Paul O'Connell was typically combative for Ireland © Getty Images

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Ireland head coach Joe Schmidt was left to rue his side's inaccuracies as they tasted defeat at the hands of Wales in their final World Cup warm-up on home soil.

The visitors deservedly claimed a 16-10 World Cup warm-up success at the Aviva Stadium, built on flanker Justin Tipuric's first-half try and 11 points from the boot of full-back Leigh Halfpenny.

Ireland now complete their World Cup preparations against England at Twickenham next Saturday, and there is little doubt that they will require an improved display.

"To be honest, it is a little bit of deja vu," Schmidt said. "We conceded a lot of penalties at the Millennium Stadium during the Six Nations last season, and I think we were six-nil down on penalties today when we were 10-0 down on the scoreboard.

"You can't give Leigh Halfpenny goalkicking opportunities, because he is too good at it. You can't give a team the quality of Wales the opportunity to enter into your defensive zone, because they will make you pay for it.

"I said to the players in the changing room it's going to be very tough next week.

"They (England) are going to look to rebound from a slip-up in France, and they are going to bring a really physical performance to Twickenham to lay down a marker prior to the World Cup, and we are going to have to walk in there and man-up and do the best we can."

Irish fans will have been concerned to see wing Keith Earls suffer what looked like a nasty second-half collision, which saw him leave the field on a stretcher.

Schmidt, however, gave an initial positive fitness bulletin during his post-match press conference, saying that Earls was alert in the dressing room after the match.

"Keith just got caught with his head on the wrong side of the tackle," Schmidt said. "He was totally lucid in the changing rooms and remembered his involvements in the game, so they are promising signs. He will follow the concussion protocols.