Following Scotland's 1-1 draw in Dublin in June, the perception in both countries was that Ireland's hopes of qualification were close to finished and Scotland were set fair for, at worst, a play-off place.
That's all changed now. Scotland's loss in Tbilisi was the bolt from the blue that Ireland required. This was compounded by their (somewhat less surprising) failure to get a draw at home to Germany last night. Ireland, meanwhile, wrenched out an important victory at home to Georgia.
The Daily Record football correspondent Keith Jackson told us there is an air of despondency around Scotland today. But his own feelings don't chime with the prevailing pessimism.
I think it (the mood) is very downbeat. Given the nature of the performance last night, surprisingly so. I think the result in Tbilisi has knocked the wind out of everybody over here. There is a sort of doom and gloom which has manifested itself across the entire country. But I thought there was enough last night in that performance to suggest that the group is not over us.
The new found - and entirely unexpected - giddiness that has greeted Ireland's change in fortune over the weekend suggests that many believe third place is there for us.
But Jackson offers a prediction which should give pause to that excitement.
In fact, I would go as far as to say, if we take six points from our last two, and I believe we will, then I think we'll get third place. And that will either at Poland's expense or Ireland's.
Jackson is entirely unsurprised that Ireland emerged from the past week with six points.
It shouldn't come as any great surprise. It comes back to Scotland's failure to take care of their own business in Tbilisi. Before this double header, you looked at it, and I was convinced that Ireland would be sitting on 15 points, which is exactly where they are sitting.
He believes that Scotland's loss in Georgia evoked memories of past qualification nightmares and that the belief that little has changed has taken root since Friday. He contends that this ignores the progress Scotland have made under Strachan. And he reckons he has seen enough in Scotland to believe that they will beat Poland in Hampden Park next month.
What you've got to consider is, what are Ireland ahead of Scotland? Four points. But we've got Gibraltar. So, forget that. You're actually one point. There's one point in it with one game to go. If Germany beat Ireland in the next game and we beat Poland, then it's all to play for.
The one thing I'd say is I firmly believe that we will take six points from our two games and I firmly believe that that will be enough to take third place then it comes down whether it will be Poland or Ireland.
Two wins for Scotland will leave Ireland needing to claim a victory against either Poland or Germany. Two draws will not be enough.
Is there annoyance in Scotland at the fact that they lie four points behind Ireland, despite having largely outplayed them in the head-to-head fixtures - excepting perhaps the first half in Dublin?
Not really. Listen, fair play to Ireland. The fighting Irish, they call you. It was never more fitting. You guys know how to qualify. That's another thing. We've forgotten how to do it. You'd write Ireland off at your peril. You'd be a fool to do that.
Yes, we were feeling pretty good about ourselves having got the four points from the two games, but you just need to think back to what Ireland did in Germany and Aiden's two goals in Tbilisi. If it was only as simple as the head to head we'd be through but it's not like that and Scotland are notorious for falling up somewhere stupid and that's what we did on Friday night.
Ultimately, Jackson hopes that both Scotland and Ireland could get through, but his firm prediction that Scotland will come good at home to Poland leaves Ireland needing a victory from one of their two daunting remaining fixtures.
Read more: Balls Remembers The Night Scotland Went 'Beyond The Call Of Duty' To Help Out Ireland
