Andrew Balbirnie top-scored with 30 in an innings where only openers Ed Joyce (23) and Paul Stirling (20) got to 20. Rashid's return was second only to that of off-spinner Vic Marks's five for 20, against New Zealand at Wellington in 1984, by a specialist England slow bowler at this level. England, set just 127 to win, lost Jason Roy for a duck in the first over of their reply when he flicked Peter Chase off his pads to George Dockrell at mid-wicket.
Fellow opener Alex Hales was then dropped on nought, Middlesex quick Tim Murtagh failing to hold a tough caught and bowled chance. Hales went to make a quickfire 55 that stopped any thoughts of a stunning upset in their tracks. Both Hales and Dublin-born England captain Eoin Morgan holed out off Chase, the only Ireland bowler to take wickets in a return of three for 44. But there was never any chance of England losing, with Test captain Joe Root finishing on 49 not out.
The comprehensive win saw England start their build-up to next month's Champions Trophy tournament on home soil in style and Rashid told BBC Radio: "It was nice to bowl my variations. "This is our first game of a long summer. Hopefully we have shown we can do some damage and we can carry it on," the man-of-the-match added after surpassing his previous ODI best of four for 43 against Bangladesh in Chittagong in October. Meanwhile Morgan was pleased to see Rashid back in the wickets after a "tough winter" in India. "Adil's day shows the threat leg-spin poses to any team," Morgan told Sky Sports.
This was desperately disappointing defeat for Ireland, who could be granted Test status next month. But their recent 7-2 reverse across three formats against fellow Test aspirants Afghanistan in India was an indication of how they are struggling to match the standards of Irish teams that beat major nations at several World Cups.
========================================
SCOREBOARD
========================================
Ireland
========================================
E. Joyce lbw b Willey 23
P. Stirling b Wood 20
W. Porterfield c Plunkett b Root 13
A. Balbirnie c Billings b Ball 30
N. O'Brien lbw b Rashid 16
G. Wilson lbw b Rashid 1
K. O'Brien lbw b Rashid 4
S. Thompson b Rashid 4
G. Dockrell lbw b Root 0
T. Murtagh c Hales b Rashid 11
P. Chase not out 1
----------------------------------------
Extras: (lb2, w1) 3
Total: (all out, 33 overs) 126
========================================
Fall of wickets: 1-40 (Stirling), 2-46 (Joyce), 3-81 (Balbirnie), 4-90 (Porterfield), 5-93 (Wilson), 6-104 (K O'Brien), 7-108 (Thompson), 8-109 (Dockrell), 9-121 (N O'Brien), 10-126 (Murtagh)
Bowling: Willey 6-0-34-1; Wood 6-0-24-1; Ball 5-0-16-1; Plunkett 3-0-14-0; Rashid 8-0-27-5 (1w); Root 5-0-9-2;
========================================
England
========================================
J. Roy c Dockrell b Chase 0
A. Hales c Porterfeield b Chase 55
J. Root not out 49
E. Morgan c K O'Brien b Chase 10
J. Bairstow not out 10
----------------------------------------
Extras: (nb3) 3
Total: (3 wkts, 20 overs) 127
========================================
Did not bat: S Billings, A Rashid, D Willey, L Plunkett, J Ball, M Wood
Fall of wickets: 1-1 (Roy), 2-78 (Hales), 3-99 (Morgan)
Bowling: Chase 8-0-44-3 (2nb); Murtagh 6-1-33-0; Dockrell 3-0-20-0; Thompson 3-0-30-0 (1nb)
Result: England won by seven wickets
Man-of-the-match: Adil Rashid (ENG)
Series: England lead two-match series 1-0
Toss: Ireland
Umpires: Rob Bailey (ENG), Aleem Dar (PAK)
TV umpire: Paul Reiffel (AUS)
Match referee: Ranjan Madugalle (SRI)
Remaining Fixture
May 07: 2nd ODI, Lord's.
Copyright Agence France-Presse, 2017