Ireland bowed out of the under-19 Cricket World Cup on Friday as they fell to a 153-run defeat to South Africa in Guyana.
It was always a tough ask for the Irish side after they suffered a demoralising 174-wicket defeat to India on matchday two after beating Uganda on the opening day.
The South Africans set Ireland a monster target of 312 in 47 overs after rain interrupted play for almost an hour.
It proved too difficult for Ireland to chase down despite aggressive batting performances fro, Nathan McGuire, Philippe Le Roux and Mark Humphreys.
The damage was done late in South Africa’s innings as Dewald Bevis overcame a couple of contentious not-out calls to record 96.
And captain George Van Heerden led from the front with a total of 111, while Andile Silemani inflicted a damaging 25 off 12 balls late in the innings.
Ireland looked in good shape early on as they took two wickets in the opening four overs for just 16.
15-year-old Reuben Wilson dismissed Valintine Kitime with the final ball of his first over of the tournament before Ethan-John Cunningham was bowled by Liam Doherty.
There was a short rain delay before Wilson nabbed his second wicket of the day as he stumped Gerhardus Maree.
The real damage was done by the 118-run stand of Bevis and van Heerden in the middle of the innings.
Bevis hit four sixes and seven boundaries on his way to 96, caught by Jamie Forbes just short of his century, while van Heerden finished on 111 with eight sixes and three fours.
Silemani managed 25 off 12 balls, including three sixes, and Mickey Copeland hit 43 from 18 balls with four sixes as the final overs proved very costly.
And disaster hit from the very first ball of Ireland’s innings when Doherty swung and missed and saw his stumps parted by Mathew Boast.
That was the first of three wickets for Boast, who soon saw off Josh Cox, who became the fourth Irishman to post an under-19 World Cup century against Uganda, for a duck.
Rush’s McGuire put up a fight, hitting eight fours in a stand of 42, but was dismissed for an impulsive outside edge from Silemani’s bowl.
Le Roux hit five fours as he reached 33 before being caught by Cunningham, while captain Tim Tector managed just one before being bowled by Boast.
Humphreys managed 38 from 30 balls, including eight boundaries, and his dismissal saw Ireland cave quickly as they were dismissed for 158.
Ireland's aren't finished at the World Cup just yet, however, as they will drop down to the Plate, where they will face Canada on Tuesday.
“It’s not ideal to finish our Group Stage like this, but I think that we can take a lot away from the way South Africa went about their business with the bat, they didn’t give us many chances," said captain Tim Tector.
"Reuben started out really well with the ball today. He is so young, and this experience will be so good for him. So there are a few things we can take from the game, but overall we’re disappointed.”
