Cricket: Ireland narrowly failed to record their fifth win over a first-class county as Nottinghamshire Outlaws clung on for a one-run victory to stay on course for the quarter-finals of the Friends Provident Trophy.
Needing six to win off the last ball, Ireland's top scorer Kevin O'Brien could only force Darren Pattinson to square leg for four, finishing on 93 not out off 75 balls.
The 24-year-old went from 50 to 93 in just 26 balls but his late heroics proved in vain despite hitting 11 fours and a six.
Earlier, disciplined batting by overseas batsman Adam Voges (82) helped Notts to a total of 241 for six, while Samit Patel made 75 and Chris Read 53 not out.
The result could have been different if Ireland had been able to maintain the early pressure which saw the vulnerable Notts top order fail once again.
Will Jefferson's appalling run of form continued when he was bowled second ball shouldering arms to Ravi Rampaul, who produced plenty of bounce and movement in a bright performance.
The West Indies international then followed up with the wickets of Mark Wagh and Matt Wood to reduce Notts to 22 for three.
But Voges and Patel recovered the situation with a fourth-wicket stand of 138 in 29 overs before Read arrived to provide his customary boost in the final overs.
Voges, signed as overseas cover at the start of the season for David Hussey, hit nine fours in his innings and worked the gaps in the field expertly.
Patel responded with two sixes off the Ireland spinners before he cut Gary Kidd straight to point, bringing Read to the crease with less than 12 overs remaining.
The Outlaws skipper helped add 81 to the total in that time despite the loss of Voges and Graeme Swann, who both holed out in the deep off O'Brien.
Read thumped consecutive deliveries from O'Brien for four and then six to post his half-century off 43 balls in the final over.
Ireland nearly got off to as bad a start as the hosts, as James Hall was lucky to survive a dropped catch by Swann at first slip off Pattinson.
But he was only able to add 14 before he lost his middle stump to Charlie Shreck, with Paul Stirling quickly following thanks to a terrific one-handed catch by Read behind the stumps off Luke Fletcher.
Reinhardt Strydom and Alex Cusack kept the bowlers at bay but could not keep the runs going, with the pair departing in the space of three balls of Patel's first over.
Andrew White was then leg before to Fletcher and Kyle McCallan caught at square leg, and although O'Brien produced some late fireworks, the visitors finished up agonisingly short.