John Mooney celebrates hitting the winning runs for his team as the Windies suffered defeat to Ireland, who are coached by Phil Simmons. Photo: Provided

Darren Sammy inspired a Windies fight back scoring the most runs in a World Cup match by a batsman at number 8, but it proved too little for the Windies who lost by 6 wickets, with 25 balls to spare to Ireland. Photo: Provided

Set a taxing 305 to win at the Saxton Oval, Ireland romped to victory with more than four overs left in the bank as half-centuries from Paul Stirling, Ed Joyce and Niall O’Brien underpinned a masterly chase to defeat the two-time World Cup winners.

After a defiant century from Lendl Simmons, the nephew of Ireland coach Phil, dragged the West Indies from the brink of submersion to a position of ascendancy at the half-way stage, it had seemed Ireland’s chance had gone.

But, in front of a capacity crowd, the majority of whom were sporting green, Ireland kept in tune with the required run-rate and as the pitch flattened and the opposition toiled, picked off the runs with, dare it be said, considerable ease.

A late wobble – during which Ireland lost four wickets – took some of the gloss off the scoreboard but, in fitting fashion, John Mooney, just like he did against England in 2011, hit the winning boundary to seal another memorable win.

The result now means Ireland need just two more victories from their remaining five Pool B games in order to progress to the quarter-finals.

Ireland became the first team to bat second and win at this year’s World Cup as Stirling (92) and Joyce (84) put on a match-defining stand of 106 for the second wicket to take the sting out of any potential West Indian retaliation.

After William Porterfield feathered Chris Gayle behind to wicketkeeper Denesh Ramdin, Joyce joined Stirling and continued to take the game to a deflated West Indies side engulfed in turmoil and internal disharmony.

Stirling moved past his first ODI fifty since May 2013 with an array of bludgeoning blows but his dismissal, caught behind off a Marlon Samuels delivery, threatened to derail Ireland’s chase.

However, O’Brien upped the tempo further in typically industry fashion as he steadily accumulated before launching a counter-offensive in the powerplay overs to bring Ireland within sight of victory.

The West Indies were powerless to contain the onslaught, going through eight bowlers, as the Irish batsmen clobbered six sixes and 34 fours.