Cricket: Dubliner Niall O'Brien returned to haunt his former team-mates with a career-best one-day score as Northamptonshire defeated Ireland by eight wickets in the Friends Provident Trophy.
O'Brien, who played for his country in last year's World Cup, hit 75 and fellow opener Stephen Peters, who made 90 against Nottinghamshire on Sunday, smashed an unbeaten 103 off 129 balls as the hosts coasted home inside 43 overs.
Ireland had managed to post just 203 for nine off their 50 overs with teenager Paul Stirling's 70 the only highlight.
England spinner Monty Panesar was back among the wickets taking three for 36 as every bowler bar South African Lance Klusener chipped in to guide Northants to victory.
Ireland made 31 off the opening 10 overs before captain William Porterfield was dismissed by David Lucas for 19 and fellow opener James Hall followed for 22 after guiding South African Johann Louw straight to David Sales at gully.
Panesar showed his class shortly after his introduction, trapping Australian Alex Cusack leg before for eight in his second over.
However, Stirling brought up Ireland's 100 in the 30th over before smashing veteran spinner Jason Brown into the stands on the way to his half-century.
Captain Nicky Boje and Brown tightened the screws to reduce Ireland to 116 for four in the 35th over as South African Reinhardt Strydom lost his wicket through frustration.
But Stirling remained resilient, hitting Boje for successive sixes only for Kevin O'Brien's batting woes to continue when he holed out to Lucas for four.
All-rounder Stephen Crook removed Stirling's off-stump as Ireland fell to 153 for six in the 42nd over before Peters ran out Andrew White (16).
Panesar and wicketkeeper O'Brien combined to dismiss Gary Wilson (16) with an over to go and Brown ended West Indian Ravi Rampaul's quick slog as Ireland were all out for 203.
O'Brien attacked his Irish counterparts almost immediately taking, 12 off Rampaul in the seventh over before attacking brother Kevin as Northants raced to 47.
Ireland chopped and changed but could do little to stop O'Brien and Peters bringing up Northants' first hundred stand against the Irish in the 23rd over.
Former Essex opener Peters pulled Kevin O'Brien through midwicket to bring up his half-century from 77 balls before Niall O'Brien recorded his own fifty shortly after.
The 26-year-old wicketkeeper inflicted more misery on the Irish by smashing Kyle McCallan into the dressing room as Northants eased to 143 in the 28th over.
He was eventually caught in the 36th over by his brother off Rampaul after a stand of 179.
Boje quickly followed an over later as the hosts' innings threatened to wobble but Peters kept his cool late on to hit his first century of the season and, with Sales (17no), guide Northants home.