Ireland once again disappointed their home fans by letting a winning position slip at Clontarf yesterday.

This time it was the Sri Lankans who broke Irish hearts, with their high-class seam attack and mystery spinners proving they could adapt to alien conditions. The visiting batsmen had struggled with what passes for early summer in Dublin 3, scrambling to 219-8 only after Ireland gave up 80 off the last ten overs.

But the Irish batters had just as many problems and were all out for 140, their lowest ever ODI score at the venue. The day started brilliantly, winning the toss before Tim Murtagh’s fourth ball caught the edge of Perera’s bat and ended up in Kevin O’Brien’s diving left hand.

William Porterfield had called for his bowlers to keep the pressure on, pointing to the need to take wickets all through the innings and not just at the start. His bowlers responded to the call, all bar Max Sorensen contributing to the wickets column.

O’Brien held another brilliant catch, this time off his own bowling, and his brother Niall had a direct hit from 35 metres to run out the Sri Lanka captain Angelo Mathews. With the ball wobbling around, Murtagh (10-2-21-2) was almost unplayable as the Sri Lankans battled with the conditions to stay in the game.

Nuwan Kulasekera smashed the only sixes of the day, off Dockrell and Cusack, and shared a sparkling stand with Ajantha Mendis which brought the total to 219-8. Ireland struggled from the start, losing Paul Stirling and Ed Joyce to teeter on 5-2., before But Niall O’Brien counter-attacked and hit five boundaries in getting to 33 when he edged to the keeper.

He and Porterfield put on 58, the only fifty stand of the day. The former Railway Union man also marked a milestone by scoring the 1,500th ODI run of his long career. His dismissal sparked a collapse, with Gary Wilson run out, Kevin O’Brien caught in the deep after a horribly mistimed pull off the first ball he faced, and Stu Thompson out lbw.

That made it 74-6 and all thoughts of a first win in Clontarf disappeared. Porterfield battled on to make 37 off 87 balls before Max Sorensen and George Dockrell enjoyed a few overs in the middle. Sri Lanka duly rattled up their tenth win on the trot and Mendis was awarded man-of-the-match for his 10-1-26-3.

He will be keen to add a few more scalps when they return to the same venue on Thursday.

*** THE 2nd XIs have mostly struggled in Division 2 – all their games clash with their 1st XIs, meaning they don’t get to play below-the-line players, and often lose their stars to the senior side. They got some serious thumpings last season and Cricket Leinster would be happier if Division 2 was made up of senior sides only.

On early form, however, the second strings of Pembroke and Merrion will be soaring clear of any relegation dogfight. Pembroke bowled out Leinster for 134 on Monday, with schoolboy David Poff taking 7-47and ‘Builda’ Whaley leading them home. And Merrion 2nds went top of the division by beating Phoenix 1sts in a high-scoring thriller.

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SELFIE OF THE WEEK: Pretty good 30th birthday for Mary Waldron – good win over Durham in the county championship and a selfie with Sky commentator David ‘Bumble’ Lloyd.

*** FIXTURES Thursday: RSA One-day Series: Ireland v Sri Lanka, Clontarf 10.45am

Saturday: RSA Irish Senior Cup: Bready v Ballymena, Coleraine v CIYMS, Eglinton v North Down, Brigade v Phoenix, Fox Lodge v Leinster, Civil Service North v St Johnston, Lurgan v Strabane, Lisburn v Clontarf, Muckamore v Merrion, Waringstown v Terenure, The Hills v Glendermott, North County v Ardmore, YMCA v Downpatrick, Railway Union v Instonians, Pembroke v Cork Harlequins, Cork County v Donemana

RSA National Cup: Co Sligo v Limerick Raiders, Burndennett v Woodvale, Drummond v Bangor, Killyclooney v Rush, Ballyspallen v Malahide, Cliftonville v Bonds Glen, Derriaghy v Creevedonnell, Carrickfergus v North Kildare, Balbriggan v Newbuildings, Laois v Sion Mills, Civil Service v Dundrum (Co Down), Dundrum (Co Dublin) v Holywood, Co Kerry v Co Galway, Midleton v Ballaghadereen, Templepatrick v Mullingar RSA Division 2: Dublin University v Pembroke 2