WALES ended their U20 Six Nations campaign with a 26-17 loss to Gland Slam winners Ireland at Stadiwm Zip World in Colwyn Bay.

A large crowd of North Wales rugby fans cheered on the young Welsh side in their final encounter of the tournament, and they were undone by the in-form Irish to see them finish in fourth position for their efforts.

Despite the eventual result it was the home side that started brighter, and they went ahead on 11 minutes when Aneruin Owen touched down after a sweeping team move involving Tomi Lewis. Cai Evans added the extras.

This was swiftly followed by another Welsh score which came courtesy of the boot of Evans, who drilled a superb penalty through the upright thanks to an Irish infringement.

Their dominance was halted on the stroke of half-time against the run of play, with a quick counter-attack from Scott Penny presenting an easy scoring chance to winger Jonathan Wren, with Ben Healy duly despatching the conversion attempt.

The visitors seized the initiative soon after when hooker Dylan Tierney-Martin bundled his way over for his fifth try of the tournament, and the assured Healy also added the extras to give the title victors a slender cushion.

Their advantage did not last long, as substitute Ryan Conbeer produced a dazzling run to beat three men before offloading to flanker Jac Evans to score under the posts. Evans converted.

An end-to-end affair brought further drama when talented scrum-half Colm Reilly demonstrated his trademark pace to burst through a slight gap and turn this opportunity into yet another score to put them back in front.

There was still time for the away side to rub further salt into the Welsh wounds, and prop Thomas Clarkson was on hand to go over from close range to seal their memorable triumph.