It had all seemed very improbable a few hours earlier when, after winning the toss and electing to bat, they were reduced to 15 for four within the space of eight overs, with Mark Donegan, Jamie Grassi, Morgan Topping and Graham Kennedy all back in the pavilion.
Most of the damage was done by Scotland’s Oliver Brown, who soon added Sam Murphy to his scalps and finished a lethal six-over spell with four for 15.
Only Irish skipper Harry Tector stood firm among the chaos, and his dogged 55, made from 139 deliveries and including just one boundary, was an outstanding solo effort which ultimately enabled the team to reach a total of 108.
Tector had some valuable support from Aaron Cawley as this pair added 36 for the ninth wicket, but he remained the only Irish batsman to reach double figures in a very disappointing batting performance.
Haroon Tahir again contributed a steady spell of off-spin without taking a wicket, but Angus Beattie claimed two for 13 as Scotland turned the screw.
In truth, the Irish would have been dismissed for 94 had a straightforward catch at midwicket not been put down, and it was puzzling that Brown, who still had four overs to bowl, was not brought back to try to finish off the innings.
Still, 108 looked well below par, even on a pitch on which batting was never easy, and at the innings break it seemed very likely that the Scots would avenge their earlier defeat by Ireland and win clearly enough to qualify.
Josh Little and Cawley, however, bowled with real fire as Scotland replied, and when the dangerous Owais Shah was trapped in front in the former’s opening over it was clear that the Irish would fight all the way.
Two chances went down in those opening overs, but Cawley soon had Callum Garden caught at slip, and Scotland were 21 for two.
Angus Hinton survived to make 21 before trying to hit Tector over the top and being caught at mid-on, and with Finlay McCreath and James Dickinson soon following, the Scots were 67 for five and still needed 42 for victory.
Rory Johnston, who had earlier taken three catches in the Irish innings, looked the only batsman who was in control of the situation, and he and Beattie now added 27 precious runs to take their side to within sight of the win.
Then Beattie, who had taken five off Varun Chopra’s only over, went after the final delivery and succeeded only in finding Cawley at mid-on.
Now Little and Cawley returned, and they picked up two wickets each as Scotland slumped from 94 for five to 103 all out in the space of 28 deliveries. Johnston top-scored with 30 but fell to Cawley with 11 still required, and despite a bold boundary by last man Ihtesham Malik Ireland’s determination proved to be their trump card.
Little finished with three for 23 and Cawley with three for 21, but it was Tector’s half-century which earned him the Player of the Match award.