The view from fans at home . . . JAMIE SMYTHwitnessed those witnessing a truly breath-taking spectacle

A SMALL group of hard-core Irish cricket fanatics gathered in the VIP section of Krystle nightclub at about 9am yesterday morning, and if truth be told, it was more in hope than any great expectation.

But by half past five in the afternoon, after witnessing their team beat England in the highest run chase in World Cup history, they were beginning to believe their team are real world-beaters.

“I came all the way from Strabane to see this game,” said Tony Gallagher, whose son plays senior cricket. “I’ll be back for Sunday’s match. We were superb. Kevin O’Brien is immense,” he said.

Man-of-the-match O’Brien, who scored 113 runs off 63 deliveries and broke the record for the fastest century in a World Cup to defeat the country that invented cricket, worked as a barman at the Russell Court hotel, which is hosting cricket parties during Ireland games in its nightclub.

“He is a fantastic professional, very hard-working and dedicated. I captained him when he played for the third and fourth teams for Railway Union,” said Rangan Arulchelvan, co-owner of the Russell Court and sponsor of the Railway Union cricket club in Dublin.

O’Brien, who is one of just six Ireland players with full-time contracts with Cricket Ireland, plays for Railway Union in Sandymount. His brother, Niall, is Ireland wicketkeeper and his father Brendan played 52 times for Ireland.

A hard-hitting middle order batsmen, O’Brien clobbered six sixes during yesterday’s record innings. Each six was greeted with cheers and claps at the nightclub as fans dared to believe a shock was just possible.

“I saw O’Brien was starting to score quickly and I just left work and came down here. I think something special is going to happen,” said Stephen, who arrived at the nightclub as things got very tense.

Oisín and Naomi, who both skived off from university to watch the game, veered between confidence and despair with every falling wicket in a nail-biting match that went down to the wire.

“I got hooked when I went to the last World Cup in Jamaica with Oisín. The atmosphere at the games was amazing,” said Naomi.

Self-confessed cricket fanatics Philip Whelan and Seán McGinn also travelled to the Caribbean for the last World Cup when Ireland also provided a huge shock by beating Pakistan.

“We couldn’t make it to the World Cup this time for financial reasons. But we’ve taken the day off work to watch this game,” said Whelan, who is president of the Walnut Taverners cricket club.

As Ireland wickets began tumbling yesterday afternoon the mood at times turned bleak and at one point bookies began offering odds of 150 to one on an Irish win.

“We’re gone, we’re gone,” shouted one supporter in anguish when O’Brien finally lost his wicket in the frenetic run chase.

But up stepped John Mooney, an electrician by trade but also a talented all-rounder. He played the cameo innings that finally sank the English.

As he struck the winning runs the Ireland players, many sporting bright purple hair as part of the Shave or Dye charity campaign, went mad in Bangalore.

At the Krystle nightclub there were similar scenes of jubilation.

Oisín and Naomi kissed, the rest of the fans cheered and Krystle owner Arulchelvan announced he was offering a free bar.

“That wasn’t good for the heart at times,” confessed Gerry Fennell, who is an administrator for North Kildare cricket club.

“But this will do wonders for Irish cricket and get people interested in the World Cup,” he said.

He wasn’t wrong there.

Within minutes of the Ireland victory Taoiseach-elect Enda Kenny congratulated the team and was using them as inspiration for the country’s recovery.

“Their supreme effort will lift the spirits of every single Irish person, no matter where they are in the world.

“Ireland’s performance is truly inspiring, demonstrating that, with self-belief, the apparently impossible can be made possible and real change can occur,” he said.

A surreal end to a surreal day.