Indeed when Afghanistan reduced their hosts to 106 for eight after 31 overs, it was Ireland who were staring defeat in the face. But, yet again, the No 1 Associate team showed why they remain the team they all have to beat.
Ed Joyce, first in partnership with Tim Murtagh and then George Dockrell, put on 57 for the last two wickets and when Trent Johnston and a golden spell from Alex Cusack left Afghanistan reeling at 33 for five, it was only a matter of time.
In the end, Ireland romped home with almost 17 overs to spare and they can now look forward to doing it all over next week against the same opposition in the Intercontinental Cup. Ireland also lead that competition.
Joyce was surprised by the margin of victory.
"It wasn't an easy wicket to bat on. When I went in we thought 200-220 would have been needed but when I ran out Kevin (O'Brien), the only batsman who looked comfortable on that pitch, I revised that down and from 80 for five we were grateful for any total.
Porterfield drives through wide mid on to the boundary
" We always knew we were in the game with 160 but certainly didn't expect a 59 runs victory," said the Sussex batsman.
"Trent bowled beautifully, albeit it was a helpful wicket, but he didn't bowl a bad ball and Cusi then came on and did exactly the same thing.
"It was very difficult pitch to drive on so I had to rein myself in from playing that shot. I was dropped on 20 and that was crucial in the end. I have played a lot of cricket with Tim (when he was Murtagh's team-mate at Middlesex). I think he was nervous, but those runs at the end were vital."
A direct hit as Kevin O'Brien goes for a single
This was Ireland's 10th lowest total in 73 one-day internationals, and their lowest against a fellow-Associate, but 163 was worth a lot more on a sluggish pitch still recovering from the rain which washed out the first game between the teams, without a ball bowled. Indeed so bad were the run-ups on the original pitch that this game was moved to an adjacent one to ensure the start was delayed by only 45 minutes.
It was a big toss to win and the last thing out-of-form captain William Porterfield wanted was to bat first in helpful bowling conditions. But, after opposite number Karim Sadiq called correctly, the Ireland captain didn't shy away from his responsibilities and walked to the middle with
Paul Stirling, After two first ball dismissals in his last two innings for Ireland, at least Porterfield got off the mark this time, to his 16th ball, but nine balls later he was walking in the opposite direction, caught at long-leg for his eighth successive single figure score for county and country.
If Warwickshire do not require him next week, there remains the possibility that he will be available for the Rathmines clash. At the moment only Paul Stirling and Kevin O'Brien of the county professionals are down to play in the game.
Stirling had been dismissed in Shapoor's previous over and when Kevin O'Brien was run out, ball-watching, to a fair call by Joyce, after the most entertaining innings of the day - 31 off 32 balls with six fours and a six - Ireland had to go into rearguard mode.
Tim Murtagh opened from the Killester End
Joyce, without an innings for Sussex since June 10, was the perfect batsman to play that role and 67 from 124 boundaries with six fours was just what was required. Murtagh, finally making an appearance in the middle for Ireland at the third attempt, got off the mark with a boundary and he and Dockrell stayed a vital 17 overs with Joyce.
Murtagh is still waiting for his first wicket, despite getting three spells, and it was the spinners, Stirling and Dockrell, who finished the job with two wickets apiece for a miserly 14 runs.
And Joyce confirmed, Ireland are in a good position to reach Australia in 2015.
"We would like to have played the first game but we've got three points from four against a very, very strong side, so we would have taken that," added Joyce. There are three rounds of matches remaining, the next for Ireland in the UAE next February/March.