Ireland fall short as England chase modest target for ODI win

England have beaten Ireland by four wickets in their one-day international in Malahide - but they were made to sweat.

Batting first in the game which was reduced to 45 overs-a-side Ireland were bowled out for 198.

Paul Stirling top-scored for the home side who got off to a bright start as Stirling and captain Will Porterfield put on 55 runs for the first wicket. However, thereafter partnerships were hard to come by and Ireland needed a sharp 32 from debutant Mark Adair to get them to a somewhat competitive score.

Ireland bowlers started well reducing England to 46 for 3 in the 10th over.

England were in need of a stable partnership but their revamped top six were exposed by 19-year-old left-armer Josh Little.

At 64 for four the pressure was building rapidly for the visitors.

Things only got worse for England as Joe Denly became the latest to fall, pulling Boyd Rankin to Kevin O'Brien at mid wicket for just eight to leave England 66 for five.

Ireland were growing in belief that they could pull off a major upset as David Willey joined Foakes at the crease.

Foakes and Willey rebuilt nicely for England, sharing a 45-run stand for the sixth wicket and ticking England past the hundred mark.

But Little's fantastic debut continued as he returned to the attack to dismiss Willey.

The seventh-wicket stand between Ben Foakes and Tom Curran moved past 50 as the pair began to edge England towards their victory target.

The Surrey pair both hit a boundary in the 39th over to take England to a required equation of 32 runs needed from the final 36 balls.

Foakes brought up his half-century on debut from 70 balls as he continued to lead England's push towards the victory line.

England eventually secured victory by four wickets thanks to a 98-run partnership between Foakes and Curran which banished the potential of a major upset in Dublin.

Foakes finished on 61 while Curran backed up his excellent display with the ball by finishing on 47.

- Press Association