IRELAND scored a stunning, last-ball win for the second day in a row yesterday at Balrothery. This time the victims were pre-tournament favourites Afghanistan, putting George Dockrell's boys top of the U19 World Cup qualifier table.

Following Thursday's one wicket win over the USA, yesterday just one boundary was the difference between the sides.

On Tuesday night Josh Hall was preparing for yesterday's Northern cup final with his club Waringstown when he got a call from manager Brian Walsh that he was replacing Sam Shannon in the U19 squad.

On Thursday he smashed the winning runs, and yesterday, when Dockrell called on him to bowl the last over, Hall again kept his nerve. The Afghans needed a six off the last ball but Hall clean bowled Nazzad with a yorker.

Earlier Ireland's top order batting failed for the second time, but from 43-4 Andrew McBrine (50) led the revival and Barry McCarthy (47) carried it on, dominating a last wicket stand of 53.

Ireland opened the bowling with spinner Adam Coughlan, who went through his 10 overs with an impressive 2-27. The Afghan's rallied however, before Hall's late, late show.

Ireland now joins Namibia and Kenya as the only unbeaten sides, and plays two more games in Dublin (Scotland at The Hills tomorrow and Kenya at Rathmines on Monday) before the competition moves to Derry.