Ireland beat Samoa in World Cup

Cork-born winger Brian Carney grabbed a richly-acclaimed try for Ireland as the Lincoln Financial Group Rugby League World Cup opened with a 30-16 home victory over Samoa at rain-lashed Windsor Park. The former Gaelic footballer skipped in at the right corner seven minutes into the second half as Ireland - fourth favourites for the competition - seized control in the third quarter. During their period of domination, the Irish grabbed 18 points but it was a largely disappointing display from a team of whom so much is expected. Stand-off Tommy Martyn was well below par and his St Helens team-mate Chris Joynt was equally off form, even though the second-row did have the consolation of scoring the first try of the competition.

Samoa competed for much of the game and should have led at the interval. However, the South Sea Islanders were undone by a clear lack of fitness and will need to recharge their batteries quickly if they are not to suffer another defeat in their eagerly awaited clash with New Zealand Maoris in Workington on Wednesday. Much had been made of Ireland's lack of native-born players, to the extent that one local journalist urged his readers to shout for Samoa in a leader article.

However, the hardy band of enthusiasts who did turn up to a rain-lashed Windsor Park, ignored his advice and got behind a side for whom Carney was the only home-grown player. Almost immediately, they were on their feet as man of the match `big bad' Barrie McDermott blasted a hole through some shoddy Samoan defence and flipped a scoring pass to Joynt. Steve Prescott converted but any thoughts of a runaway Irish win were quickly dispelled as Samoa responded with typical aggression. The referee took an age to assess whether Bryan Leauma had legally grounded Anthony Swann's grubber kick. But the final decision was positive, although Willie Poching's conversion effort was probably the worst in history, failing for distance, accuracy and barely rising more than five metres off the ground.

The Samoan skipper also failed with a later penalty opportunity, eventually handing over responsibility to Simon Geros, who converted Loa Milford's touchdown just past the half-hour. That score brought the South Sea Islanders to within two points of the Irish, who had nosed further ahead when Luke Ricketson finished off a mazy run from Michael Withers. As the game progressed, the eerie silences, which accompanied much of the play as the supporters became accustomed to the rules, disappeared. Each crunching tackle was greeted with a sharp intake of breath and a standing ovation was afforded to Carney when he skipped for his try seven minutes after the break. That followed on from a Michael Eager try, when the Castleford centre shot through a gap left by Leauma as the Samoan winger tried an audacious interception attempt.

The Samoans, on the back of only one week's intensive training, let their heads drop momentarily and their mood was not improved by the loss of second-row Fred Petersen which a neck injury. It says much for the camararderie of the players that it was two members of the Irish side who initially screamed for the stretcher as Petersen took a nasty knock as he attempted to make a tackle. And the home side were among those who applauded the Samoan off the field before the action resumed. One of the Ireland stars, stand-off Tommy Martyn was not enjoying the most productive of afternoons, but his half-back partner Ryan Sheridan delivered a perfect kick against the uprights which deflected away from Milford and was pounced on by Prescott, who added to Samoa's misery with his fifth successful kick.

With an unassailable 20-point lead, Ireland took their foot off the accelerator, although they had barely overexerted themselves but for their explosive third quarter scoring spree. Samoan hooker Monty Betham plunged through a pile of bodies to reduce the arrears with nine minutes remaining. But though Geros bagged the easiest of conversions from under the posts, the visitors could not maintain their revival and Ireland held on for a comfortable success. (PA)

Filed by Amanda Fennelly