League: Ireland whip Wales

Wales 12 Ireland 25

Ireland began their European Nations Cup campaign in impressive style as they quelled Wales’ second-half comeback before a 1,296 crowd at the Talbot Athletic Ground in Aberavon.

Irish half-backs Karl Fitzpatrick and Pat Weisner and hooker Phil Cantillon all shone in a lively display with veteran Wigan forward Mick Cassidy leading from the front as captain.

Cantillon, looking for a new club after falling out of favour at Halifax, opened the scoring midway through the first half after finishing off a break from Salford’s Fitzpatrick with his trademark support play that saw him score so many tries at his previous club Widnes.

Cantillon’s sharp pass then enabled Salford full-back Anthony Stewart to cross down the left before Fitzpatrick’s astute kick to the corner enabled Sheffield winger Carl De Chenu to score.

Ireland opened up an 18-0 half-time lead when Weisner’s high kick to the corner enabled Salford centre Stuart Littler to score on his international debut.

Littler added his second try 14 minutes after the break when powering over from close range from another assist by Weisner, Halifax’s Australian star who was also on debut.

Wales finally opened their account just before the hour mark when Sheffield second row Jordan James powered over to finish off a flowing move.

Wales reduced the arrears to just 10 points when the former Castleford half-back Mark Lennon, now playing for Manly in Australia, cut over for an individual try three minutes later and added his second conversion.

But Weisner, who had kicked just one goal from five attempts, steadied Ireland with three successive drop-goals in the space of five minutes to seal his side’s victory and edged out Cantillon for the man-of-the-match award.