After dodgy training pitches before the match it was dodgy defending which ultimately undid Northern Ireland against Bulgaria.

The statistics will show that Northern Ireland's almost snatched the unlikeliest of draws with a dramatic late comeback when they scored twice in the last seven minutes.

But that should not be allowed to mask what was a shocking defensive display from the Irish.

They were at fault for all four of Bulgaria's goals and the scoreline did not reflect the home side's superiority for long stretches in the game.

The Irish needed to make a solid start to have any chance of leaving CSKA Sofia's Balgarska Armia's stadium with anything.

However for the third successive match they shot themselves in their well-peppered foot to concede an early goal.

Skipper Jim Magilton gave away possession with a slack backpass to put the Irish defence in trouble. Marian Hristov laid the ball off for Krassimir Balakov, who burst into the box and went down under a challenge from Colin Murdock.

Murdock was incensed by referee Vladimir Hrinak's decision and let him know exactly how he felt.

It made no difference and Balakov, who will be 35 tomorrow, picked himself up to slot home the opening goal.

Back came Northern Ireland and in the 15th minute Mark Williams headed them level with his first international goal on his 16th appearance.

Michael Hughes swung over a corner from the left and Williams powered the ball home from six yards out.

McIlroy ran on to the pitch to celebrate only to be told off by a Fifa official, but the Irish manager did not care.

McIlroy's joy was shortlived and two minutes later the Bulgarians went back in front.

The Irish failed to deal with an attack down the left and when the ball fell to Martin Petrov he scored from around 14 yards out with a low shot into the far corner.

That goal, coming so soon, after the equaliser was a body blow for the Irish and they had it all to do again.

Roy Carroll was the busier of the two goalkeepers and he did well to save long-range efforts from Balakov and Krassimir Tchomakov.

Then Michael Hughes almost netted an equaliser after a great tackle by Keith Gillespie.

Hughes' corner on the left was only half cleared and Gillespie won possession in a crunching challenge to lay the ball back out to the Wimbledon winger, who skipped past one defender before his shot was saved by Bulgarian goalkeeper Zdravko Zdravkov.

Urged on by the partisan crowd, Bulgaria responded and Carroll parried a stinging 20-yard drive from Tchomakov.

Balakov then wasted a great opportunity when Petrov found him unmarked on the edge of the Irish box only for his ageing legs to let him down.

Tchomakov scored their third after 72 minutes when he drilled home a free-kick from around 35 yards out.

Five minutes later it was 4-1 when the unmarked Petrov volleyed home his second at the back post.

Bulgaria might even have had a fifth and Berbatov hit the woodwork from Petrov's left-wing cross.

From this impossible situation, Northern Ireland launched their dogged comeback.

First a Hughes shot was deflected high into the air and Elliott reacted first to head the ball into the net for his first international goal.

The drama was not over yet and in the 90th minute, Healy won a penalty off Biser Ivanov and converted the spot-kick for his sixth goal in his 10th international appearance.

It was first time the Irish had scored three goals away from home in a competitive match, but it counted for nothing because of their shoddy defending.

Defeat effectively signals the end of Northern Ireland's distant hopes of qualifying for the 2002 World Cup, but McIlroy will be more annoyed by his side's performance at the back.