World Rugby Junior world Championship: Ireland 40 Argentina 62 Ireland were once again left to reflect on self-inflicted wounds as Argentina ran in eight tries at the Avchala Rugby Stadium in Tbilisi. To their credit Andrew Browne’s side did rally in the second half when four tries without reply briefly threatened a monumental comeback but that vanished as mistakes returned to the forefront of their game.Josh Neill, Jack Deegan, Charlie O’Shea, Charlie Molony, Daniel Ryan and James O’Dwyer were among the brighter performers for Ireland, Christopher Barrett was tireless, while the bench impacted in a positive way. But there were just too many fault lines against an Argentina team that deserved their win, primarily because they were ruthless in exploiting Irish turnovers and lethal on counterattack.The first half was another chastening 40 minutes of rugby for Browne’s side as they struggled to contain a lively Argentina outfit that played with bright minds, quick tempo, and an assured offloading game.Ireland, though, helped them along the way to their 31-5 interval lead, conceding two early tries and then 17 points while left wing Ryan was in the sinbin. The Argentinian side had a combined total of just 30 seconds in the Ireland 22, yet racked up four tries, two from long range.Argentina got their first try when the Irish defence bit in at a lineout maul and with right wing Molony defending in the outhalf channel, it left scrumhalf Juan Preumayr to feed the unmarked Luciano Avaca, who dived over.Outhalf Federico Laporte converted and was on hand six minutes later to finish off a length of the pitch counterattack. In fairness Ireland were hard done by from an officiating perspective, referee Reuben Keane deciding to ignore a lazy runner that impeded Irish scrumhalf Christopher Barrett at a ruck six metres from the Argentina line.Ireland's Jack Deegan is tackled by Argentina's Federico Serpa Laporte during the game in Tbilisi. Photograph: Levan Verdzeuli/Inpho An Irish handling error was the catalyst, but the young Pumas demonstrated their prowess as backs and forwards combined to strike from 80 metres. A try from hooker Rian Handley, converted by replacement outhalf O’Shea – Tom Wood suffered a facial injury early on – provided a respite that was sadly short-lived.Ryan’s yellow card provided Argentina with the latitude to exploit the ensuing space. A Pedro Coll break was finished by fullback Simon Pfister, and then from the kick-off, Avaca’s break from inside his 22 was the precursor to a try for captain Tomas Dande. Laporte kicked both conversions and a penalty.Ireland ended the half dishevelled, the defence all over the place, tackles missed, no continuity because of handling mistakes, and looking jaded, their energy levels severely depleted from all the chasing under the hot Georgian sun.The opening to the second half mirrored that of the match, another basic missed tackle led to a second try for fullback Pfister. A yellow card for Argentina centre Benjamin Yujnovsky gave Ireland field position and O’Shea, whose initial break had got them to the opposing 22, finished superbly after a prolonged period of pressure.A four-on-two 35 metres from the Argentina line perished with a handling error and worse followed when O’Shea’s pass on a counterattack was intercepted and finished by Avaca for his second try. Deegan powered over for a try and replacement tighthead Blake McClean did likewise soon after for the fourth and bonus-point try, both converted by O’Shea to reduce the deficit to 45-28 with a quarter of the match to go.Ireland scored three tries with Yujnovsky in the bin and a fourth soon after when Joe Finn made a line-break which was finished off smartly by O’Shea for his second try. The conversion made it 45-35 with 12 minutes remaining.Charlie O’Shea scores Ireland's second try despite the tackle attempt by Argentina's Bautista Lescano. Photograph: Levan Verdzeuli/Inpho The Ireland team doesn’t lack character or quality when they get out of their own way but sadly they finished as they started, conceding a penalty and two further tries; the umpteenth handling mistake and a non-existent kick chase at the heart of the concessions.Ireland play their final pool match against the USA on Tuesday and arising from that and other results will compete for a tournament ranking from fifth to 16th depending on two further crossover matches.SCORING SEQUENCE – 2 mins: Avaca try, Serpa Laporte con, 0-7; 8: Serpa Laporte try, con, 0-14; 19: Handley try, O’Shea con, 7-14; 31: Serpa Laporte pen, 7-17; 33: Pfister try, Serpa Laporte con, 7-24; 35: Dande try, Serpa Laporte con, 7-31. Half-time: 7-31. 45: Pfister try, Serpa Laporte con, 7-38; 48: O’Shea try, O’Shea con, 14-38; 53: Avaca try, Laporte con, 14-45; 54: Deegan try, O’Shea con, 21-45; 59: McClean try, O’Shea con, 28-45; 66: O’Shea try, O’Shea con, 35-45; 71: Serpa Laporte pen, 35-48; 73: Lescano try, Serpa Laporte con 35-55; 75: Giannantonio try, Serpa Laporte con, 35-62; 79: Neill try, 40-62.IRELAND: Noah Byrne (Dublin University); Charlie Molony (UCD), Jack Deegan (Blackrock), James O’Leary (UCC), Daniel Ryan (Corinthians); Tom Wood (Garryowen), Christopher Barrett (UCC); Max Doyle (UCD), Rian Handley (Old Wesley), Sami Bishti (UCD, capt); Joe Finn (Garryowen), Donnacha McGuire (UCD); Josh Neill (Old Wesley), Alex Lautsou (Shannon), Diarmaid O’Connell (Corinthians).Replacements: Charlie O’Shea (UCC) for Wood (10 mins); Duinn Maguire (UCD) for Handley, Ben Blaney (Terenure) for Lautsou (both 47); James O’Dwyer (Old Belvedere) for Barrett (47-51); Adam Cooper (Buccaneers) for Doyle, Blake McClean (Instonians) for Bishti, Dylan McNeice (UCD) for McGuire (all 53); Rob Carney (Cashel) for O’Dwyer (68).Yellow card: Daniel Ryan (30).ARGENTINA: Simon Pfister; Bautista Lescano, Pedro Coll, Benjamin Yujnovsky, Luciano Avaca; Federico Serpa Laporte, Juan Preumayr; Benjamin Ceroni, Manuel Camargo, Bautista Mallea; Joaquin Viale, Bautista Benavides; Tomas Dande (capt), Jeronimo Sorondo, Federico Torre.Replacements: Fabrizio Cebron for Ceroni, Nicolas Cambiasso for Camargo (both 52 mins); Basilio Canas for Sorondo, Ramon Fernandez for Coll, Valentino Reggiardo for Preumayr (all 57); Manuel Giannantonio for Avaca (67); Federico Narvaez for Mallea (74); Felipe Hygonenq for Dande (75).Yellow card: Benjamin Yujnovsky (47).Referee: Reuben Keane (Australia).