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Donal Lenihan believes Joe McCarthy should be dropped following his yellow-card offence in the lead-up to France's opening try on Saturday.

With the game still scoreless, the Irish lock was sent to the sin-bin for a pull-back on Thomas Ramos after the full-back had passed wide to Louis Bielle-Biarrey.

France kicked for touch on the resulting penalty and then manufactured the game's first try from the ensuing lineout, the wing Bielle-Biarrey being sent over in the corner.

Both of the Bordeaux winger's tries occurred with Ireland down to 14 men, with his spectacular second coming during the period when Calvin Nash was stewing in the bin following a head-high tackle on Pierre-Louis Barassi.

Ireland went on to lose 42-27 as their hopes of a historic three-in-a-row were left hanging by a thread.

While both yellow cards proved costly, Lenihan feels that McCarthy's was especially needless and egregious.

"I think there has to be consequences for that," Lenihan said on Against the Head on RTÉ2.

"The pass was gone and McCarthy does a really stupid pull-back on Ramos. How does he think he's going to get away with that? He's contributing nothing there.

"There's good yellow cards and bad yellow cards. Joe McCarthy's one is a stupid one.

"I think he's let his team down. And I would tell him 'Sorry mate, you're on the bench the next day.' I'd be starting James Ryan as a result of that.

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"You've got to stress how important it is to keep your head in the heat of battle. You've got to