A depleted Ireland side managed to give Worcestershire a scare or two yesterday before going down by 52 runs in their opening Friends Provident Trophy match in Belfast.

Without skipper William Porterfield - who top-scored for Gloucestershire with 74 against Surrey - and three other county professionals plus three hobbling all-rounders, Ireland were always up against huge odds. But one positive did emerge from the game in the form of an impressive 51 from 73 balls from Belfast schoolboy Paul Stirling, an 18-year-old, who was named Ireland's Young Player of the Year in 2008.

After early rain had reduced the game to 33 overs per side, Worcestershire began brightly and it took another fine spell of off-spin from Kyle McCallan to rein in the middle of the visitors' innings.

McCallan accounted for Steve Davies, Mooen Ali and Ben Smith as he conceded 26 runs from his seven overs, and with opening bowler Peter Connell returning to pick up a couple of victims, a total of 180 for eight did not look out of reach.

But any thoughts of Ireland adding to their growing list of county victims quickly receded as openers Reinhardt Strydom and Gary Wilson struggled with the moving ball and the middle order of Kevin O'Brien, Andrew Poynter and Andrew White fell inside two overs.

Stirling, showing classy strokes throughout, added 50 with McCallan for the sixth wicket before he fell, but by then the contest was over.