ISOBEL JOYCE led from the front with a match-winning 72 not out as Ireland clinched a place in next year's World T20 finals with a nail-biting two-run victory over the Netherlands at Claremont Road.

Captain Joyce struck six boundaries in her 64-ball innings and Kim Garth weighed in with a meaty 31 to give Ireland 136-5 to defend in the play-off for the last plane ticket to Bangladesh.

The Netherlands took the game to the wire, though, and a boundary from the last ball would have broken Irish hearts.

"These are the moments you play cricket for and that was a great advertisement for the women's game," Joyce said. "The people watching enjoyed it too - even if their hearts were in their mouths.

"It's eight years since we played in a World Cup, so we're going to go out and celebrate a bit."

At half-way Ireland looked to have more than enough, but the visitors chased doggedly despite an early wicket for Louise McCarthy, a stunning catch on the boundary by Cecelia Joyce and a smart run-out by 13-year-old Lucy O'Reilly - the youngest player in the qualifiers.

But after opener Helmein Rambaldo completed a solid half-century with successive fours, the target was reduced to 12 to win from the last six balls.

The pivotal ball proved to be the fifth when, with five needed, only a bye was scrambled. The final ball saw Garth execute Ireland's second run out to leave the Netherlands two short on 134-4.