Scotland U21s got the better of Northern Ireland's youngsters as they prevailed 3-1 at Firhill.

Griffiths, Hanlon and Ross on target for U21s

Scotland U21s got the better of Northern Ireland's youngsters as they prevailed 3-1 in an entertaining friendly at Firhill. Leigh Griffiths' opener was cancelled out by a Eunan O'Kane strike before half-time but Billy Stark's side were not to be denied. Paul Hanlon struck midway through the second period to restore Scotland's advantage and Nick Ross sealed the victory with a third goal just before the final whistle. Stark gathered together a mostly fresh batch of recruits for the visit of the Northern Irish on a blustery Glasgow evening, with the next European Championship qualification campaign already in his thoughts. Debuts were given to six players, including Falkirk goalkeeper Jamie Barclay - who had Hearts defender Craig Thomson and Blackburn youngster Grant Hanley in his defence. In midfield, Kyle Hutton joined Dundee United's Stuart Armstrong and Tannadice team-mate Johnny Russell. Griffiths started as Scotland's lone striker and saw little of the ball in the early stages as the visitors looked sharper, although efforts from Paddy McLaughlin and O'Kane failed to trouble Barclay. But with his first real effort on goal Griffiths scored a wonderful opener. The Dundee striker took a Bradden Inman pass at the corner of the Northern Ireland box and arrowed a wonderful left-footed drive past Rangers keeper Wayne Drummond. The visitors responded positively and Barclay had to move smartly to knock a Billy Kee drive from distance past the post for a corner which came to nothing.

Tussle

There was little more goalmouth action until the 23rd minute when Drummond had to make a decent save from Ibrox team mate John Fleck, who fired a left-footed drive from 25 yards towards the bottom corner. A midfield tussle ensued but the Scots were dealt a blow in the 34th minute when the Irish equalised. There appeared little danger when O'Kane picked the ball up on the left-hand side of the box but the Torquay player's curled inswinger evaded Barclay - who looked somewhat sluggish as the ball made its way in to the far corner of the net. Sheffield Wednesday midfielder Liam Palmer and Burnley striker Alex MacDonald came on to make their debuts for Scotland at the start of the second half with Inman and Griffiths staying inside. In the 55th minute Irish substitute Josh Carson, on for O'Kane, flighted a corner in from the right and Kee glanced a header off the bar before the Scots scrambled the ball clear. Kee then made way for by Liam Boyce and with the substitutions mounting, the game became increasingly disjointed. Just after the hour mark, though, Palmer flashed a shot wide of the target from the edge of the box and then Russell failed with two attempts at goal from close range, following a deep cross from Hanlon.

Disarray

The Scotland captain turned from provider to finisher when Thomson's swirling corner from the left came off Hanley in to his path at the back post, allowing the Hibernian defender to squeeze it in. Stark's side were on top and Drummond made two saves in quick succession from McDonald, the first from a 25-yard free-kick and then from a close-range effort as the home side kept up the pressure. Armstrong missed a sitter in the 81st minute when he blasted over the bar from six yards after Drummond had fumbled a shot from MacDonald. At the other end, as the visitors went all out for an equaliser, Carson stung the hands of Barclay with a powerful drive before Thomson cleared off the line from a Sean McCaskin header. But in the final minute Ross, with the Northern Ireland defence in disarray, drove in from the edge of the box to seal the win.