It may be only October but that's it for Ireland Men in 2024 who have no more scheduled games until next year.

PAUL STIRLING recorded his highest score of the season in Abu Dhabi last night as Ireland turned the tables on South Africa to claim the dead rubber of their one-day international series by 69 runs. 

Cricket Ireland seem to view Test matches - the pinnacle of the game, and the reason they receive five times the funding of Scotland and the Netherlands — as a necessary nuisance, at best. 

PAUL STIRLING lost his fourth consecutive toss at the Sheikh Zayed stadium to condemn Ireland to another hot, sweaty four hours in the field and ultimately a 174-run loss to South Africa in the second of three one-day internationals.

IRELAND lost their first one-day international against South Africa, but their newest star was busy packing his bags for his next adventure. A T20 specialist, he is off to spend the winter with the University of Adelaide, hoping to sharpen his game on the hard Australian pitches.

GAVIN HOEY will be back at the Sheikh Zayed stadium this evening hoping to build on the impressive debut he made for Ireland in Wednesday’s opening one-day international against South Africa.

There was no victory celebration for Paul Stirling to mark his 400th appearance for Ireland last night as his side were comprehensively beaten by South Africa, losing by 139 runs in the first of a three-match one-day international series in Abu Dhabi.

Paul Stirling will make a record-breaking 400th appearance for Ireland in Abu Dhabi today fully believing his side can carry their T20 form into a three-match one-day international series against South Africa.

Excellent performances from brothers Ross and Mark Adair helped Ireland defeat South Africa and level the two-match T20I series in Abu Dhabi last night.

Ross Adair became the third batsman to score a T20 international century for Ireland as the rookie opener hit a stunning 100 from 58 balls in Abu Dhabi last night to fire the Boys in Green to a thrilling 10-run victory over South Africa.

CURTIS CAMPHER fell one run short of marking his 100th appearance for Ireland with a half-century in Abu Dhabi before South Africa cruised to an eight-wicket victory with 14 balls to spare  in the first of two T20 internationals.

IRELAND play South Africa today in the first of a two-game series, their first T20 international of the winter. Or are they playing their last games of the summer?

Matthew Humphreys will be looking for an early birthday present as Ireland take on South Africa today in the first game of their two-match T20I series in Abu Dhabi.

Ireland are back in action for the first time in two months as they host South Africa in five matches in the UAE starting on Friday.

Paul Stirling has put the seal on one long-term relationship this month but he will be taking an agreed break from another when he leads out Ireland against South Africa in Abu Dhabi tomorrow in the first of two ‘home’ T20 internationals.

ANDY BALBIRNIE has been left out of the Ireland T20 squad that will play a two-match ‘home’ series against South Africa in Abu Dhabi at the end of this month, as the selectors look to bring through new blood ahead of the 2026 World Cup.

Balbirnie has been dropped from the T20 squad as, in the words of National Selector Andrew White, Ireland look to “introduce a new dynamic” at the top of the order.

The ECB and Cricket Ireland have confirmed a three-match ODI series in September 2025.

IRELAND completed a stunning turnaround to win the Test against Zimbabwe at lunchtime in Stormont yesterday, with a determined fightback from the middle order the deciding factor.

Andy McBrine took a rare step into the spotlight in Belfast yesterday, striking an unbeaten half-century to guide Ireland to a stunning four-wicket comeback victory over Zimbabwe and back-to-back Test match wins.

THE white-hot heat of Test match pressure proved too much for Ireland’s top order at Stormont, leaving Ireland’s rearguard an enormous task to win a first test at home this morning.

PJ Moor deployed ‘the immutable law of the ex’ in Belfast to make his highest score for Ireland and leave the one-off Test against his former Zimbabwe team-mates finely balanced at stumps on day two.

THE Stormont Test match sits in the balance after another gripping day which followed the first day’s script almost word for word.

A committed bowling unit prised open Zimbabwe after the visitors looked set for a big score, before twisting the knife in a dramatic late collapse which saw six wickets fall for 17 runs.

There was rain. Of course there was rain, it was the opening day of the Stormont Test match, the first in Northern Ireland. But before the downpour, the Ireland bowlers had done their job – eventually.

Andy McBrine took two wickets in as many balls to spark a stunning post-tea collapse as Ireland dismissed Zimbabwe for 210 to take a firm grip of the historic first Test match in Belfast.

Ireland batsman PJ Moor has come an awful long way to play cricket at Stormont, where Zimbabwe are the visitors for the first home Test match in six years, starting Thursday.

ONLY two Test matches— of more than 2,500 played - have been tied but it wouldn’t be the biggest shock if Ireland and Zimbabwe produced a really close result over the next five days in Belfast. 

PAUL STIRLING is planning a home-town celebration or two this week — on and off the field — when Ireland host Zimbabwe in an historic first Test match in Belfast, starting on Thursday.

ANDY BALBIRNIE is getting ready to don the whites again on Thursday and captain Ireland in their first Test match in Belfast, against Zimbabwe, in what he happily admits is his favourite form of the game.

GAVIN HOEY has been named in a 14-strong squad for Ireland’s one-off Test match against Zimbabwe in Belfast next week, following in the family tradition of his leg-spinning father Conor who played the last of his 42 internationals nearly three decades ago.

Ireland have named a 14-man squad for their upcoming Test against Zimbabwe in Belfast next week.

The fringe players in the Ireland men’s squad have a final chance to stake a claim for a place in the Test match against Zimbabwe at Stormont.

Matthew Humphreys put himself front and centre for a Test place against Zimbabwe with another five wicket haul to record match figures of 10-101 as Ireland beat the West Indies Academy by 10 wickets. 

Half centuries from Andy Balbirnie, Andy McBrine and Fionn Hand continued Ireland's dominance over the West Indies on the second day of their game at Stormont. 

Matthew Humphreys five-wicket haul has put the Lisburn left-arm spinner in contention for his second Test appearance after a fine all-round effort by Ireland against the West Indies at Stormont.

Does blame at Irish woes lie with the lack of player adaptability or the ICC's inability to provide top of the range playing conditions?

Cade Carmichael's 92 and a fine bowling fightback late in the day saw Emerging Ireland close in on victory going into the final day of their four-day match with West Indies Academy at Comber.

Paul Stirling will not look back on his first major tournament in charge with many fond memories but the Ireland captain will know that a winless campaign and bottom place in Group A of the T20 World Cup is not as bad as it sounds.

Chris De Freitas top-scored with 88 for Ireland Academy on a truncated opening day of their match against the West Indies Under 23's at Comber.

Barry McCarthy finally restored some pride for a beleaguered Ireland, but they still lost to Pakistan by three wickets to finish bottom of their T20 World Cup Group.

Both sides are packed and ready to leave, the taxis for Miami airport idling outside the Central Broward Regional Park Stadium Turf Ground preparing for a hasty exit this afternoon.

Neither side wants to be there, and neither will mourn if the rainwaters that have pounded Broward County these past six days get their way once again today.

The last faint hope of Ireland progressing to the next stage of the T20 World Cup was extinguished by the rain in Florida yesterday as a soggy outfield at Lauderhill led to an abandoned game and sent the USA through to the Super Eight.

THE Sunshine State they call it. But it was more Mops and Bucket than Tubbs and Crockett as Ireland tumbled out of the Men’s T20 World Cup in rain-soaked Lauderhill, just north of Miami, yesterday.

While Ireland's T20 World Cup campaign was ending in a sodden mess in Florida, the sun was shining on the Academy at Bready as they completed a 3-0 series clean sweep over their West Indian counterparts.

‘Scattered thunderstorms with a 78% chance of rain’ is the forecast of the weather boffins in Broward County, south-east Florida. Should they be right, Ireland’s stuttering T20 World Cup campaign will be put to bed today when they are due to play the United States in a crunch Group A game in Lauderhill.

If one of the 14 support staff with the Ireland squad knows how to use a calculator, skipper Paul Stirling will already be aware of the size of the challenge that lies ahead this weekend in Florida as his side try to qualify for the Super Eight of the T20 World Cup.

It was a day to remember at Bready. I arrived late but didn't miss much and opted against leaving early, in the process seeing one of those games that usually only happen about once a year.

Ireland hoping for a dramatic u-turn after New York nightmare.

IF IRELAND were hoping India would do them a big favour in New York yesterday it didn’t happen but the T20 World Cup favourites did just scrape past the USA by seven wickets to keep Group A alive for all five teams.

The Irish cricketers are ‘up for it’ in this weekend’s crucial T20 World Cup games, says all-rounder Curtis Campher. ‘We’re used to fighting uphill battles,’ he added, as the squad got down to business in Florida after a three-day break.

WHILE they swelter in the heat of Florida, the Ireland squad will have one eye on the weather 1300 miles up the east coast today, knowing that rain in New York could spell the end of their spluttering T20 World Cup campaign.

Morgan Topping's unbeaten 66 guided Ireland Academy to a six-wicket win over their West Indies counterparts in the opening match of their three-game 50 overs series in the North West region this week.

PAUL STIRLING has been predictably upbeat about Ireland’s chances of making the Super Eights of the T20 World Cup despite losing their first two Group A matches to India and Canada in New York.

IRELAND’S cricketers dusted themselves down and got out of Gotham City as quick as they could yesterday, the LCD Soundsystem song ‘New York, I Love You But You’re Bringing Me Down’ on everyone’s lips.

It wasn’t supposed to be like this. When the Ireland squad flew out of New York on Friday evening for their three-hour flight to the Sunshine state, they had expected to be halfway to the Super Eights stage of the T20 World Cup.

Ireland will be heading home from the T20 World Cup after next weekend with tails between legs after suffering a second chastening Group A defeat in 48 hours at the Nassau County International Stadium - losing to Canada by 12 runs.

SHELL-shocked Ireland depart the Big Apple this weekend with little hope of making the Super Eights at the Men’s T20 World Cup. A poor overall performance allowed associate side Canada to triumph by 12 runs, meaning Paul Stirling’s side will have to beat the US and Pakistan in Florida next weekend, and still require snookers to progress.

This T20 World Cup has featured logistical issues that should render the poor quality of the pitch for India vs Ireland as no surprise.

The most important play of Ireland’s second T20 World Cup match against Canada in New York today is likely to come 30 minutes before the start of the Group A game when skipper Paul Stirling walks out to the middle for the toss.

IRELAND will be eager to bounce back from the heavy defeat to India when they face Canada today in their second game at the T20 World Cup.

There was no fairytale in New York for Ireland as their T20 World Cup hopes were dealt a heavy blow by an eight-wicket loss to India on a brute of a pitch at the pop-up Nassau County International Stadium.

Ireland went down to a thumping eight-wicket defeat to India in their opening game at the ICC Men’s T20 World Cup in New York yesterday. Losing was no shock, but while the margin was unflattering, it was a game ruined by a pitch totally unsuited to a global showpiece.

IRELAND kick off their T20 World Cup campaign today in Nassau County, New York. A public park in Long Island has been transformed into a 38,000 stadium at a cost of $30million.

Cricket Ireland announced 25 player contracts for their men's squad, with Ross Adair, Matthew Foster, and PJ Moor all getting deals, while losing out are Murray Commins, Simi Singh, Tyrone Kane, Conor Olphert and Theo van Woerkom.

WHAT chance do Ireland have of upsetting India in New York today and sending a shockwave through international cricket?

Paul Stirling is frustrated that Ireland will not get a chance to view the New York venue for their first T20 World Cup match before they take on India in Group A tomorrow.

IT’S not hard to work out why Barry McCarthy is one of the most popular of Ireland’s small band of professional cricketers.

Ger Siggins takes a look at the 15 players who will represent Ireland at this week's T20 World Cup in the USA and West Indies.

IT is less than 16 years since Ireland first played a twenty20 international, but it feels an awful lot longer. The difference between a wet weekend in Stormont in 2008 and the Indian Premier League is akin to that between Richmond Park and the Camp Nou.

SHARP-eared TV viewers will notice a Dublin accent among the commentary team at the Cricket World T20 Cup starting this week in the USA and West Indies. 

HERE we go again. Cricket really does itself no favours with the frequency of its global events. A 50-over World Cup every four years – like other major sports – is about right, but when it comes to twenty20, cricket goes all Andrea True Connection.

Josh Little made an eye-catching return to the international arena in Florida as Ireland completed their preparations for the T20 World Cup with a 41-run defeat by Sri Lanka in a 12-a-side practice match.

Heinrich Malan has agreed a two-year contract extension that will take him up until mid-2027.

Ireland will fly off to the T20 World Cup next week in fine fettle after another heart-stopping victory over the Netherlands in The Hague yesterday.

Lorcan Tucker continued his run of form with the bat yesterday, notching a third half-century in four innings as Ireland beat Scotland by five wickets to clinch the T20 international tri-series with a game still to play in The Hague.

MARK ADAIR showed both sides of his all-round game in The Hague yesterday and kept his nerve in a thrilling finish as Ireland squeezed past the Netherlands by one run in their first match of the T20 tri-nations series.

Waringstown all-rounder Graham Hume will miss the tri-series in the Netherlands due to visa issues and has been replaced by Fionn Hand.

Lorcan Tucker lit up his first game as Ireland captain with a sparkling half-century - his second in successive innings - but was again on the losing side at Clontarf yesterday as Pakistan eased home by six wickets to claim the T20 international series 2-1.

Ireland are set to tour Pakistan for a series next year.

LORCAN TUCKER top scored with 51 in another impressive batting display by Ireland at Clontarf yesterday but it wasn’t enough to prevent Pakistan winning by seven wickets and levelling the three-match T20 international series.

Andy Balbirnie scored a superb 77 from 55 balls to set up a stunning five-wicket victory over Pakistan at Clontarf last night that gives Ireland a 1-0 lead in the best-of-three T20 international series.

Paul Stirling will be taking the chance to fine tune his seam bowling options for next month’s T20 World Cup when Ireland take on Pakistan at Clontarf in the first of a three-match series.

JOSH LITTLE will miss the three-match T20 international series against Pakistan that starts at Clontarf on Friday and Ireland will also be without their star paceman for the tri-series featuring Scotland and the Netherlands that follows in The Hague.

Ireland will play their first Test match on home soil for more than six years this summer after the confirmation yesterday that a five-day match against Zimbabwe will go ahead in Belfast on July 25-29.

Ireland's Test against Zimbabwe this summer has been confirmed for Belfast in July, but six planned white-ball matches against the same opponents have been scrapped.

Ireland Academy lost the opening match of their three-game series against Guernsey by 63 runs at KGV on Friday.

There was good news for fans of red-ball cricket as the Cricket Ireland Board gave the go-ahead for the first Test to be staged in Northern Ireland in July.

Olly Riley will captain the Ireland Academy squad in three matches against the Guernsey senior side on Friday and Saturday.

Nearly two months after the 2023 deals expired, Cricket Ireland has yet to agree to terms with its players for the upcoming summer

Guernsey have named a strong side for their three games against the Ireland Academy this weekend.

A look at the averages for what has been a successful tour for the Ireland Wolves, who won five and lost three games of their eight-matches.

Stephen Doheny signed off with a century in Kathmandu yesterday as the Ireland Wolves beat Nepal A by 69 runs to complete a 3-0 whitewash in their 50-overs series and end a successful two-week tour on a high.

Mark Adair has his maiden nomination for the ICC Player of the Month award after spearheading Ireland’s Test win over Afghanistan as well as contributing in the shorter formats.

MATTHEW HUMPHREYS and Liam McCarthy bowled Ireland Wolves to an unlikely 21-run victory over Nepal A in Kathmandu in the first of three 50-over matches.

Nepal A gained a consolation win, beating Ireland Wolves by three runs in a contest that ebbed and flowed throughout in Kathmandu.

The Board of Cricket Ireland shied away from cancelling this summer’s proposed Test match against Zimbabwe in Belfast at their meeting on Tuesday but will re-visit the thorny issue next month.

There are no easy answers, but one cost-cutting alternative that could be discussed at today’s CI board meeting is cancelling the two white-ball ‘home’ series against South Africa scheduled for Abu Dhabi at the end of September.

Ireland Wolves return from their self-imposed two-year exile ended in a convincing six-wicket loss against Nepal after a rusty batting display saw them dismissed for just 121.

A look at how the Irish players did in the recent series against Afghanistan.

Ireland's Test match against Zimbabwe, pencilled in for Stormont in late July, is reportedly being scrapped as the beleaguered Board are yet again struggling with their finances.

The Irish Academy squad will play three matches on the Channel Island in April.

Paul Stirlinghad to settle for second best against Afghanistan in Sharjah as Ireland were comprehensively outplayed in the final T20 international, losing it by 57 runs and the hard-fought series 2-1.

IRELAND will face a decider against Afghanistan on Monday after spurning a couple of gilt-edged chances to wrap up their three-match T20 international series in Sharjah.

Harry Tector rescued Ireland from another middle order stumble in Sharjah with his commanding unbeaten half-century setting up a 38-run victory over Afghanistan in the first of a three-match T20 international series.

The rest of the batting was abysmal and for the second game in succession nine Ireland players failed to reach double figures.

Harry Tector scored his fifth one-day international century for Ireland in Sharjah last night but once again found himself on the losing side as Afghanistan eased to victory by 35 runs in the first game of a three-match series.

Heinrich Malan is preparing to be tested again by Afghanistan in the United Arab Emirates this week after the celebrations and euphoria of Ireland’s first Test match victory in Abu Dhabi on Friday.

The players must get huge credit for a thoroughly committed performance but this was not a victory that Irish cricket as a whole deserved.

The euphoria following Friday's maiden Test win is still fresh in the mind, but there has been mixed news emerging on the fixtures front this year.

Ireland Wolves will emerge from their two-year hibernation with an eight match white-ball tour of Nepal.

Andy Balbirnie described Ireland’s first Test victory as “kind of overwhelming” after emotional scenes greeted their six-wicket victory over Afghanistan in Abu Dhabi.

Andy Balbirnie showed a captain’s composure to lead Ireland to an historic first Test match win in Abu Dhabi yesterday,

Andy Balbirnie was left wondering what might have been in Abu Dhabi last night as Afghanistan fought back to parity against Ireland on the second day of the one-off Test at the Tolerance Oval.

MARK ADAIR led a superb seam bowling display that dismissed hosts Afghanistan for 155 yesterday and put Ireland in a strong position after the first day of the one-off Test at the Tolerance Oval.

IF IRELAND can end their losing streak and win a Test match for the first time at the eighth attempt this week in Abu Dhabi it is perhaps inevitable that the victory should come against Afghanistan.

CURTIS CAMPHER is looking forward to his fifth taste of Test cricket in Abu Dhabi tomorrow and hoping for a first win when Ireland take on Afghanistan at the start of a three-week multi-format tour of the United Arab Emirates.

James McCollum will be hungrier than most for runs in next week's one-off Test against Afghanistan in Abu Dhabi.

Six years on, mainly due to the cost of Ireland hosting a multi-day international, the wait for another home Test will end with the Belfast venue to be given its biggest ever game.

Craig Young is set to make his Test match debut when Ireland play their next multi-day match at the end of the month against Afghanistan in Abu Dhabi.

Neil Rock will lead Ireland Wolves when they end their two-year exile with a trip to Nepal next month.

The absence of Josh Little from the Test and ODI squads is the main talking point from the squads announced by Ireland for their multi-format series against Afghanistan that gets underway later this month.

The Afghanistan Cricket Board (ACB) confirmed on Monday the dates for their Test match, three ODI's, and three T20I's against Ireland starting at the end of next month.

A look back at how Ireland Men performed during the last year, with the high point qualification for the T20 World Cup, and the nadir the abject failure to make it to the 50 overs event in India.

Ireland Wolves look set to end their self-imposed two-year exile with eight matches against Nepal in March.

Ireland have been drawn in the same group as India, Pakistan, hosts USA and Canada in the T20 World Cup.