Sport

Wales prove too strong

WALES U18...46 IRELAND U18..

Wed Apr 23 2003 - 01:00

WALES U18...46 IRELAND U18...7Ireland suffered their second successive defeat in the Home Nations under-18 tournament after losing to a powerful Wales side at Poynder Park, Kelso, yesterday.

Ireland, with fine tackling from winger Ian Hanley, centre Dave Lombard and flanker Kyle Patton, contained Wales in the first half. Wales, however, stepped up a gear after the break with a four-try deluge in the third quarter. Ireland made the breakthrough after seven minutes with a try from lock Michael O'Hea. Hanley added the conversion but almost straightaway Wales's number eight Steve Thomas put wing Aled Brew ifor an unconverted try.

With Ireland leading 7-5 at the break, Thomas capitalised on a dynamic Welsh restart to power over to touch down. A third Welsh try followed when winger Matthew Jeffry scored in the corner and then Brew raced in for his second try.

Brew was the creator of the fifth Welsh try, the big winger appearing in midfield before delivering the scoring pass to centre Andrew Bishop, Hook adding the conversion to put Wales ahead 29-7.

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There was still time for more Welsh scores, flanker Greg Jervis and replacement centre Andrew Chris Tossle running in late tries before Brew completed his hat-trick to give Wales a deserved victory.

IRELAND under-18 : C O'Sullivan (Greystones); S Tottle (Exiles), D Black (Portadown), D Lombard (Clonakilty), I Hanley (Kilfeacle); B O'Sullivan (Corinthians), R Pollock (Monaghan); C Muldoon (Monivea), L Slattery (Thomond), J Hook (Banbridge), A Lightowler (Exiles), M O'Hea (Clonakilty), B Smyth (Navan), K Patton (Banbridge), S Ferris (Portadown). Replacements: M Diffley (Creggs) for Muldoon 39 mins, S O'Donnell (Exiles) for Slattery 43 mins, E Bracken (Tullamore) for Hook 39 mins, R Sloan (Exiles) for Lombard, D Batt (Exiles).

WALES under-18: L Bestwick; M Jeffry, P Dollman, A Bishop, A Brew; J Hook, R Williams; C Thomas, E Shirvington, C Mitchell, T Smith, R Gierat, S Marasco, G Jervis, S Thomas. Replacements: N Downs for C Thomas 54 mins, C Tossle for Bishop 65 mins, L Martin for Mitchell 66 mins. M Valentine (Stewartry).