Ireland steady ship late on to grind out the victory

UNDER-20 SIX NATIONS CHAMPIONSHIP/Ireland 11 Wales 6:IRELAND WILL need to improve enormously on this showing if they are to have any chance of winning the U-20 Six Nations, but at least they will head to France next weekend on the back of a victory.

Ireland dominated at a freezing Dubarry Park last night but seemed poised to fall victim to a late Welsh act of larceny. However, while Mike Ruddock’s men fell behind with 15 minutes to go as a poor Welsh side made a rare foray into the Irish half, they quickly regained their composure and set about winning the game.

Ireland landed two drop goals in the closing 10 minutes from skipper Paddy Jackson and replacement scrumhalf Luke McGrath to see them home.

Ireland dominated the opening half but still only led 5-3 at the break after failing to punish the visitors despite creating some good chances.

Wales only managed one decent attack in that opening half but that was still enough for them to lead 3-0 at the end of the first quarter when out-half Sam Davies landed a drop goal from just outside the 22 as advantage was being played.

Captain Paddy Jackson had missed a couple of opportunities into the teeth of a fresh wind to get Ireland off the mark, with his first penalty after just a minute from 35 metres going wide, while an effort four minutes later hit the left post before being cleared.

Ireland encountered difficulty at the lineout as both sides struggled with the wind, but Ruddock’s men looked dangerous when they took ball off the top from Danny Qualter and the very impressive Iain Henderson.

Centre JJ Henderson always looked sharp and threatening and he set up the only try after 25 minutes.

Ireland managed to turn over possession off Welsh out-half Davies and Hanrahan spotted lock Matthew Screech in his path before darting through the cover and delivering the perfectly weighted pass for full-back Shane Layden to dive over.

Layden was impressive both in defence and attack and the Carrick-on-Shannon native, who had played minor football with Roscommon along with lock Qualter, looks a very good prospect.

The highly-rated Welsh frontrow all played at this grade last year and while their bigger bulk gave them an initial advantage in the scrum, the Irish pack got on top, with Kyle McCall, Niall Scannell and Peter Reilly getting an edge.

Ireland continued to dominate in the third quarter but all too often a promising move broke down with a stray pass, leaving them vulnerable to a Welsh counter, with the visitors’ left-wing Luke Morgan looking dangerous any time he got possession.

Almost inevitably, Wales countered and hit the front when Lewis Williams made no mistake with a penalty from 25 metres for a 6-5 lead with 15 minutes remaining.

Man-of-the-match Layden led the immediate Irish counter but Jackson was again off target with the boot with an effort from 25 metres on the left.

But the Irish skipper kept his composure and as Irish continued to press Jackson had the opportunity to make amends and he put Ireland back in front with a drop goal from outside the 22 with 10 minutes remaining.

And then replacement scrum-half Luke McGrath out some daylight between the sides when Wales fluffed a clearance and he punished them with a neat drop goal.

IRELAND: S Layden (Connacht); B Daly (Leinster), F Horan (Leinster), JJ Hanrahan (Munster), S Coghlan-Murray (Leinster); P Jackson (Ulster), K Marmion (Connacht); K McCall (Ulster), N Scannell (Munster), P Reilly (Leinster); I Henderson (Ulster), D Qualter (Connacht); C Gilsenan (Leinster), A Conneely (Connacht) , J Conan (Leinster). Replacements: L McGrath (Leinster) for Marmion (52 mins); T Beirne (Leinster) for Qualter (60 mins); C Farrell (Ulster) for Horan (62 mins); J Cawley (Leinster) for Reilly (mins 63); Reilly for Cawley (65 mins); D Merrey (Leinster) for Scannell; J Rael (Munster) McCall, J Coghlan (Leinster) for Conneely (all 75 mins); C Marsh (Leinster) for Layden (76 mins).

WALES: R Jones; I Evans, N Edwards, C Allen, L Morgan; S Davies, J Evans; R Evans, K Myhill, W John, M Screech, R Hughes, E Jenkins, D Thomas, R Tucker. Replacements: I Jones for Tucker (49 mins); Lewis Williams for S Davies (63 mins); Luke Williams for Edwards,T Davies for Evans, J Sollis for Myhill (all 75 mins).

Referee: James Matthew (Scotland)