Ireland regained a measure of respectability when they fell to an 85-run defeat to England in the second of the One Day International at a sell-out Lord’s.
Looking to bounce back from their seven-wicket mauling in the opening match in Bristol on Friday, Ireland won the toss and unsurprisingly decided to put England in to bat on an overcast and cool morning at the home of cricket.
England went on to make 326 for 6, with a late flourish by Johnny Bairstow - who scored off 72 off 44 deliveries - taking the old enemy past the 300 mark.
In reply Ireland were bowled out for 243 in the 47th over, with William Porterfield playing a captains innings of 82.
Earlier, wicketkeeper Niall O’Brien past a fitness test on an injured finger while Ireland coach John Bracewell made one change to his starting 11 with Leinster Lightning’s Barry McCarthy coming in for a like-for-like swap with bowler Stuart Thompson.
Peter Chase and Tim Murtagh opened the bowling with Chase, who took all three England wickets to fall in Bristol, bowling an expensive opening spell.
Murtagh was much stingier and took the first wicket to fall, bowling opener Jason Roy for 32 in the 11th over with England on 49 for 1.
McCarthy then had success in his first over when he took Jason Roy’s wicket for 20 with England at 60 for 2 in the 15th over.
Those dismissals brought Joe Root and England captain Eoin Morgan to the crease.
Morgan, who played some beautiful shots, was fortunate to survive when the ball rolled onto the stumps in the 23rd over off the bowling of Paul Stirling when he was on 40, but the ball didn’t dislodge the bails.
Morgan and Root went past 50 and looked comfortable, until Root holed out to Andy Balbirnie on 73 in the 36th over and was quickly followed by Morgan who when for 76 to give McCarthy his second wicket after a smart catch by Ed Joyce with England on 213 for 4 in the 38th over.
Ireland had England a little on the ropes at that stage but Bairstow (72 not out) and Adil Rashid (39) took England past the 300 mark.
In reply Ireland openers Paul Stirling and Ed Joyce started well, making an opening stand of 68 by the 13th over before Stirling, who scored eight fours and one six, was out caught behind for 48 off the bowling of Jake Ball.
Joyce hung around for 42 deliveries before he was bowled for 16 by Joe Root in the 16th over with Ireland on 77 for 2 at that stage.
Andy Balbirnie fell for 2 LBW from the bowling of Liam Plunkett while Niall O’Brien fell for 15, Root’s second wicket in the 23rd over with Ireland on 113 for 4.
Gary Wilson made 15 while Kevin O’Brien went down swinging for 18 off just 9 deliveries, but the Irish plaudits went to captain Porterfield who made 82 off 83 deliveries before he was bowled by Mark Wood in the 41st over, his departure really ending the game as a contest.
Irelands innings ended in the 47th over as George Dockrell made 28, Barry McCarthy 2, Tim Murtagh 6 and Peter Case 6 not out as Ireland fells hort of their target, but even in defeat they salvaged their pride.
