Ireland Under-18s lose Six Nations opener to Wales

Ireland U-18 6 Wales U-18 25

Ospreys starlet Matthew Jarvis was deadly accurate with the boot as the Ireland Under-18 Schools team fell to a 25-6 defeat in their opening game of the 2008 U-18 Six Nations Festival at Musgrave Park tonight.

2,500 spectators packed into the Cork venue as a strong opening half performance by a determined Welsh side ensured that they made a positive start to the Six Nations Festival.

Out-half Jarvis was simply sublime, kicking six penalties and one conversion from seven kicks.

Welsh coach Simon King could afford to substitute the talented player as the game entered the final quarter.

This Celtic clash saw just one try, with Wales scrum half Rhys Downes crossing the home whitewash after 16 minutes.

Ireland played second fiddle and trailed by 16-6 at the interval with St. Michael's College student Noel Reid sending over two penalty kicks.

Ireland's frustrations had already set in midway through the half, when the game spilled over with 13 players from both teams getting involved in a fracas.

However, when referee Rowan Kitt took a handle on matters, both sides settled and played good rugby for the remainder of the game.

Peter Melia's Ireland side were forced to defend for much of the second half as the Welsh piled on their pressure, and when Ireland captain Brian O'Hara was sin-binned, it further compounded the hosts' woes.

The PBC Cork flanker was shown yellow just eight minutes into second half, with Jarvis sending over his seventh place-kick as O'Hara re-entered the game and Wales opened up a 19-point gap.

The Irish failed to command much possession in the second half and this certainly reflected on the scoreboard, as they could not add to Reid's brace of penalties.

Although they were gifted a late chance, deep into injury-time, when full-back Reid spilled the ball out wide following a good attacking move.

Ballymena Academy out-half Luke Marshall and Castletroy's Diarmaid McCarthy were among the Irish players who kept their heads in the second half and put in strong performances.

But Ireland were always up against it with this physically stronger Welsh side capitalising on any breaks the hosts allowed them.