Republic of Ireland 1-0 Scotland
By Rob Wright, email sportonline@rte.ie
Full time: Ireland win the Carling Nations Cup. While it's not exactly an excuse for an open-top bus down O'Connell Street, we have seen three solid performances from Ireland, beating Scotland, Wales and Northern Ireland without conceeding a goal.
More importantly it's a timely boost ahead of next Saturday's crucial Euro 2012 qualifying game with Macedonia.
90 + 2 mins An accidental handball by Ward gives Scotland a last chance. It's on the right corner of the Irish box and Bannon foolishly has a shot on goal. Given save it with ease and the final whistle goes.
90 mins Hunt breaks forward down the left wing and earns his side a throw-in, deep inside the Scottish half. It's just a matter of holding the play up now and running down the clock.
87 mins Kenny Miller is played clear through on goal thanks to a great pass from Naismith. Miller looks certain to score, but after shaping up to shoot, he somehow manages to drag his shot wide. That's a real let off for Ireland.
85 mins A couple more substitutions have broken the flow of the game and Ireland are able to alleviate the preasure from Scotland. Treacey looks to make an impact as he bursts from midfield but his shot is blocked and Scotland break.
82 mins It's all Scotland now as Ireland struggle to get out of their half. Keith Treacey comes on for Keane, who is still searching for another goal to reach the 50 international goals tally.
79 mins Another chance for Scotland. Under pressure from McShane, Miller's attempted header on goal bounces up, allowing the Rangers man a second bit of the cherry. He holds off McShane and hits an over-the-shoulder effort that goes across the face of the goal.
78 mins Scotland are starting to turn the screws. Naismith fluffs his lines in front of goal as he shins an attempted volley, but it's all Scotland right now.
76 mins Furious appeals from Kenny Miller for a penalty earn him a yellow card. He had every reason to be angry though after replays show that Stephen Hunt was dragging him back as he tried to turn and shoot.
75 mins Another change for Scotland who bring Maguire on to replace Robson.
73 mins Foley's foul on Forest on the left allows Robson to deliver a fine deep cross into the Irish box. But Stephen Kelly does well to out-muscle the Scottish attackers and get the ball away to safety.
Foley was booked for that foul incidentally.
70 mins Cox continues to impress up front for Ireland. He cuts in from the left wing and turns his marker inside out before taking one touch too many and knocking the ball behind. It's a rare moment of skill in a second half that has failed to excite.
65 mins Another change for Ireland as Kevin Foley comes on for Darren O'Dea, meaning a switch to the centre of defence for McShane.
64 mins Scotland have their best chance of the second half. Robson's deep cross from the right is met by the on-rushing Forrest but he takes it first-time on his right foot and can't direct his shot on target.
61 mins Charlie Adam picks up a very soft yellow card for a slight nudge on Stephen Hunt. Even Hunt looks embarrassed about that one. Meanwhile Seamus Coleman comes on for Stephen Hunt, while Scotland take off Charlie Adam and replace him with Barry Bannon.
59 mins Charlie Adam's trip from behind on Robbie Keane gives Ireland a freekick just outside the Scottish box. Hunt rolls the ball to Andrews who gets everything behind it but a slight deflection from the Scottish wall takes it behind for a corner.
55 mins It's all gone a bit flat at the Aviva. Expect both sides to start looking towards their benches in order to freshen things up.
49 mins Scotland fall asleep at the back and are very nearly punished for it. Ireland have a freekick to the right of the penalty area and Hunt shows some quick thinking to play a short ball to Cox, who had peeled away from his marker. Cox turns and takes a first time shot that just goes by the far post.
46 mins Ireland get things underway and are on the front-foot immediately as a miss-hit cross from Hunt forces McGregor to turn the ball behind for a corner. It's a poor one however, and is easily cleared.
Half-time The whistle goes to bring the first-half to an end. It's been a good, evenly balanced game and Scotland have been on top since Keane's opener.
44 mins Cox looks to be in pain after an awkward landing on his back, while challenging for a high ball. He's trying to walk it off but it looked pretty painful from the replays.
43 mins Scotland get a freekick about 30 yards from goal for a foul by Ward. Charlie Adam lifts it to the back post but Hanley can only direct his header behind goal.
41 mins Paul McShane picks up the first yellow card of the game for a foul on Bardsley. Harsh on the ginger Messi, when you consider what Brown's been getting away with.
39 mins Good effort from Naismith. Ward misjudges a crossfield ball that he should really be dealing with. It goes over his head and behind to Brown how cuts the ball back to Naismith on the edge of the box. Naismith takes a touch and hits a powerful daisy-cutter that has Given scrambling to save.
35 mins Hunt and Brown, who have been niggling at each other for the last 20 minutes go head-to-head after Brown takes the Wolves midfielders legs from under him. Should have been a booking, but the referee seems to be willing to let a lot go.
32 mins Scotland are starting to look more threatening as the Irish midfield quartet drop deeper. The long-ball to Miller is a constant threat - he's winning most of his aerial battles and supplying Robson with some dangerous flick-ons.
28 mins A Charlie Adam freekick just outside the Irish penalty area gets over the wall but is easily saved by Shay Given.
26 mins Scotland almost make an immediate reply. Robson lifts a teasing cross into the danger area and Miller is just inches away from getting his head on the end of it.
Ireland clear it quickly and a long range attempted lob from Keith Fahey sails just over the bar. This has been entertaining fare so far.
24 mins GOAL Ireland (Keane) Great goal and one that owes a lot to the creativity of Paul McShane. Really. McShane crunches into a tackle just outside the Irish penalty area and wins the ball before nut-megging one and beating another Scottish midfielder. He then plays the ball to Keane who bursts forward with the ball and unleashes a low and powerful effort that McGregor is unable to stop.
The fact that McShane continued his run alongside Keane was a massive factor in the goal, as he dragged two Scottish defenders with him and helped make the room for Keane.
22 mins More impressive stuff from Ward. Miller flicks on a long goalkick into the path of Robson, who's ahead of Ward but the Irish defender recovers and clears to safety.
20 mins It's early days yet, but Cox and Keane look to be forming a real partnership up front. A poor back-header from Scott Brown allows Keane to pounce on a loose ball and he plays it to Cox but his attempted cross is crowded out.
16 mins Phil Bardsley cracks the woodwork from 30 yards out. He's given time and space to collect the ball and launch an absolute howitzer but a diving Shay Given manages to get a touch on it to divert it onto the crossbar and behind for a corner. Great shot and a great save.
15 mins Good defending from Stephen Ward. Scott Brown launches in a teasing cross that looks destined for the head of Robson, but Ward manages to block it.
12 mins Ireland are on top in these early exchanges with some neat interplay and movement in front of the Scottish back four. It's not exactly Barcelona-esque, but it's good to see all the same.
10 mins Got to love Hunt's desire, even when it's totally misplaced. Robbie Keane does well to keep in the ball just inside the Scottish half and punts it forward. Hunt busts a gut to get up and challenge the Scottish defence, somehow manages to get his tackle in and then stands around looking for the ball which has ballooned up behind him. Scotland clear.
7 mins A warning shot from the Scots. After a quick breakaway, Charlie Adam has a dip from just outside the Irish penalty but which has Shay Given scrambling but it's rising all the time.
4 mins Cox looks a real find. Stephen Hunt plays a short corner to him in the penalty area, he takes a touch and turns his marker before hitting a low powerful cross that Scotland manage to turn behind for another corner. This one goes deep and behind for a goalkick.
1 min Kenny Miller and Steven Naismith get the match underway, and it's a frantic start. Both sides take chances to launch freekicks into the danger area early-on but nothing comes of either attempt. It looks like both teams will be hoping to make the most of their set pieces.
1830 A moment of appreciation is held for former RTÉ commentator Phillip Greene, who passed away last week. There's a great montage of his finest moments played on the big screen at the Aviva, in what is a classy touch from the FAI.
1826 While the crowd isn't as small as it was midweek, there's still wide swathes of empty seats at the Aviva Stadium. These International games clearly don't have the same pull as the FAI Cup Final - speaking of which the Scottish anthem sounds like a rip-off of a Shamrock Rovers song. Not bad though.
Interestingly the top tier - where the cheapest seats are - is the most populated part of the stadium, suggesting that the price remains an issue for supporters.
1815 Ireland manager Giovanni Trapattoni named his team yesterday and made four changes.
Damien Delaney, Kevin Foley, Seamus Coleman and Keith Treacy were the players to make way following Tuesday's 5-0 thrashing of Northern Ireland.
Defender Darren O'Dea is back after an ankle injury, while Keith Fahey, Stephen Hunt and Liam Lawrence all start. Simon Cox will start alongside Robbie Keane once more.
Charlie Adam won his fitness battle but Scotland manager Craig Levein still made four changes from the side that beat Wales during the week.
James Forrest will make his international debut for the Scots while Phil Bardsley, Grant Hanley and Barry Robson also start.
Republic of Ireland: Given, McShane, O'Dea, Kelly, Ward, Lawrence, Andrews, Fahey, Hunt, Keane, Cox.
Scotland: McGregor, Whittaker, Hanley, Berra, Bardsley, Naismith, Brown, Adam, Robson, Forrest, Miller.
1807 So here we are, it's the decider in a tournament that hasn't exactly captured the public's imagination, but it's been a productive one on the pitch for Ireland. The results and performances have been impressive, and Giovanni Trapattoni has taken the chance to blood the likes of Simon Cox.
A win tonight against Scotland would round things off nicely.
