LONDON Irish got their Greene King IPA Championship season off to a blistering start with a 20-7 victory at rivals Ealing Trailfinders.

The hosts are tipped to push Exiles all the way in the race for the title and promotion to the Premiership.

And it was Declan Kidney’s men who drew first blood in that particular battle on Saturday night thanks to Dave Porecki and Ben Meehan tries and the accurate book of Stephen Myler.

Irish actually went behind in the clash when Ealing winger James Cordy-Redden dotted down under the posts in the 11th minute, with Laurence May adding the extras for a 7-0 lead.

But they would be Ealing’s only points of the game as Irish came storming back.

A barnstorming run from Ollie Hoskins that ended just short of the line signalled Irish’s intent.

The visitors were back on level terms two minutes before the interval when Australian prop Porecki slid over in the corner from a rolling maul. Myler slotted a superb touchline conversion to make it 7-7 at the break.

There was even more urgency about Irish’s play after the restart as Ealing came under more and more pressure that led to a penalty which Myler boomed through the posts from way out to put Exiles 10-7 ahead.

They extended their lead to 13-7 just before the hour mark with another Myler three-pointer after more indiscipline from the home side.

And Irish came the victory safe in the 62nd minute when Meehan capped a man-of-the-match display with a vital try.

The smart-thinking scrum-half took a quick tap penalty before sprinting away to score, with Myler notching another conversion to complete the victory.

Ealing pressed for a way back late on but were denied another score by a brilliant try-saving tackle from fit-again Canadian international, Ciaran Hearn.

Exiles entertain Nottingham at Madejski Stadium this Saturday (3pm).

Ealing Trailfinders: Johnston, Stegmann, Armitage, Howard, Cordy-Redden, May (Olver 56), Carter (Burns 65), O’Connell (Beesley 50), Walker (Cornish 70), Tampin (Millar-Mills 50), Onojaife (Stedman 70), Denton (West 20), Reid, Durutalo, Smid (c).

London Irish: Tonks, Ojo (Hearn, 65), Stephenson, Campbell, McLean, Myler, Meehan (McKibbin, 67), Reid (Elrington, 59), Porecki (Fainga’a, 59), Hoskins (Cilliers, 28), Maddison, Paulo, McNally (Schatz, 67), Ioane (Cowan, 67), Rogerson.

Referee: Luke Pearce.

Attendance: 2,205.