It could not have gone much better for Ireland’s new kids on the block in Ireland’s Friends Provident Trophy game in Northamptonshire on Monday.

The defeat may have been their heaviest in the competition this year but for Paul Stirling and James Hall, they were able to take away the personal satisfaction of making an instant impact against professional opposition.

For 17 year old Stirling, who was back in class in Belfast High on Tuesday morning, he joins an elite club who have scored a half century by their fourth innings for Ireland. Indeed, he is the first batsman to reach 50 so early in his career against county opposition since Stephen Smyth reached the landmark on his debut against Worcestershire 18 years ago.

Jeremy Bray did it against the Zimbabweans, in his second appearance, in 2003 but now Stirling can set his sights on matching Trent Johnston (two 50s in his first five innings, Ed Joyce and Andrew White (two in six) or Eoin Morgan (two in seven) although they were all against amateur opposition.

Stirling’s major problem could be keeping his place because he has A/S level exams on all three days either side of Ireland’s double header at Stormont against Warwickshire and Leicestershire on Friday and Sunday week. He will be talking to coach Phil Simmons this week but, unsurprisingly, in the dressing room after his classy 70 at the County Ground, the Cliftonville batsman - who has a summer contract with Middlesex - was desperate to play his first senior international in his home province and was trying to put examinations to the back of his mind.

Hall, the Waringstown all rounder, has no such availability dilemma and he is itching for another go, hoping to build on his promising 22 and, just for good measure, a first Ireland wicket on debut.

Indeed he was just as excited with his bowling as he was with his batting and it is that extra string to his bow which could give him an extended stay in the team.

"My bowling is improving. County players will probably look to get after me but that can be an advantage and hopefully get me a few wickets. It’s something I’m working on with Simmo and the coaches and with Kyle (McCallan) being at the club helps, always in my ear urging me to try and do different things,” said Hall, who admitted his belated introduction into the attack helped.

It was the perfect situation when I came on to bowl. (Northants were 150 for no wicket after 32 overs). I hadn’t the pressure of bowling in a tight situation, the two batsmen were set and Porty (captain William Porterfield) just wanted me to get a few overs under my belt in case I was needed in future games.”

Having been an idle 13th man for the opening two Friends Provident Trophy games against Nottinghamshire and Leicestershire, Hall got his first inkling that the County Ground at Northampton would be the venue for his first senior game when captain William Porterfield approached him 40 minutes before the start of play, as he was warming up on the outfield.

“Phil Eaglestone picked up an injury in the match on Sunday so I had a good idea that he wouldn’t be playing. So when Porty came up to me he told me there was a good chance I would be opening the batting. How did I feel?

“First and foremost it was a great honour to make my first cap. But those next 40 minutes were nerve-racking. But I was glad I was opening, rather than batting in the middle order, expected to score quickly, which is not really my game Opening suits my game, because it takes me a while to get in,“ Hall admitted.

It didn’t take him long to score his first run, however, a single off the fourth ball but the 19 year old said he felt good from the start.

“Opening with Porty helped settle me down and getting off the mark so early makes you feel better. The first ball hit the middle of the bat so that also made me feel good.” The first boundary also helped. “It was in my area and I hit through it.”

By that stage, the eighth over, he had lost his skipper but it was a welcome sight for Hall to see Paul Stirling joining him in the middle.

“I batted batted with Stirlo for a long time together in Malaysia (at the Under 19 World Cup finals in February) and just to bat with someone you know gives you confidence. We both know each other’s games so well and get on.

All good things must come to an end, however, and with 22 runs out of the first 60 to his name he lost his wicket.

“We were trying to rotate the strike and when I got a wide one I tried to run it down to third man. It came out of the middle and it was quite a good catch, but when you are playing a county side you expect them to hold it. But it’s all good experience and hopefully I’ll learn from it next time.

And, unlike a number of his predecessors as opening batsman, there is sure to be a next time (against Warwickshire at Stormont next Friday), and with his whole career stretching ahead of him, McCallan’s record haul of 179 caps and counting is not out of sight, especially as Ireland are now averaging more than 30 games a year.

“The first cap has come earlier than expected but I was in the (22-man) winter squad and when I scored runs in Malaysia I started backing myself," said Hall.

“Obviously this is a step up but to do all right in your first appearance has given me more confidence to push on and hopefully be selected for the next couple of games and see how I go.”