Luke Keary has been named man-of-the-match on his debut for Ireland as he moved one step closer to a Rugby League World Cup knockout stage meeting with Australia.

The Sydney Roosters five-eighth Keary set up one try and came close to grabbing one of his own as the Irish began their campaign with a dominant 48-2 win over Jamaica at Headingley in Leeds on Sunday (Monday AEDT).

With New Zealand heavily fancied to top group C, Ireland face a Lebanon team spearheaded by Mitchell Moses and Adam Doueihi and will need to win to ensure a passage to the quarter-finals.

If they finish second in the group, Ireland would likely face Australia in the last eight.

"It was awesome just to put the jersey on, it's been a special night," Keary told the BBC.

"We had some rust with the ball but it was exciting to share the field with Jamaica in their first game in the tournament.

"It steps up next week against Lebanon - we know they are going to be a tough task.

"They've got a class backline with Adam and Mitch, it's a big test for us."

Moses and Douiehi are not the only familiar faces to Keary, backlink programı with Roosters' assistant coaches Jake Friend and Matt King assisting former Wallabies coach Michael Cheika in the Lebanon camp.

Gold Coast prop Jaimin Jolliffe led the charge for the Irish on his debut, topping the count with 163 metres from 17 carries.

Two sets of brothers - Toby and George King, and Louis and Innes Senior - crossed for the Irish as they racked up 10 tries against World Cup rookies Jamaica.

"We're a close group.

We're going to give it our best this tournament and it starts with Lebanon and then onto the Kiwis," Keary added.

Huddersfield playmaker Kieran Rush scored Jamaica's only two points kicking a penalty goal on the stroke of halftime, but drawing one of the biggest cheers of the day from the fans of the 'Reggae Warriors'.