After a record-breaking performance against England, Wales entered their Women's Six Nations clash with Ireland full of optimism. But the two-week break seemed to drain all their momentum, leaving fans disappointed as they fell to a 33-12 defeat in Belfast.

The first half was a tight contest, much like their previous matches against Scotland and France. Wales went into the tunnel trailing 12-7—but it should have been closer. A costly error in stoppage time, failing to clear the ball before the clock ran out, gifted Ireland one last attack that resulted in a try.

"We speak about championship moments and that is one of them," said Wales captain Bethan Lewis. "Putting ourselves on the back foot going into half-time, it's frustrating. We need to tighten up with things like that."

In the second half, the spark that fueled their late comeback against England was nowhere to be seen. Ireland dominated possession and territory, with last year's player of the championship, Aoife Wafer, scoring twice to lead the charge. Wales struggled to build any sustained pressure, and their only consolation came in the 78th minute when Jasmine Joyce crossed the line for a try.

"We're ranked 12th in the world, we played the team ranked 5th in the world and you can clearly see when you're away from home, you've got to be a lot more clinical," said Wales head coach Sean Lynn. "The girls give everything out there and when you see them upset after the game it's because they care, they want to be winning, so it is tough."

The loss extends Wales' tournament losing streak to nine matches. With one game left next Sunday, they face the prospect of a third consecutive wooden spoon in the Six Nations. For a team that showed so much promise against England just weeks ago, this sluggish performance is a stark reminder of the gap they still need to close.