INTERCONTINENTAL CUP:A FIRST senior international century from teenage batting sensation Paul Stirling helped Ireland take control of their Intercontinental Cup clash against Kenya at Eglinton yesterday.

Phil Simmons’ side finished the first day on 323 for seven, but it could have been even better as veteran Steve Tikolo cut a swathe through Ireland’s middle order with a five-wicket haul.

The day, though, belonged to the 18-year-old Stirling, who became the youngest Irish centurion, taking over from TJ Macdonald, who was 19 when he scored 132 against Scotland in Edinburgh all of 80 years ago.

After skipper Kyle McCallan won the toss, Stirling and Jeremy Bray opened the batting following a 75-minute delay after morning rain at the Derry venue.

The pair got Ireland’s defence of their title off on a sound footing as they put on 182 for the first wicket, the ninth highest stand for Ireland in first-class cricket.

Bray was back to his old self as he tucked in to Kenya’s seamers. The left-hander looked well set for a fourth century in the competition when Nehemiah Odhiambo found the leading edge of his bat with Tikolo taking the catch in the slips to dismiss him for 89.

Stirling was on 80 at that stage after a chanceless knock and he would go on to bring up his century in the most emphatic of fashions as he pulled Peter Ongondo over the mid-wicket boundary for the day’s only six.

He had also hit 13 fours in compiling his ton off 177 balls. But the Carrickfergus batsman would last just four more deliveries and fail to add to his score before Ongondo exacted revenge, with wicketkeeper Maurice Ouma taking the catch behind the stumps.

That left Ireland on 229 for two with a strong middle-order licking their lips in anticipation at helping set a 500-plus target. Alex Cusack and Andre Botha did add 46, but once Tikolo snared Botha for 26 the tide started to turn.

Kevin O’Brien lasted just two deliveries before offering Tikolo a simple return catch for a duck.

Andrew White was unlucky as his shot deflected off the short-leg fielder and into the gloves of Ouma after he had made three, while Gary Wilson gave Tikolo his fourth scalp when he was bowled while charging the off-spinner.

Tikolo would bring up his first five-wicket haul in first-class cricket when he ended Cusack’s innings on 63 in the last over to give his side hope entering this morning’s play, which gets under way 15 minutes early at 10.45.