not capitalise on the Irish side's main weakness. Thompson tried his luck on the hour mark after being put through by Rae. The striker managed to evade the challenge of full-back Gerard Lyttle, but he hurried his shot.
Brebner then fired a shot from 30 yards which took a deflection off Burchill and landed safely into the keeper's hand and he wasted no time in punting the ball downfield where Healy, Ireland's most productive player was on hand to shoot low to Gallacher's near post but the big keeper got down to smother the ball.
Burchill should have guaranteed victory for the Scots in 78 minutes when he was given a clear path to goal by Rae but he had too much time on the ball and only succeeded in shooting straight into the arms of Wells.
The remainder of the match was played inside Scotland's part of the field as the Irish searched for the goal that would retain the trophy but it was to be Scotland's night.
Scotland - Gallacher (Dundee United), Nicholson (Rangers), Hughes (Bournemouth), Rae (Dundee), R Anderson (Aberdeen), Lauchlan (Kilmarnock), Campbell (Leicester City), Burchill (Celtic), Thompson (Dundee United), Brebner (Reading), I Anderson (Dundee).
Substitutes - Arthur (Partick Thistle), O'Brien (Blackburn Rovers), Teale (Ayr United), Dargo (Raith Rovers), Tarrant (Aston Villa).
Northern Ireland - Wells, Lyttle, McGlinchey, Griffin, Morgan, Whitley, Feeney, Graham, Kirk, Healy, Clarke.
Substitutes - Carroll, Burns, Waterman, Coote, Elliott.
Referee - A Freeland (Aberdeen)
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