IRELAND wrapped up its biggest twenty20 victory ever to put them in the playoff stages of this World Cup qualifier. he margin of 82 runs matches Ireland's biggest victory, in the first ever Twenty20 game, against Bangladesh A in 2008.

It was a game Ireland dominated from the start, with loose Uganda bowling allowing William Porterfield and Paul Stirling to race away with a stand of 78 off 7.2 overs, setting up a huge total of 179.

The Africans never threatened to chase that and were bowled out in the final over. Kevin O'Brien was man of the match for his 39 off 20 balls, and 2-7 off two overs.

"It's always nice to be there at the end hitting a few runs," he told the Irish Daily Star.

"We're performing well in all departments now, with the batters all coming into form and the opening bowlers firing at the top of the innings. We have to win every game, but that's what we planned to do when we came out here," said O'Brien.

Coach Phil Simmons also revealed why he called up Andrew Poynter to replace John Mooney, who flies home tomorrow with a torn hamstring that will sideline him for 6-10 weeks.

"I thought about bringing Tim Murtagh but we've got seven or eight bowlers here and and they're all doing their jobs. With Alex Cusack out for the next four days too, we have no batting cover so I think Andrew is the best call," Simmons said.

Paul Stirling has yet to shine here and was relieved to tee off in this compact, club-style ground complete with picket fence. Mehumuza's first over went for 21, and a second six was comically spilled by Irish fan Kevin Woods from Garristown, Co Dublin, over the long on boundary. Stirling then tried to hoick the captain Davis and was caught.

Joyce didn't stay long but Gary Wilson kept William Porterfield company for five overs. Porterfield made his second fifty of the week - off 39 balls - before Frank Nsubuga trapped him in front.

Ireland's rate slowed down as the boundaries dried up, hitting just two fours between the 7th and 17th overs, but the following over was a whopper. Twenty eight runs flowed, mostly from the bat of Kevin O'Brien who hit two fours and a six, and from the hand of Asadu Seiga who delivered three no-balls, one of which went to the fence.

Wilson and Trent Johnston fell in the next over, but O'Brien hit a stunning jab for six over mid on and then split the square legs to give Ireland its second highest total in twenty20 cricket.

Facing a target of nine and over, Uganda went for their shots early, and lost Kyobe to Trent Johnston's third delivery and Nsubuga to his eighth.

In the absence of Mooney and Cusack, Porterfield gave his fringe bowlers a spell. Kevin O'Brien picked up two more wickets and Nigel Jones bowled four tight overs for the scalp of Mehumuza. Max Sorensen bowls quick and straight but his only reward was when he yorked the Uganda captain.

Wickets continued to fall steadily, with the best of the lot coming when Ed Joyce made a spectacular one handed diving catch to dismiss Charles Waiswa off Andrew White.

Ronald Semanda and Seiga tried to biff a few off the spinners as the run rate climbed ludicrously, but George Dockrell was rewarded for his perseverance with two wickets in the final over.