Gareth Delany spared Ireland’s blushes with a hard-hitting 48 not out at Malahide but his late-innings flourish wasn’t nearly enough to prevent England recording a six-wicket victory and a 2-0 T20 series win.

Delany’s highest score against a Test-playing nation took the Boys in Green to a just-about respectable 154-8 but after a break for rain Jordan Cox smashed 55, and Tom Banton 37 not out, to see England home with 17 balls to spare.

Put into bat, Ross Adair gave Ireland a good start with a rapid 33 from 23 balls, including a brutal straight six, before he became the first of three top order batters caught in the deep in the space of two-and-a-half overs.

Harry Tector and debutant Ben Calitz briefly steadied the ship by adding 32 for the fifth wicket before another clatter of wickets left Ireland struggling on 102-7 after 15.

Tector hit one massive six but couldn’t find his fluency of the first game and frustration at being tied down led to a rash reverse sweep on 28 that was easily caught on the ring while the left-handed Calitz showed promise in making 22.

Delany gave his side something to bowl at as he took a fancy to Sonny Baker, hitting the young paceman for two of his three sixes off consecutive deliveries, and his unbeaten 48 from 29 balls also contained four fours.

While England were strong favourites at halfway, a stunning one-handed catch at short extra by Curtis Campher removed Jos Buttler for a second-ball duck and another fine diving effort in the deep by Delany had the visitors wobbling on 33-2.

The capacity crowd’s faint hopes of seeing an upset were quickly put to bed by Cox, though, who lifted four sixes and as many fours in his 35-ball innings.

“When you play England you don’t know exactly what a winning score is but we were probably 15 short today,” skipper Paul Stirling said.

“I’m proud of the lads. There were a lot of good things in both games.”