IRELAND famously reached the last eight of the 2007 Cricket World Cup in the West Indies and now they are intent on upsetting the world order of Twenty20.

But William Porterfield's team will today be in the strange position of trying to avoid a dream clash with England at Lord's.

They qualified yesterday for the World Twenty20 by winning a semi-final against Kenya by four wickets – but the losers of today's final are the ones who will open the tournament against the hosts.

Asked if thoughts of England and Lord's were interfering with his thinking ahead of the Stormont decider against the Netherlands, Porterfield boldly declared: 'No. We'll play them when we get through our group.'

Andre Botha, Alex Cusack and Peter Connell kept up their remarkable performances in Belfast by sharing seven wickets as Kenya were bowled out for just 67.

Ireland's batsmen made heavy weather of their reply but Kevin O'Brien's six got them over the line with five balls to spare.

'The pressure will be off tomorrow because we can forget about having to qualify and just go out to try and win the tournament,' said Porterfield.

'Hopefully we can enjoy it a bit more and put on a better performance with the bat.'

Beat the Dutch today and Ireland will be heading to Nottingham next June and into Group A, alongside India and Bangladesh. Lose and they take on England and Pakistan at Lord's in Group B.

The main objective has been achieved and the relief in Belfast was palpable: E160,000 into the game's coffers as an appearance fee for the finals in England, and another chance to mix it with the elite after last year's Caribbean heroics in the 50-over game.

Botha, man of the match for the second time in three days, joked that another World Cup meant he could put retirement on hold for another year. On this form, the all-rounder could play on to 40.

'The first goal is accomplished,' said a smiling coach, Phil Simmons, after Ireland had won by four wickets with five balls to spare. 'We first wanted to qualify, and now we want to win the competition.

'But we are off to another World Cup and the guys are very excited in the dressing room. That was one of the best bowling and fielding displays since I arrived, and if we can put the batting together we will be there.'

Today, there remains the chance to complete a fortnight's run of nine wins out of nine and pick up a second trophy in a week.

The batsmen tried their best to make it complicated yesterday, but ruthless bowling and fielding ultimately saw Ireland safely through to a final against the Netherlands.

After bowling out Kenya for 67 inside 18 overs, this semi-final should never have gone the distance. But not until the third over did Ireland get a run off the bat, and by the end of it they were 3-2.

Porterfield had driven at Thomas Odoyo off the first ball and edged low to second slip, where Steve Tikolo took a fine catch.

Then Gary Wilson played aggressively at a short ball and probably thought he was safe as the top-edge flew over square leg, only for Tony Suji to run back at full pelt and scoop up a catch.

Ireland knew that if they kept chipping away at the target, then with wickets in hand it would be attainable. When Botha produced a powerful cut off Odoyo, then a cover drive off Ragheb Aga, the pressure seemed to be lifted.

But for once Botha didn't see the job off, bowled by James Kamande's slower ball, and it sparked a collapse. Andrew White, still probably wincing from his blow to the abdomen the night before, mistimed a pull shot to fine leg, and Cusack lasted just two balls.

As the pace came off the ball, the O'Brien brothers had faced nine balls without scoring when Niall's vigil ended, with an edge that came off the keeper's gloves and into the hands of slip.

Nineteen now were needed off 24 balls, and Trent Johnston and Kevin O'Brien stood up to plunder nine off the 17th over. Again the Africans fought back, and the game was still live going into the final over. Only two runs were needed but O'Brien finished matters in the grand style, lifting a straight six first ball.

Ireland had run through a ragged Kenyan outfit on a cool morning. Cusack must have been up with the lark because when the fifth ball of the match sailed towards him at third man, he dived forward and got a solid pair of hands under it.

That set the tone and O'Brien picked up two wickets in his first overs, trapping Nehemiah Odhiambo lbw to a delivery that kept low and causing Kennedy Obuya courtesy to top-edge.

When Alex Obanda lifted Connell high over mid-on, it looked as if the batsman would escape but Kyle McCallan, not renowned for his fielding, ran back and, keeping his eye on the ball, completed an unlikely tumbling catch.

This was astounding stuff, but still Kenya had their two biggest weapons in the shed and couldn't be written off. Botha, as we have come to expect, came on to bowl the 10th over and struck gold with his first ball as he removed the Africans' captain, Tikolo, for 13.

Kenya at 48-5 still would have targeted 100, but the ruthless Cusack wiped out their ambitions by breaking the stumps twice in one over. Odoyo, a scourge of Ireland at Nairobi last year when he almost single-handedly rescued Kenya from defeat in the World Cricket League, was the last remaining obstacle, but he could only scratch his way to 10 before Botha slipped one through his defences.

Kenya managed to add 10 runs for the last wicket before Porterfield finished the job with a smart run-out. Few run chases this week have been easy, but the Kenyan challenge was now damaged beyond repair.

On, then, to the final - and to England next June. That much we know.