Johnston did his bit for his side but it was not enough

Ireland failed to cope with the Gloucestershire seamers as they slumped to an embarrassing 185-run FP Trophy defeat in Dublin.

They were bowled out for just 63 as Carl Greenidge (4-15) and Ashley Noffke (3-24) left their innings in tatters.

Irish skipper Trent Johnston followed a hat-trick with the ball with 22 not out but he was let down by his team-mates.

Gloucestershire earlier made 248 all out, thanks to Marcus North (77) and Mark Hardinges (70 off 67 balls).

But they were let off the hook after Johnston removed Kadeer Ali, Chris Taylor and Alex Gidman with successive deliveries to leave them on 94-4 - Ali caught behind, Taylor lbw and Gidman bowled offering no stroke.

He also removed David Brown, with the help of keeper Gary Wilson, to finish with figures of 4-13 from his 10 overs but North and Hardinges halted the slide with a vital partnership of 65 before North gave a return catch to spinner Kyle McCallan.

Hardinges then added 51 with Steve Adshead but after hitting three sixes and seven fours in an exhilarating innings, he was caught by Johnston off South African fast bowler Nantie Hayward, who claimed 3-61.

McCallan then had Adshead caught and his dismissal of last man Will Rudge with the final ball of the innings gave him 3-45.

But Ireland's hopes of registering their first win of the competition soon unravelled as Noffke had William Porterfield lbw and bowled debutant Jesse Ryder, from New Zealand, for one.

Rudge accounted for Jeremy Bray and Kevin O'Brien, leaving them on 19-4, and although Peter Gillespie and Andrew White both made it to 10, Noffke and Greenidge preventing them getting any further.