Ireland stun favourites in European Rugby League Championship

Ireland 22 France 12

Ireland made a dream start to their European Championship campaign with a 22-12 win over favourites France at Dublin’s Tallaght Stadium.

Former Hull and Hull KR full-back Shannon McDonnell, whose 2014 domestic season was curtailed by a fractured jaw playing for St Helens, marked an impressive debut with two of the Wolfhounds’ five tries.

McDonnell, who missed both the 2008 and 2013 World Cups through injury, gave the Irish the lead they never relinquished with a try on his debut after just seven minutes, having successfully chased a kick from Halifax scrum-half Ben Johnston.

Haydn Peacock, who plays his club rugby for Carcassonne, doubled Ireland’s lead on 31 minutes by touching down Callum Casey’s kick and the home side led 8-0 at the break.

That became 12-0 six minutes into the second half when McDonnell finished off a sweeping move for his second try and Peacock also grabbed his second to make it 16-0, with Ireland’s goalkickers unable to master the windy conditions.

Hull KR second rower Kevin Larroyer sparked a French fightback on 58 minutes with their first try and it was game on 10 minutes from the end when Catalans Dragons hooker Eloi Pellissier added a second and Remy Marginet kicked both conversions.

Ireland defended for their lives, though, and finally made sure of their first win for two years thanks to a last-minute try by Dewsbury’s Jobe Murphy.

Ireland now take on Scotland, fresh from their own win over Wales on Friday night, at Tallaght Stadium next Saturday.