Regan West failed to make the final 15 for the World Cup

Regan West is a notable absentee from Ireland's 15-man squad for the World Cup, which starts in February in Bangladesh, India and Sri Lanka.

The all-rounder has a shoulder injury and is missing from a squad which contains eight players who competed for Ireland in the 2007 World Cup.

They include bowler Boyd Rankin, who has recovered from a foot injury.

Batsman Ed Joyce is also in the panel, four years after playing for England against the Irish in the West Indies.

West, Phil Eaglestone, Allan Eastwood, James Hall, Rory McCann, Andrew Poynter and Craig Young are the seven players to miss out after a preliminary 22-man squad for the competition was named last month.

"I like the balance of the squad," said Ireland coach Phil Simmons.

"As with most Irish teams of the past few years, there are quite a few all-rounders, and that gives us plenty of options in all departments.

"This squad contains a lot of experience with nine (including Joyce) having played in the 2007 competition - I am sure that is more than most teams.

We may have lost the surprise factor, but we have earned the respect of the cricketing world through our efforts. Ireland coach Phil Simmons

"What is different this time from 2007 is that 13 of the 15 earn their living from cricket - that's practically a full-time squad.

"We were also able to spend a month in India acclimatising, and that will stand us in good stead."

"The squad all know the importance of this tournament and I'm certain we will acquit ourselves well.

"We may have lost the surprise factor, but we have earned the respect of the cricketing world through our efforts.

"We've reached the Super Eight phase of both the World Cup and the ICC World Twenty20 - there's no reason why we can't make the latter stages yet again."

The tournament runs from 19 February to 2 April, with Ireland beginning their campaign against Bangladesh in Dhaka on 25 February.

Ireland will travel to Dubai in January for a pre World Cup training camp, and have scheduled warm-up games against New Zealand and Zimbabwe in Nagpur.

Also in Ireland's group are Bangladesh, India, England, the Netherlands, South Africa and West Indies.

Ireland squad: William Porterfield (Warwickshire, capt), Andre Botha (North County), Alex Cusack (Clontarf), George Dockrell (Somerset), Trent Johnston (Railway Union), Nigel Jones (Civil Service North), Ed Joyce (Sussex), John Mooney (North County), Kevin O'Brien (Railway Union), Niall O'Brien (Northants, wk), Boyd Rankin (Warwickshire), Paul Stirling (Middlesex), Albert van der Merwe (The Hills), Gary Wilson (Surrey, wk), Andrew White (Instonians).

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