Solid Irish display but visitors prove too strong

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.

With only five World Cup regulars in the line-up, a year on from those heroics in the Caribbean, hopes were not high at the start of yesterday’s game but a disciplined bowling performance held the county side to 217 for nine.

Kevin O’Brien was the star turn taking two wickets in a tight opening eight overs and returning at the end of the innings to claim figures of four for 31 — but there was also a promising debut from 25-year-old Strabane left-armer Phil Eaglestone who took two for 49 and looked the part.