Liam McCarthy will be keen to have another crack at the West Indies after impressing with his pace and accuracy as the Boys in Green stormed to a 124-run victory on Wednesday in the first of three one-day internationals at Clontarf.

The 24-year-old Railway Union man didn’t take a wicket on debut but he did enough to show he is ready to become a key cog in the Ireland attack in the months and years ahead.

Pace is precious at the top level of the international game and McCarthy hurried the experienced Royston Chase, striking him painfully on the bottom hand, before felling Matthew Forde with a blow to the solar plexes. 

“I’d say he’s got that bit of ‘ball speed’ about him,” Ireland fast bowling coach Ryan Eagleson said. “There’s also an angle to his action that brings the ball back into the right-handers, and he has the ability to hold it up as well.

“Liam’s been around the squads for a year or so now but he’s been held back by a couple of injuries so it was great to see him get that first cap after all the hard work he’s put in.

“Hopefully he’ll learn from that experience in the first game and keep going from strength to strength because he’s got the pace and that’s what teams around the world are looking for.”

With left-armer Josh Little also capable of firing rockets at the other end the Ireland attack has a cutting edge and is no longer entirely reliant on its hard-working medium pacers.

The only thing missing from McCarthy’s debut performance was a first international wicket but there will plenty of those to come if he stays fit and firing.

All three of Ireland’s debutants in the opening game of the series began life in South Africa, and Cade Carmichael and Tom Mayes can also be happy with their first efforts for their adopted country.

Carmichael looked confident and at home in the No3 role during his cameo of 16, while Mayes’ first two overs were maidens as he proved an adequate new-ball substitute for the injured Mark Adair.

While skipper Paul Stirling will be expecting a reaction from the wounded West Indies, a second victory today (FRI) would not only secure the series ahead of Sunday’s final game but also extend Ireland’s winning streak to five against the visitors.