IRELAND RECEIVED a €100,000 send-off from team sponsors RSA Insurance yesterday as they prepare to play in their third major competition in as many years at next month's World Twenty20 in the Caribbean.

PHIL Simmons says West Indies will be the most dangerous team at the World Twenty20 but believes Ireland can beat the host nation in their opening match of the tournament.

All 12 men's squads for the ICC World Twenty20 2010 have now been confirmed with the very best players in the world all getting ready for the big event, which gets underway in the West Indies later this month.

Ireland all-rounder Alex Cusack is feeling ready for the ICC World Twenty20 with all the preparation he and the side have done ahead of its opening match against the hosts West Indies on the first day of the event.

Two of the North West's favourite cricketing sons take to the world stage yet again this week.

A typically destructive innings from Jesse Ryder helped his side to a comfortable 40 run win against Ireland in their ICC World Twenty20 warm-up game in Guyana.

The margin of defeat was five wickets as the Afghans passed their target of 134 with three balls to spare.

A poor batting display saw Ireland crash to just 68 all out, to lose their opening encounter of the World Twenty20 by 70 runs to the hosts West Indies.

Ireland's cricket has moved on so fast they now have a realistic outside chance of beating the old adversary at their own game.

Ireland spent yesterday in Guyana licking the deepest wounds inflicted on them for many a day after a crushing defeat at the hands olf the West Indies.

The landmarks are coming thick and fast for Ireland's players and the latest to win his 100th cap, today, will be Niall O'Brien.

Ireland went all the way to the sunny Caribbean only for rain to end their hopes of causing a massive upset over England and make it to the Super Eights of a world event for a third straight time.

`I Firmly Believe That We Would Have Beaten Them if We'd Have Got the Opportunity' - John Mooney