James Botham’s double inspired a fast-starting Wales Under-20s to victory over Ireland in Donnybrook but they had to hold on at the end in an 11-try thriller.
Tommy Rogers, Max Williams and Botham all went over in the first quarter of the game to open up a 19-3 lead for Wales.
Angus Curtis’ score for the hosts gave them a foothold before the break but Tommy Reffell’s fine score and Botham’s second soon after half time looked to have put Wales home and hosed.
But Ireland rolled up their sleeves and a double from No.8 Jack O’Sullivan – the first a stunning break – brought them right back into the contest at 31-24.
Click here to view the 2018 Under-20s Six Nations table after three rounds
Callum Carson’s fine break and score for Wales then looked like it had ended it but Johnny Stewart’s fourth for Ireland kept them in touch.
When Cai Evans slotted a late penalty to stretch the lead back to ten points Wales could breathe but back came Ireland as Tommy O’Brien scorched through the middle but it was not quite enough.
Both sides came into the clash with one loss and one win from the first two rounds, but Wales had downed Ireland last year in a high-scoring affair.
And it was the visitors who came storming out of the gate, Wing Rogers the try scorer after a superb break and offload from No.8 Taine Basham to release him.
Cai Evans missed with the extras but Wales were rampant, clinically punishing Irish errors and their second try arrived on eight minutes.
Lock Williams forced his way over from close range and this time Evans made no mistake with the extras to stretch the lead out to 12-0.
Ireland needed a response and it was provided by Harry Byrne who slotted a penalty just after the quarter-hour mark.
But that was a false dawn for the hosts and Wales had a third soon after, Botham forcing his way over from close range after a catastrophic period of play in the Irish defence failing to gather a loose ball.
Before the break Ireland were denied a try by the TMO, but then Curtis went over to reduce arrears after a fine break from hooker Ronan Kelleher, Byrne converting and it was 19-10 at the interval.
But any Irish momentum heading into the second half was soon ended by Reffell, the flanker bursting clear and Evans converting for a 16-point lead.
And when Botham profited before the hour mark, muscling over from close range after an overthrown Ireland lineout, Wales looked home and hosed.
But two quickfire scores from No.8 O’Sullivan, the first a galloping long-range effort and the latter a predatory close-range one, turned the game on its head once again.
Ireland were now only seven points behind but once again Wales cut through in incisive fashion, their sixth score of the game – centre Callum Carson slicing through for the score.
Evans could not add the extras through and into the final quarter of an hour Ireland trailed 38-24.
And yet still the drama continued, scrum-half Stewart sliding over for the hosts fourth’ and with Byrne’s conversion it was only 38-31.
But in the final ten minutes Evans slotted a penalty to make it a two-score game and the hosts survived – despite O’Brien’s late effort.
