There were two Rangers players in the starting line-up, Steven Whittaker and Kevin Thomson against an Irish side containing two former Celtic players - namely Jim Goodwin and Michael Doyle - as well as a pair from Dundee United, namely Sean Dillon and Noel Hunt.
There was a paltry crowd at the Lanarkshire ground on a bitterly cold night, but the home side did make a bright start, winning several free-kicks around the Irish penalty area in the opening minutes that eventually came to nought.
It was an open game with both sides committed to attack, as one would hope and expect in a friendly - but clear-cut openings were few and far between.
Thomson almost presented the visitors with the gift of an opener on the half-hour mark when he tried to be too clever in taking a quick free-kick on the halfway line only to see Hunt streak away with a clear path to Graeme Smith's goal - but the former Ibrox goalkeeper was equal to the task, turning a twenty-yard shot wide of the target.
Five minutes later at the other end Ross Wallace saw a thundering drive from the edge of the box turned over by visiting goalkeeper Colin Doyle.
The half ended goalless - with perhaps the major talking point being the apparent feud between former Parkhead teammates Wallace and Goodwin who were each yellow-carded in separate incidents for late tackles on each other. It was a feud that would ultimately cost Godwin dear.
Charlie Adam replaced clubmate Thomson at the interval.
The deadlock was broken in 65 minutes when Irish substitute Richie Byrne of Aberdeen netted after fellow sub Mark Yeates had struck the crossbar with a twenty-yard drive.
The visitors were now well on top, but were unable to capitalise on their territorial advantage due to the fine form of former Ibrox goalkeeper Graeme Smith.
Kirk Broadfoot was introduced seven minutes later, substituting for former Ibrox trialist Michael Stewart.
Out of the blue, the Scots levelled the scoreline in 82 minutes when Steven Howard's header from a Chris Armstrong cross caught substitute goalkeeper Dan Connor by surprise, going in off an upright. Connor had only two minutes earlier replaced Doyle in goal, and was perhaps caught cold.
Former Celt Goodwin was red-carded six minutes later when he received a second yellow for a foul on Armstrong - but the game finished level.
Afterwards Scotland Manager Alex McLeish summarised:
"This was a good opportunity to work with the players. Graeme Smith had a terrific game. We started and finished well, and can take positives from the game. The first team have provided a terrific standard."
SCOTLAND Smith (Motherwell); McNaughton (Cardiff City), Armstrong (Sheffield United); Berra (Hearts), Dods (Dundee United) [Collins (Wolverhampton Wanderers) 45], Stewart (Hearts) [Broadfoot (Rangers) 72]; Whittaker (Rangers) [McCormack (Motherwell) 67], Thomson (Rangers) [Adam (Rangers) 45], Iwelumo (Charlton Athletic) [Fletcher (Hibernian) 60], Howard (Derby County), Wallace (Sunderland)
UNUSED SUB Samson (Dundee)
REPUBLIC of IRELAND Doyle (Birmingham City) [Connor (Drogheda United) 80]; Goodwin (Scunthorpe United), Dillon (Dundee United); Bruce (Ipswich Town), Gartland (Drogheda United) [Bennett (Southampton) 79], Whelan (Sheffield Wednesday) [Byrne (Aberdeen) 30]; Walters (Ipswich Town) [Bell (Luton Town) 62], Doyle (Coventry City), Hunt (Dundee United) [Yeates (Colchester United) 53], O'Donovan (Sunderland) [Ward (Wolverhampton Wanderers) 53], Holohan (Blackpool)
REFEREE Joseph Attard (Malta)