Ireland got off to a winning start at the World Cup by downing tournament newcomers Jamaica 48-2 in Leeds, with Roosters playmaker Luke Keary leading the way in a player of the match showing.
The Reggae Warriors were valiant in defeat, scrambling well to deny their opponents a number of would-be tries, but couldn’t match the class of Ireland, who should have clocked up an even bigger score, if not for poor goalkicking which saw them convert just four of their 10 tries.
In his Test debut, Keary had 166 run metres, made two line breaks and was involved in three of his side’s tries before being rested for the final 20 minutes of the match.
Keary’s halves partner Joe Keyes was strong too, running for 190 metres and steering the side around the park well.
Ireland crossed four times for an 18-2 lead at the break, with Jamaica kicking a penalty right on the siren to mark their first ever points at a World Cup.
The Wolfhounds added a further five tries in the second period, with forwards James McDonnell, James Bentley and Frankie Halton all scoring inside the final 10 minutes as the Jamaica pack began to wear down.
Although his side won comfortably in the end, a concern for Ireland coach Ged Corcoran will be the 16 errors made by Ireland, which saw them complete just 69 percent of their sets.
Source: NRL.com