Mistakes cost the Ireland Under-21s as they went down 29-10 to their French counterparts in Strasbourg in the second round of Under-21 Six Nations matches.
With UCC prop Darragh Hurley in the sin-bin, the Irish conceded three tries either side of the break to see their hopes take a nose dive at the Centre Sportif de Hautepierre.
Mark McDermott's side travelled south on the back of an encouraging 34-9 home win against Italy, and they held their own in the first quarter against their heavily-touted hosts.
Lansdowne lock Devin Toner, standing at 6ft 10in, was a constant target for Irish captain Stuart Philpott in the lineout, and Jonathan Sexton offered an influential presence at fly half.
Sexton sent the 18-year-old centre Darren Cave haring through a gap after 16 minutes, only for the Belfast Harlequins flyer to be hauled down short of the home line.
Crucially, for all their early dominance, the Irish made no in-roads on the scoreboard. Sexton missed attempts at an opening penalty and drop goal, and had to watch helplessly as French prop Yohan Montes was driven over after a lineout maul on 20 minutes.
Lionel Beauxis converted and added a penalty before Sexton opened his account with a 32nd-minute penalty. Three minutes later, Hurley felt the wrath of Welsh referee Neil Ballard when he was sin-binned for slowing up ruck ball.
Tries from winger Gregory Puyo and lock Loic Jacquet followed for France before the break as they began to find their link men.
Les Bleus added a fourth try to their 22-3 half-time buffer through centre Maxiem Mermoz, just 11 seconds into the second half.
The Irish garnered a penalty try with the French guilty of a spate of infringements close to their line on 50 minutes. Sexton converted to pare the gap down to 29-10, France then lost Jacquet to a yellow card, but their lead went untroubled in the final quarter.
