Wales convincingly won their second game of the tournament, but the game was error strewn and showed neither team in the best light, with Ireland struggling for firepower without having any interchanges.
Wales built early pressure with an impress 40/20 kick against the wind, but a fumble by Tom Moore gave possession away. Ireland twice turned over on Wales’ line but were unable to breach.
It was Wales who eventually drew first blood as Lewis Howells found space on the edge, just beating the corner flag to the grounding. Tom Moore was unable to kick the conversion from the touchline in the swirling wind.
Both sides spurned opportunities, with Wales knocking on twice at the crucial moment with the line begging and Ireland failing to complete their exit plays to build possession.
Howells was bundled into touch by James Farrar ten metres out, which built pressure and a platform for Alex Naylor to crash through. Moore was successful with the boot.
Lewis Ingram moved Wales further ahead as Wales ran an angle which saw him cut through to score to the right of the posts and Moore used the wind superbly to add the extras to give Wales a 16-0 lead at the break.
Archie Wilcox broke through early in the second half to extend Wales’ lead, with Moore on target with the wind advantage.
Wales added to head coach Clive Griffiths’ frustrations as they made several errors out wide with the ball finding touch when it should have been an easy overlap.
Ireland won a scrum against the feed, ten metres out and looked to have finally made the space they needed but James Farrar couldn’t make the pass stick in the corner before Howells added to his tally after Wales moved the ball downfield, but Alex Naylor’s conversion bounced of the upright.
Lewis Ingram added a final score for Wales after both sides traded errors, with Moore adding to the conversion to complete the game.
Wales
Lewis Ingram, Lewis Howells, Eli Weekes, Leo Jones, Mason Phillips, Tom Moore, Llewellyn Hawkes, Cono Madden, Charlie Penton, Alex Green, Rhys Hill, Archie Willock, Alex Naylor.
Interchanges: Mason Apsee, Connor Thomas, Evan Moore, Greg Cook, Nat Cotton, George Grooves.
Tries: Lewis Howells (9, 68), Alex Naylor (27), Lewis Ingram (33, 77), Archie Wilcox (42)
Goals: Tom Moore 3/4, Alex Naylor 0/1
Ireland
James Farrar, Joe Boone, Ellis Keppel, Jack Dempsey, Harry Joliffe, Will Walker, Sean Murray, Dom Green, Reece Boyd, Caleb Owen, Danny Lynch, Matteo Tafi, Phil Rigby.
Interchanges: