This was a "dead'' match. Before it started Canada knew they were through to the last four whereas Ireland knew they were in eighth and last place of the second phase of eight teams and, indeed, would be on a plane home before the day was out.

Canada rested three key players, De Groot (who had played for Phoenix), Diwan and Thuraisingham, a leading bowler, who was to take five for 25 in the defeat of Scotland in the third place play-off. Ireland had no choice as they still only had 11 fit players, the same 11 as played the previous day -v- Holland. It was a hot sunny day and a good pitch at Ross Lord, Lower, where Ireland had already won -v- Papua New Guinea.

Faced by Mooney and McCoubrey Canada had a shocking start losing four wickets for 20 with less than eight overs bowled. Canada came out to smash the ball around but it did not work. Mooney had the left handed Maraj caught at first slip in his second over. 8-1-3. In McCoubrey's second over Chumney, the number three, was caught at the wicket. 16-2-2. Mooney chipped in again in the next over, the fifth, when Davison, an Australian, was caught high up at deep square leg by Dom Joyce. 16-3-10. Three overs later Billcliff was bowled for nought by a ball that kept low from McCoubrey. 20-4-0.

Peter Davy after his century for Ireland

Bagai now joined his captain Harris in the only stand of consequence in the innings. A long stand it was - 112 runs in just over 20 overs, A few chances were given. At 35, in over 11, Harris (off Mooney) gave McCallan a difficult wide chance at deep slip. in McCoubrey's next over Bagai gave Dwyer another difficult chance low and one handed to his right. Harris hit four fours in the course of four overs and 50 was up in over 14. Mooney and McCoubrey bowled seven overs each and were replaced by Dwyer and McCallan.

In Dwyer`s third over Bagai was put down by McCallan at extra cover when 24 at 75. McCallan bowled three overs for 16 and gave way to Patterson who started with three wides in his first over but there was a near run out on a direct hit at the bowler's end. The 24th over, Patterson's, brought two more wides which brought 100 up and a four to Harris, his seventh, saw his score to 52 off 53 balls. Dwyer 's seventh over cost 12 runs but another difficult chance, given by Harris, was put down. This was to Ed Joyce at point.

White replaced Patterson. In his second over Harris hit two successive fours and was lbw next ball. He was hooking a short ball which he missed on its downward course. 132-5-73. Harris hit 11 fours in his 64 ball innings. Croning joined Bagai. Two overs later there should have been a run out but Andy Patterson could not take Mooney's throw on the half volley. Dwyer bowled out his 10 overs for 41 and McCallan came back. 150 was up in over 36 and Croning hit White for a six next ball. After 33 had been put on in 11 overs McCallan had Croning very well caught at deep square leg by Dwyer running to his right. 165-6-18. Ifill was caught and bowled by White in the next over. 169-7-1.

Bagai reached 50 in the 41st over in 109 balls and was out three overs later giving White his third wicket including the top two scorers. Bagai was out for 56 at 180, caught at long on. When White was bowled out (three for 39) McCoubrey replaced him. He it was who took the last two wickets, ending with four for 35, and his 13 wickets in the Tournament (@17.53) were three more than Ireland's next best. McCoubrey was the Irish bowling star of the Tournament.

At 203 Codrington was caught by Mark Patterson running to his left to deep square leg. Mooney bowled the 49th over and saw White tip a six over the boundary in a catching attempt. With the second last ball of the innings McCoubrey caught a skier off his own bowling close to square leg. Canada's 217 was the exact score that Holland had made the previous day.

Andy Patterson and Molins got Ireland off to a brisk start. The required rate was 4.3 runs per over and 46 were scored in 10 overs. A wicket had fallen at 26 when Patterson was lbw pulling at a ball which kept a little low. Codrington gave up 20 runs in three overs but Joseph bowled five overs for 12 including Patterson's wicket. Codrington changed ends and the first ball of the 11th over saw Molins out for 21 at 46. He got a leading edge over mid-on who took a good catch running away from the pitch. Dom Joyce joined Davy who was 13. Davy hit a four and then hooked a six in the same over as Molins was out. 56 was up after 11 overs.

The third wicket pair put on 34 in seven overs. Seebaran, a slow left armer, had come on. Dom Joyce advanced down the pitch in his second over, missed and was stumped. 80-3-12. Ed Joyce joined Davy and, in fact, no further wicket fell. This pair put on the 138 needed to win in 27 overs and had 32 balls to spare at the end. Davy greeted Joyce by hitting off-breaker Davison for six over square leg. 100 came up in over 24 and Davy's 50, from 60 balls, came in the next over. Scoring was slow as the two slow bowlers, Seebaran and Davison, bowled 12 overs between them for only 36 runs. Then both batsmen hit a six - Joyce off the off-spinner Maraj to bring up 150 in over 36. Davison came back for the 37th over which cost 17 chiefly due to two wides which cost six runs and a six to Davy.

The score was 183 after 40 overs so 35 now were needed in 10 overs. Davy was 82 and Joyce 38. Could the former make 100 and the latter 50? The answer was yes! Scoring from nearly every ball he faced Joyce reached 51 out of 208 at the end of the 44th over. Davy was 94 and 10 were needed. Davy wasted no time. He hit opening bowler Joseph for a four and a two to bring up his 100. After a "dot'' ball he hit another four to win the match. Davy hit three sixes and nine fours in his chanceless 104 scored off 119 balls, It was his second century for Ireland following his first at Lord's in 1999. He was declared Man-of-the-Match.

Joyce hit four fifties in his eight innings and his average of 71.80 was the best in the entire Tournament. His 359 runs was the second best aggregate, seven runs inferior to D Keulder of Namibia who played one innings more. Molins with 299 runs was 6th in aggregate and Dom Joyce 7th with 292 runs. McCoubrey's 13 wickets placed him 15th among the bowlers. The above four were Ireland's stars. Others to do well were McCallan, Heasley, Davy and Mooney. However only one significant win came in the nine games, the defeat of a weak Bermuda team, in round one. The other three European teams, Denmark, Scotland and Holland all defeated Ireland.

Ireland had previously played Canada in the second round of the 1994 ICC Trophy in Nairobi. There was no Irish survivor of that match. Joseph and Seebaran played for Canada in that match.