Ireland set up a mouthwatering Lincoln World Cup quarter-final clash with England after sweeping aside the New Zealand Maori at Tolka Park tonight. The Irish ended a perfect group four campaign that also took them to Belfast with a five-try rout of a highly-fancied Maori outfit, to emerge 30-16 winners.
Two tries late in the first half set them on the way to victory against opponents whose defeat offered a lifeline to Scotland. The Scots could make it into the knockout stages - although it is the might of Australia that awaits - if they can pull off victory over Samoa by at least a two-point margin at Edinburgh's Tynecastle tomorrow. But the Irish squad will not worry about that outcome as they look forward to a game they have had their eye on ever since the draw was made.
Ireland, with three players in their squad who were capped by England before switching allegiance to the land of their grandparents, will be confident of ending English hopes at Headingley next Saturday. Fittingly, it was one of the two ‘home’ players who struck a decisive blow on the stroke of half-time by grabbing his team's second try in the space of seven minutes.
Cork flier Brian Carney, who has been signed by Wigan for next season's Super League, powered over from close range - although he had to wait for the television replays before his second try of the competition was awarded. Hull full-back Steve Prescott, who had broken the deadlock with a penalty, converted the try to give Ireland a 12-point lead at the end of a first half in which they survived the expected Maori onslaught.
Opposite wing Mark Forster, one of two injury enforced changes to the side which beat Scotland last week, had grabbed the crucial opening try after blocking Maori wing Odel Manuel's kick ahead. Forster picked up and raced down the left touchline from just inside his own half to score in the corner.
Filed by Shane Murray
