Newcastle 22 London Irish 27: Wilkinson's return fails to lift Falcons past the Irish

The brightest of finishes by Newcastle in this European Challenge Cup semi-final at Kingston Park yesterday failed to disguise the dimmest of performances by their forwards. The home side allowed Irish to rack up a healthy lead with four unanswered tries in a little under 70 minutes, and as a result Irish will meet Gloucester at the Stoop next month.

Rob Andrew, the Falcons' director of rugby, ushered Jonny Wilkinson on early to replace Dave Walder, which gave the watching England coach, Andy Robinson, something to think about. It is unlikely, though, that he will include Wilkinson in his two-Test tour to Australia this June.

"That decision will be left to the medical people," Andrew said. "And there is absolutely no chance of Jonny touring this summer."

This was Newcastle's third semi-final defeat in the second-tier tournament, and leaves them with only the slimmest of chances of qualifying for next season's Heineken Cup, via sixth place in the Premiership.

They were the architects of their own misfortune, allowing Irish to steal any amount of ball on their own throw, but having scored three tries in 10 minutes they were denied a fourth - which would have levelled it at 27-27, with Wilkinson's conversion attempt to follow - after Matt Thompson and Jonny Williams were driven across the line. The video official, Clayton Thomas, gave Irish the benefit of the doubt.

Their head coach, Brian Smith, paid tribute to his forwards specialist Toby Booth. "The quality of our defensive line-out play is all down to Toby," he said.

The hooker, Robbie Russell, was first to scorewhen Kieran Roche put him over. Topsy Ojo was next, after Ben Woods missed him. Riki Flutey added a conversion and a penalty and Newcastle had only a penalty by Matt Burke as Irish turned round 15-3 ahead.

That became 27-3 when Sailosi Tagicakibau and Gonzalo Tiesi crossed, before Newcastle managed tries by Woods, Tom May and Mathew Tait in a breathless finale.

Newcastle: Tries Woods, May, Tait; Conversions Wilkinson 2; Penalty Burke. London Irish: Tries Russell, Ojo, Tagicakibau, Tiesi; Conversions Flutey 2; Penalty Flutey.

Newcastle: M Burke; T May, M Tait, J Noon, A Elliott; D Walder (J Wilkinson, 33), J Grindal (H Charlton, 58); M Ward (J Williams, 40), A Long (M Thompson, 33), R Morris (M Ward, 67), A Perry (O Finegan, 70), G Parling, M McCarthy, B Woods, C Charvis (capt).

London Irish: D Armitage; T Ojo, G Tiesi, M Catt (capt), S Tagicakibau; R Flutey (S Geraghty, 70), P Hodgson (D Edwards, 66); N Hatley, R Russell (D Paice, 40), F Rautenbach (R Skuse, 40), B Casey (N Kennedy, 66), K Roche, D Danaher, O Magne (K Dawson, 49), P Murphy.

Referee: N Owens (Wales).