Pressure is on now ahead of meeting with New Zealand next Wednesday

Daire Walsh

World Rugby Under-20 Championship Pool C: Italy 18 Ireland 16

Ireland suffered a hammer blow in their bid to reach the semi-final stage of the World Rugby under-20 Championship after they fell to an agonising defeat at the hands of Italy in Stadio Luigi Zaffanella, Viadana last night.

Added to the bench after Bobby Power was drafted into the starting line-up to replace Michael Foy at the 11th hour, Oisin Minogue crashed over the Italian whitewash in second half stoppage-time to leave Ireland with a last-gasp opportunity to claim a hard-earned draw against the tournament hosts. However, Sam Wisniewski’s resulting conversion was wide of the target and while Ireland remain second in Pool C, the pressure is now on ahead of their meeting with pacesetters New Zealand in Calvisano next Wednesday.

Ireland were seeking to make amends for a 15-12 defeat to Italy at Treviso in the final round of this year’s under-20 Six Nations and they displayed early defensive grit by holding out their opponents as they attempted to cross over from a lineout maul.

Ireland looked set to receive a let-off when opposition outhalf Roberto Fasti couldn’t find touch off an 11th minute penalty, only for errors from both Charlie Molony and Paidi Farrell to immediately provide Italy with another platform inside the ‘22’. The hosts were able to go a step further on this occasion as the ensuing set-piece move found its way into the hands of bustling number 8 Nelson Casartelli, who proceeded to burst over the line in clinical style.

This powerful finish was followed by a badly miscued bonus strike from Fasti and when outhalf Tom Wood (son of legendary former Irish international Keith Wood) was presented with a kickable opportunity on 25 minutes, the Munster prospect drilled the ball between the posts to reduce his side’s deficit to two points.

Try-scoring chances were few and far between in the opening period, but after winning the penalty himself thanks to superb work at the breakdown, Italian fullback Edoardo Todaro was successful off the kicking tee in the 36th minute.

This ensured the Azzurri brought an 8-3 cushion into the second period, but Ireland were back within two on 52 minutes as a result of Wood splitting the uprights off a penalty that was positioned to the right of the posts.

This kept the Eanna McCarthy-led Irish within touching distance, but Italy subsequently put themselves in the driving seat when second row Piero Gritti rounded off a ferocious attacking maul with a converted try.

However, just when it looked like the game was drifting away from Ireland, they were given a lifeline when Casartelli was yellow-carded for a head high tackle on Molony. The 14-man Italians were placed on the back foot straight away and after Billy Corrigan had gathered a lineout delivery, McCarthy and Will Wootton combined to good effect before replacement hooker Mikey Yarr dived over in the right-corner for an unconverted effort.

Momentum appeared to be with Ireland at this stage, but Corrigan was sent to the sinbin on 71 minutes – just as Casartelli was preparing himself for a return to the field of play.

This paved the way for Todaro to slot over his second penalty of the contest and though Minogue bagged a five-pointer at the end of a relentless attacking spell, Wisniewski couldn’t find the range from a right-hand angle as Ireland came up just short.

Scorers – Italy: N Casartelli, P Gritti try each, E Todaro 2 pens, con. Ireland: M Yarr, O Minogue try each, T Wood 2 pen.

ITALY: E Todaro; A Drago, F Zanandrea, R Casarin, J Ducros; R Fasti, N Beni; S Pelliccioli, N Corvasce, N Bolognini; M Midena, P Gritti; G Milano, C Bianchi, N Casartelli.

Replacements: L Trevisan for Bolognini, E Opoku Gyamfi for Midena, A Caiolo-Serra for Corvasce, S Mistrulli for Pelliccioli all 54 mins; A Miranda for Bianchi, 57 mins; R Ioannucci for Drago, 62 mins; G Pietramala for Ducros, 68 mins; M Bellotto for Beni, 74 mins.

IRELAND: C Molony; P Farrell, C Mangan, E Smyth, D Moloney; T Wood, W Wootton; A Usanov, H Walker, A Mullan; M Ronan, B Corrigan; B Power, E McCarthy, L Murphy.

Replacements: C Kennelly for Ronan, 49 mins; M Yarr for Walker, B Bohan for Usanov, T McAllister for Mullan, all 53 mins; S Wisniewski for Wood, 60 mins; O Minogue for Power, 62 mins; C Logan for Wootton, 64 mins; Walker for Yarr, 79 mins.

Referee: B Breakspear (Wales).