Ravi Rampaul grabbed 3-17 to start the Ireland collapse.

The West Indies began shakily against the modest threat of Ireland, reduced to 5-83 after 13 overs.

Ramnaresh Sarwan hit a run-a-ball 24 and the top five batsmen all crossed double figures but Ireland kept a tight rein.

Left-arm spinner George Dockrell, the youngest player in the tournament at 17, claimed 3-16.

Sammy supplied the crucial momentum shift towards the end, smashing two fours and two sixes as the locals took 45 runs from the last four overs.

Ireland's reply was derailed early when Sammy snared a low catch to remove captain William Porterfield off paceman Kemar Roach. Rampaul further dented the run chase with the scalps of Paul Stirling, Niall O'Brien and Alex Cusack as Ireland slumped to 16-4 either side of a short rain delay.

Gary Wilson, with a laborious 17 off 34 deliveries, was the only Irish batsman to reach double figures as the West Indies throttled the associate team. Ireland only scored 49 runs off the bat, with extras being the top scorer thanks to an errant West Indies attack.

Sammy fittingly ended the match with the scalp of Dockrell.

The home team's next match is against England on Monday at the same venue.

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3.25 Copyright (C) 2007 Alain Georgette / Copyright (C) 2006 Frantisek Hliva. All rights reserved."

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