THE reality of yet another Welsh false dawn hit home like a dose of cold steel on the bitterest of bitter Dublin days yesterday.

Those who forecast the rise of Welsh rugby like a phoenix from the ashes were dealt a cruel blow as Ireland thrust a knife in deep and twisted it with all the effect of stepping outside into the bitter wind.

Victory over Scotland in some style a week before was, indeed, a case of flattering to deceive. It was as some suspected a win against poor opposition in considerable disarray.

It may have been Wales' first winning start to the championship for seven long years, but it was no more than that.

Ireland proved a totally different proposition and in all honesty they didn't have to play that well to prove the point.

They undeniably did their homework and they did the basics, as easy and as simple as that. They realised that Wales offered a threat behind with some pacey, tricky backs and they decided to snuff out that threat.

They realised they would have to take Wales on up front and get the better of them comfortably. And then they had to deny the Welsh backs the time and space they needed.

The dual plan worked like a dream as Wales conceded a try in the first minute, trailing 24-3 at the interval and within 12 minutes of the second half let two more tries in to go 36-3 down.

Only then did Wales string anything together to score two tries through replacement Tom Shanklin, but it counted for nothing as the match was over by then.

Wales paid a heavy price for allowing the Irish pack to dictate as they fell off their tackles and missed them altogether, making far too many basic errors.

The first occurred with less than a minute gone, also unbelievably, as Irish hooker Shane Byrne controlled the ball at the back of a rolling maul and the cover was nowhere to be seen as he crossed unopposed.

Ronan O'Gara converted and though Stephen Jones managed a penalty the tidal wave of Irish jerseys bore down on the Welsh line, almost unchallenged at times.

Another try of stirring simplicity followed as O'Gara put a penalty into touch, Ireland won the line-out and returning skipper Brian O'Driscoll powered through Gareth Cooper and over for a try.

O'Gara converted again and then got in on the try scoring act as he charged down a relieving kick by a hesitant Iestyn Harris for a simple score. Then Byrne grabbed his second after a kick by O'Gara and the hooker fending off Cooper again for the try.

Any hopes of a Welsh revival failed to materialise as number eight Keith Foley took a cheeky reverse pass from scrum half Peter Stringer after a Shane Horgan tap penalty and another O'Driscoll run to score the fifth try.

Then the sixth soon followed as flanker Keith Gleeson swept through the middle past Wales captain Martyn Williams and put the ball out to O'Driscoll who scored his second try.

It had turned into a rout, the six tries being the same number as Wales conceded on their last championship visit to the ground when they conceded 54 points.

The 35 they let in back in August means Wales have conceded 125 points in their last three visits to Lansdowne Road.

Only when Shanklin went on did Wales make any impression as twice in 13 minutes he charged across for tries, the first after combining with Stephen Jones, Harris and Martyn Williams and the second with a quick tap penalty and a sharp run produced another.

Even if Ireland had relaxed by now, the match won, at least Shanklin showed the kind of direct running needed.

The Welsh backs, so impressive against Scotland simply passed the ball from one to another without any pace or aggressiveness.

Compare that with the robust, all-out play of the Irish who knew the way to the line while the pack competed everywhere, and refused to let them into the game and simply strangled the life out of them.

It was a harsh lesson in how to do the simple things effectively. Whether Wales can recover in time for the stiffer challenge of France in a fortnight remains to be seen.

Ireland: G Dempsey, S Horgan, G D'Arcy (K Maggs 56 min), B O'Driscoll (captain) (D Humphries 76), T Howe, R O'Gara, P Stringer (G Easterby (76), R Corrigan (S Best 78), S Byrne (F Sheahan 63), J Hayes, D O'Callaghan (M O'Reilly 31), P O'Connell, S Easterby, K Foley (V Costello 78), K Gleeson. Scorers: Tries: Byrne (2), O'Driscoll (2), O'Gara, Foley; conversions: O'Gara (3).

Wales: G Thomas, R Williams, S Parker (T Shanklin 55), I Harris (C Sweeney 67) S Williams, S Jones, G Cooper (D Peel 76), I Thomas, R McBryde, A Jones(G Jenkins 31), B Cockbain, R Sidoli (M Owen 46), J Thomas (A Popham 69), D Jones, M Williams (Captain). Scorers: Tries: T Shanklin (2); penalty and conversion S Jones. Referee: Mr. J Jutge (France). Attendance: 49,000.