Fiji 30 Ireland 14:The fairytale run of Ireland at the Rugby League World Cup was brought to a shuddering halt on the Gold Coast in their semi-final qualifier, leaving Fiji to face champions Australia in Sydney next Sunday for a place in the final.
Ireland finished bloodied and bruised but they kept alive their dream in a tense and hard-fought first half at Skilled Park but were swept aside by superior opponents after the break.
Andy Kelly's men were full of confidence and determination following their shock 34-16 win over highly-fancied Samoa and tackled heroically but they could not match their opponents for flair and skill on attack.
Fiji captain Wes Naiqama struck the first blow, scything past fullback Michael Platt for the opening try on two minutes after lively scrumhalf Aaron Groom had re-gathered possession from Simon Finnigan's charge-down.
The Newcastle Knights centre kicked the first of five goals to make it 6-0 but the scores were level on seven minutes when Ireland right winger Damien Blanch took Sean Gleeson's neat pass and evaded Darryl Millard and Jarryd Hayne on a thrilling 50-metre touchline run to claim his fourth try of the tournament, his seventh in just six apprearances.
Pat Richards, the tournament's leading points-scorer after the preliminary stages, kicked the conversion but missed a 40-metre penalty that would have put Ireland in front.
The Fijians always looked the more dangerous side and it needed a brilliant last-ditch tackle from Platt to halt Groom in full flight for the line.
It was no surprise when the Pacific islanders regained the lead, exciting right winger Akuila Uate coming off his wing and evading the back-pedalling Irish defence to touch down.
But never-say-die Ireland hit back five minutes before half-time when standoff Scott Grix sidestepped his way through the Fiji defence for his side's second try.
This time Richards' conversion attempt hit the outside of the right-hand upright, to leave the Ireland trailing by two points at the break.
Richards failed to reach the heights of his man-of-the-match display against Samoa and his fumble almost gifted a try to Fiji substitute James Storer within two minutes of the restart.
Ireland were hanging on at times but they almost scored a breakaway try when scrumhalf Karl Fitzpatrick broke clear but his fellow substitute Ged Corcoran was brought down by the Fijian cover.
It proved to be Ireland's last chance as Fiji gradually wore them down.
Standoff Alipate Noilea carved out a try for loose forward Jayson Bukuya, Hayne followed up a grubber kick from Groom and Uate took his try tally to five in three matches by taking Millard's pass to cross at the corner.
But Ireland had the final say when Blanch took an offload from secondrow Lee Doran to score his fifth try of the tournament, matching the tally of Uate.
Kelly admitted his side were outclassed but priased their willingness to keep going at the Fijians.
"I just feel like the guys tackled the whole game — 75 per cent of the game was defensive effort. They kept fighting to the end but there was probably not enough smart football out there."
