IRELAND coach Phil Simmons has backed teenagers George Dockrell and Paul Stirling to be the backbone of the Irish team for years to come after their successful debuts at the ICC World Twenty20.

STAND-IN captain Paul Collingwood praised England’s fight after they averted a shock one-day international defeat to Ireland in Belfast.

Ashes winners England averted a shock defeat to see off Ireland by just three runs in their one-day international in Belfast today.

Ireland have named four county players in their 13-man squad for next week’s one-day international against England in Belfast.

Ireland completed a series sweep against Kenya after edging a close encounter by four runs in a rain-affected encounter in Dublin today.

Captain William Porterfield’s 81 underpinned a three-wicket victory for Ireland which today gave them a 1-0 lead in their one-day international series against Kenya.

Cricket Ireland have this morning announced the squads for the forthcoming Intercontinental Cup and RSA Challenge Series clashes with Kenya.

Ireland missed the opportunity to register another giantkilling by slipping to an emphatic 83-run defeat against injury-hit New Zealand in the second stage of the World Twenty20 tournament.

IRELAND captain William Porterfield has targeted a famous victory over New Zealand later today despite watching his side slip to an eight-wicket defeat against reigning World Twenty20 champions India at Trent Bridge.

West Indies captain Chris Gayle blasted his side to a crushing nine-wicket victory against Ireland in a World Twenty20 warm-up at the Brit Oval today.

IRELAND coach Phil Simmons admits he would be “very disappointed” if his team do not make the quarter-finals of the World Twenty20.

PETER CONNELL grabbed a one-day best five for 19 as Ireland ruined Worcestershire’s hopes of qualifying for the Friends Provident Trophy quarter-finals with a shock 94-run victory at New Road.

WHAT a way to treat a hero. Two days after helping Ireland to qualify for the 2011 World Cup, Eoin Morgan was yesterday dropped and assigned to 12th man duties as his team-mates lost to Kenya by six wickets in their final Super Eight match.

IRELAND take a step into the unknown today with a first match against Afghanistan as the Super Eight phase of the 2011 World Cup qualifiers commences in Gauteng.

THE strength in depth of Ireland cricket will be tested over the coming weeks after the announcement yesterday that stalwart all-rounder Andre Botha may have to undergo a second operation on his right ankle.

IRELAND will fully deserve a celebratory drink in Nairobi tonight if they can somehow beat both Kenya and a heartbreaker of a pitch to reach the InterContinental Cup final.

IRELAND will have one eye on the Nairobi skies over the next four days as they seek to beat Kenya and secure a place in the InterContinental Cup final for a third successive time.

ANDREW WHITE stroked an unbeaten century of pure class at Malahide yesterday to give Ireland more than a sniff of victory in their four-day InterContinental Cup match against Canada.

All-rounder Kevin O’Brien steered Ireland to another victory as they booked their place at next year’s World Twenty20 in England with a four-wicket win over Kenya.

Andre Botha starred with bat and ball as Ireland overcame a spirited Scotland fightback to take a giant stride towards next year’s ICC World Twenty20 in England.

NEITHER Scotland nor the rain could prevent Ireland winning the European Championship and retaining their crown at Clontarf yesterday after Kyle McCallan had produced one of the great spells of one-day bowling.

Irish cricket bosses have named a squad of 13 for their forthcoming InterContinental Cup clash with Canada.

Cricket Ireland have this morning announced their squads for the European Championships which get under way in the Dublin area from July 25-31.

Cricket Ireland have this afternoon released a squad of 13 for their InterContinental Cup clash with the Netherlands next week.

Ireland have announced their squads for the forthcoming T20 clash with Bangladesh 'A' at Eglinton on Friday, and the 50-over clash with the same opposition at Bangor on Sunday.

Ireland have named an unchanged squad for their forthcoming Friends Provident Trophy games this weekend.

IRELAND gave notice that they may be more competitive than expected in this season’s Friends Provident Trophy despite losing to Nottinghamshire by 56 runs at Clontarf in the first match of the campaign.

Ireland have announced a squad of 13 for their opening fixture in the Friends Provident Trophy versus Nottinghamshire. The fixture takes place at Clontarf on Sunday at 12pm.

Andre Botha and Dave Langford-Smith return to the Ireland squad for the forthcoming quadrangular one-day international series featuring West Indies, Scotland and Holland.

Former India skipper Sourav Ganguly and Gautam Gambhir put on 164 for the second wicket as Ireland were comprehensively thrashed at Stormont.

India dominated today’s one-day international at Stormont as the tourists warmed up for next month’s Test series with England by skittling Ireland for just 193 from their 50 overs.

Ireland have named a squad of 13 for their forthcoming Friends Provident Trophy games against Middlesex and Glamorgan.

Ireland wrapped up the final of the ICC Intercontinental Cup inside two days at Grace Road, Leicester today with a clinical display, beating Canada by an innings and 115 runs.

Ireland strolled to victory by an innings and 115 runs against Canada to retain the Intercontinental Cup within two days of the scheduled four-day final at Grace Road today.

Ireland vice-captain Kyle McCallan has urged his team to put aside their poor start to the Friends Provident Trophy and retain the Intercontinental Cup for former coach Adrian Birrell.

THE quality of Kevin Pietersen shone through the gloom of Southampton yesterday to ease Hampshire to an eight-wicket victory over Ireland.

THE World Cup hangover continued for Ireland yesterday with a second heavy defeat in the Friends Provident Trophy, at Taunton, and the loss of Andre Botha for at least two weeks with a dislocated finger.

Skipper Justin Langer led from the front as Somerset thrashed Ireland by 128 runs to record their second Friends Provident Trophy win of the season.

DUP leader Ian Paisley and Sinn Féin chief negotiator Martin McGuinness strengthened their ministerial co-operation today by sending a joint letter of congratulations to Ireland’s World Cup cricket team.

NEW ZEALAND were threatened briefly but recovered to maintain their 100% record in the World Cup with a 129-run win over Ireland.

New Zealand were threatened briefly but recovered to maintain their 100% record in the World Cup with a 129-run over Ireland.

Ireland captain Trent Johnston said his team fell 20 to 30 runs short of their target in their Super Eight defeat to South Africa.

Jacques Kallis survived two chances to score his 61st one-day international half-century and steer South Africa to a seven-wicket win over Ireland in their World Cup Super Eight match at Providence Stadium in Guyana.

IRELAND’S cricketers fought bravely but they were soundly beaten by South Africa in their World Cup Super Eight match at Providence Stadium, Guyana yesterday.