Wales players jump for joy as the final whistle goes. Thoroughly deserved win for Wales, who apart from a ten minute spell at the beginning of the second half, absolutely controlled the game after the break.
Think of Ireland’s big players up to this point in the competition. Healy, Ferris, O’Brien, O’Gara – they simply weren’t in the game today. Wales attacked Ireland’s strenghts and it paid dividends big time. Give the opposition credit though, they were excellent. Sam Warburton and Jamie Roberts stood out, while Rhys Priestland stepped up to the plate when required.
Saying that though, this is hard to take. We won’t have a better opportunity to qualify for the last four of a World Cup for a long, long time,you feel. Alas, it wasn’t to be.
On the World Cup as a whole though, Ireland can be proud of their efforts and as bad and all as we feel right now, spare a thought for the O’Driscolls, the O’Garas, the O’Connells etc, whose World Cup dream is over for good.
That’s it from me for today folks. Thanks for tuning in.
FULL-TIME
Clock ticking towards 80, it’s all over for Ireland. It’s such a pity the way this is coming to an end.
Turnover Wales. Ireland were static and getting absolutely no go forward ball and another attack dies a death. Game over.
Scrappy ball but Ireland have it.
O’Driscoll goes down the line, but he runs out of space. Ireland still have the lineout five metres out.
Ireland have 6 minutes to get 14 points. Donnacha Ryan and Denis Leamy on for Jamie Heaslip and Stephen Ferris.
Off the post again!
Penalty Wales just outside Ireland’s 22. This goes over and Ireland go out.
A couple of Irish players look dead on their feet, it has to be said.
Andrew Trimble coming on for Earls for Ireland.
Ten minutes on the clock and Ireland need two converted tries. Doesn’t look likely at this stage.
Ireland penalised at the scrum and it’s not the first time Cian Healy has been caught out. Soft penalty for Wales.
Knock on Ireland at the crucial moment. So, so close. Brilliant from Reddan, Sean O’Brien took it on, but it was knocked on at the crucial moment by Brian O’Driscoll of all people. Clock stopped as Huw Bennett gets treatment and Wales will be happy with the break. Big, big scrum here.
Ireland on the Welsh five metre line. We need a score here…
Looks like the game could be up for Ireland, who have been desperately poor in the second half. It’s not over by any means, but it will take a miracle at this stage.
CONVERSION WALES (PRIESTLAND) WALES 22-10 IRELAND.
Well, if the last try was soft, that was shocking. Three Irish players backed off as Davies approached the corner and the Welsh centre simply waltzed over the line. Awful, awful try to give away, but in truth, it’s well deserved.
TRY WALES (DAVIES) WALES 20-10 IRELAND.
Ireland’s kicking has been awful and Wales are simply lapping it up. Then Earls tries the counter attack, Ireland knock on and Wales have the scrum in the Irish 22. Pick and go, pick and go, Wales going through the phases and sapping all of Ireland’s energy.
This is tough to watch, but if it was Ireland doing the same, we’d be full of praise.
Wales do it again. Priestland grubber into the corner and it’s an Irish lineout in their own 22 once again. Wales don’t care too much about contesting the throws, they just want to keep Ireland in there.
Wales keeping Ireland penned in their own 22. Really clever stuff, Ireland can’t get out of their own half.
Off the post! Sexton touches it down in the Irish 22.
Can the half backs provide the shift in emphasis required? It’s all Wales at the moment and they get the penalty 40 metres out on the right side. Ireland repeatedly refused these kicks in the opening half, but Rhys Priestland is going to give this a go. Massive kick.
Ronan O’Gara throws a pass to nobody and Ireland are forced back once more. Wales have it just inside the Irish half and now have a scrum. Right on cue, Sexton and Reddan about to come on for Ireland.
Wales on the front foot again after winning an Irish lineout on Ireland’s 22. Brief respite for Ireland after Davies knocks on. Scrum Ireland on the 22 in the middle of the pitch.
All Ireland’s work undone by a magnificent piece of innovation by Mike Phillips, beating Gordon D’Arcy on the blindside to go over in the corner. Brilliant by Phillips, but that was a poor score to give away.
TRY WALES (PHILLIPS) WALES 15-10 IRELAND.
That’s a try.
Mike Phillips goes over in the corner and I think he got it down. What a shame.
Stephen Ferris is hobbling, it seems to be his knee that’s the problem. Fingers crossed he’ll be alright.
I don’t know how Keith Earls is standing after what was a bone crunching of clash of heads with Jamie Roberts, whose head is more akin to a concrete block than an actual human head. Earls is back on his feet, though and Ireland are turning the screw. Another turnover secured. Penalty on their own 22.
Straight fron the restart, Wales are on the attack, until Sean O’Brien secures a massive turnover under the posts. O’Gara clears to just outside the 22.
Game on.
CONVERSION IRELAND (O’GARA) WALES 10-10 IRELAND
Yes! Try given and Ireland are back in the game. The move looked dead at one stage, but it was the finish of an arch poacher from Earls, who has been on fire in the tournament so far.
TRY IRELAND (EARLS) WALES 10-8 IRELAND
TMO decision pending…very hard to tell from the replay.
Earls goes over the line!! Were his feet in touch?
Super from O’Driscoll and Earls. O’Driscoll puts the kick in the corner, Earls chases Halfpenny and wraps him up on his own line. Wales clear briefly, but Ireland on the front foot again and within sight of the line.
Awful lot of football going on at the start of the second half and the best kick of the lot comes from Rhys Priestland, who pins Ireland in their own half.
We’re up and running again.
“If Johnny Sexton was on the pitch, half of Ireland would be calling for his head. O’Gara is not having a good game,” says Brent Pope. He’s right, but if there’s any man with the character to turn it around, it’s ROG.
This Ireland team has dug it out of the fire at a number of crucial moments over the years and it’s time to go to the well again. Big half needed from our big players, but this is far from beyond us. Nearly ready to go again in Wellington.
Sean from Mullingar has been in touch: “I think we need Sexton on ASAP. Stadium won’t suit kickers, so we are better off with a quicker and more defensively sound out-half.”
Not a bad point Sean. Doesn’t seem to be happening for ROG so far, but the wind seems set to favour us in the second half.
Half-time wrap:
Two ways of looking at that half really. If you discount the first five minutes, Ireland have been on top, certainly in terms of possession and territory, but can’t make that superiority tell on the scoreboard.
On the other hand, the Welsh defence have been superb and Warren Gatland’s men look dangerous any time they get the ball in broken field play. Ireland could have done with a score to reward their pressure, but there’s plenty of time left yet.
HALF-TIME
Better from Ireland, into the Welsh 22. Scrum Ireland on the Welsh 22, but there’s no time for it.
Slow ball for Wales, the difference is that they seem to be making yards after every tackle. It’s O’Driscoll again who takes the initiative and steals the ball for Ireland, who get the penalty.
There just seems to be no way through this blitz Welsh defence. I’ve barely had reason to mention Stephen Ferris or Sean O’Brien so far. Frustration leads O’Gara to go for the corner again, but again he overcooks it. Ireland have all the ball but nothing to show for it.
Ireland forced out over the touchline again, indeed it’s Heaslip again. We could really do with a score before half-time. O’Callaghan steals the ball from the lineout, but Ireland’s attack is thwarted once more as Warburton nicks it off O’Gara in close contact.
Better from Ireland. Bowe and Kearney involved before O’Gara sends a little grubber through that goes over the line five metres out. Wales clear, but Ireland on the attack once more…
Jamie Heaslip is forced out over the touchline and the camera catches him letting out a despairing roar. Sums it up for Ireland so far, I’m afraid.
Superb kick, made it over with yards to spare and there’s seven between the sides again.
PENALTY WALES (HALFPENNY) WALES 10-3 IRELAND.
The Welsh defence has been incredible so far, they are in Ireland’s faces so quick that Ireland don’t have time to release their ball carriers. Wales penalty on halfway and it looks as if Halfpenny is going to go for the posts. Wales obviously have the wind advantage.
Finally. We probably should have more than three points on the board but we’re up and running nonetheless. This half has flown by, 15 minutes to go.
PENALTY IRELAND (O’GARA) WALES 7-3 IRELAND.
Rob Kearney with a super burst that falls up just short. His attempted offload is intercepted by the Welsh defence, but Ireland get there in numbers and eventually win the penalty under the posts. O’Gara will surely take the the three points on offer here.
O’Gara looks for territory from the hafway line but overcooks the kick and Wales have a scrum near halfway. Wales penalised at the set-piece and Ireland have it once more. It hasn’t really happened for O’Gara so far, but cometh the hour…O’Gara drills in into the corner and pins Wales back in their own half. Lovely kick.
O’Gara launches a garryowen, but Halfpenny takes it with supreme confidence ahead of O’Driscoll and Kearney. Ominously enough, Wales are really up for this.
Ireland make a mess of it again, Ronan O’Gara knocking on from five metres out this time. Ireland need a return from this pressure. Wales defence superb once more.
Once again, O’Gara declines the kick and goes for the corner. From the resulting lineout, Sean O’Brien goes for the line but he’s held up by Shane Williams of all people. Five metre scrum for Ireland.
God you can’t take your eyes off this for a second. It’s helter skelter and a bit all over the place, but absorbing all the same.
Penalty Ireland.
Wales look so dangerous in attack, but thankfully Brian O’Driscoll manages to intercept it. Badly needed, Ireland were in dire straits there. Good break from D’Arcy and Ireland are now in the Welsh 22…
Jamie Roberts wreaking havoc so far, running over Gordon D’Arcy this time. Wales on the attack in the Irish 22.
Excellent Welsh defence it has to be said. Ireland have been pushed out to ten metres having been on the line a minute ago. Wales turn it over after Gordon D’Arcy knocked it on in the tackle. Pity.
Ireland camped on the Welsh line, Tommy Bowe held up short.
Ireland secure the lineout, Healy knocks on but Wales are offside. O’Gara goes for the corner again.
Penalty Ireland again. Very, very slow ball for Ireland and thankfully Craig Joubert puts a stop to it before it gets out of hand. From a tight angle, O’Gara goes from the corner, although Ryle Nugent on RTE assures us that it’s because of the wind as much as anything else.
Penalty for Ireland is sent over the line on the Welsh 22 and Ireland have a good attacking platform. First test for Rory Best’s dodgy shoulder.
Well that didn’t go to plan did it? From the off, Ireland looked in trouble and it went from bad to worse after Keith Earls knocked on only a minute in. Jamie Roberts involved at various stages in the move for the try, even brushing Donncha O’Callaghan aside as if he wasn’t there. How is Ireland’s bottle? We’ll soon find out.
CONVERSION WALES (PRIESTLAND) WALES 7-0 IRELAND
TRY WALES (WILLIAMS) IRELAND 0-5 WALES
Disaster, Shane Williams goes over in the corner. Craig Joubert goes to the TMO but there’s no doubt.
Nervy start for Ireland. Jamie Roberts claims a garryowen ahead of Rob Kearney, it’s moved on close to the Irish line and Wales are within inches of going over…
We’re underway. C’mon Ireland!
Quick reminder of the teams for you…
Ireland: Rob Kearney; Tommy Bowe, Brian O’Driscoll, Gordon D’Arcy, Keith Earls; Ronan O’Gara, Conor Murray; Cian Healy, Rory Best, Mike Ross; Donncha O’Callaghan, Paul O’Connell; Stephen Ferris, Sean O’Brien, Jamie Heaslip.
Replacements: Sean Cronin, Tom Court, Donnacha Ryan, Denis Leamy, Eoin Reddan, Jonathan Sexton, Andrew Trimble.
Wales: Leigh Halfpenny; George North, Jonathan Davies, Jamie Roberts, Shane Williams, Rhys Priestland, Mike Phillips; Gethin Jenkins, Huw Bennett, Adam Jones, Luke Charteris, Alun Wyn Jones, Dan Lydiate Sam Warburton (captain), Toby Faletau
Replacements: Lloyd Burns, Paul James, Bradley Davies, Ryan Jones, Lloyd Williams, James Hook, Scott Williams
Sorry folks, bit of a technical glitch in the last while, but we’re back just in time for kick off. Teams out on the pitch and anthems are in full swing.
0515:
Nervous yet? It may be an ungodly hour in the morning, but already my fingernails are worn down to the nub with the tension of it all. But then again, it’s a good tension, borne out of excitement as much anything else. A feeling has persisted for a while now that Ireland are on the verge of something special and all the vibes from the camp have been good ones.
Good vibes aren’t going to get us over what has been an impressive Welsh side to date, however, and if we are going to make it into unchartered territory and the last four of the World Cup, we’re going to face an almighty battle beforehand.
Three quarters of an hour to go until kick off in Wellington. For those of you that rolled out of bed, make a coffee for yourself, for others who waited through the night, you might want to prepare another beverage or two because the next three hours or so are bound to put a strain on the nerves.
Hold on tight. I’ll be back with a reminder of the teams for you very shortly.
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