Ireland won a marvellous victory against World Champions England at Twickenham today to put themselves in with a chance of winning a first Triple Crown since 1985. A try from Girvan Dempsey and four penalties and a conversion by Ronan O'Gara were enough to give Ireland a narrow 19-13 victory. A Matt Dawson try and two penalties and a conversion by Paul Grayson put England close and they almost pulled the rabbit out of the hat, grounding the ball twice for what they thought were tries only to be denied.
Ireland began brightly, forcing a penalty in the opening minutes but outhalf Ronan O'Gara made his first and only mistake of the game - missing badly to the left of the posts. He made amends after 14 minutes though, kicking a penalty from near his own touchline to give Ireland a well deserved 3-0 lead. That penalty came as a result of a rumbling Irish maul and this, allied to good kicking by, in particular, O'Gara gives Ireland the advantage in terms of territory while solid defence pins back England inside their own half.
Ireland showed they had another string to their bow in the 20th minute; Gordon D'Arcy danced free of the England defenders before stretching his legs and running into the England '22. Peter Stringer then excelled in defence, tapping Jason Robinson's ankle to trip him up after he had cut through the first line of the England defence. O'Gara capitalised soon after, landing his second penalty to put Ireland in the unfamiliar position of being 6-0 up, and playing better than, England at Twickenham.
However, England were achieving parity or better at one phase of play: the scrum. It was from one of these near the Irish '22 that they managed to go ahead for the first time. A slight shove caused Anthony Foley to lose control of the ball at the base of the scrum. Stringer attempted an ill advised pass when he was lying on his back and O'Gara then fumbled. With the 8/9/10 axis taken out, Grayson picked up calmly and passed to his Northampton club colleague Dawson, who took a clever angle to fool Ireland wing Tyrone Howe and coast over.
Grayson converted to put England 7-6 up and into a somewhat fortunate lead. His side had their tails up at that stage and they continued to pressure Ireland at the scrum. It was from one of these that Grayson's firsy penalty oppurtunity came. Foley and Stringer again lost the ball but this time O'Gara was able to hold on. near his own line. He held on for too long for the referee's liking, however, and Grayson was able to slot the simple penalty opportunity from within the shadow of the Irish posts. Ireland retook the lead with two penalties in the 10 minutes before half time to retake the lead. He got the first, a routine kick after Malcolm O'Kelly, back in magnificent form, took the ball up and England prop Trevor Woodman handled in the ruck. Ireland were somewhat fortunate to be awarded the second, Iain Balshaw was penalised for holding on in the ruck near halfway which O'Gara kicked into the Enlgand '22. His pack mauled again and England were penalised for O'Gara's fourth penalty.
England came out fighting after the restart, going over in the corner within a minute of kicking off. But wing Ben Cohen was ruled to have moved twice when held in crossing the line giving Ireland a penalty on their own line. Ireland made no such mistake in converting their chance when it came. They moved the ball, and England, from one side of the pitch to the other after D'Arcy's excellent line break. Paul O'Connell and Foley made the hard yards and offloaded to good effect before Brian O'Driscoll's mammoth pass to make Dempsey's task an easy one.
O'Gara converted from the touchline to put Ireland nine points clear. He continued to kick well, not allowing the vaunted English back three any chances to run the ball back. England made a number of changes, notably adding James Simpson-Daniel and Mark Regan to the mix and removing Balshaw and hooker Steve Thompson, who had had difficulty throwing in all day. That steadied the ship somewhat and they began to string some phases together. In the 65th minute they closed to within a score of Ireland, Grayson kicking an offside penalty. O'Driscoll attempted to put his side two scores clear in the 67th minute but, on a day when nothing quite came off for the centre, his drop goal hit the post under the crossbar.
Regan crossed the line soon after and put the ball down but he had been forced into touch by Malcolm O'Kelly a yard from the line. England had possession enough to win the match in the last 10 minutes but a combination of strong Irish defence and uncharacteristic English nerves ensured Ireland a memorable victory.
Filed by Brendan Cole
80 minutes Gordon D'Arcy kicks the ball to touch four seconds past 80 minute mark and referee Honiss blows up to give Ireland a famous win and put Ireland in with a chance of winning the Triple Crown.
79 minutes Ireland turn the ball over but Stringer puts the ball directly into touch to give England one last chance.
76 minutes England kick to within 8 metres of the Ireland line after a penalty is given for Ireland not releasing. England maul but are halted.on the five metre line. Grayson chips to put Lewsey within inches of scoring but Howe and Horgan spoil his chance.
75 minutes England knock on after putting together another sequence of play. Ireland regain control of possesion as England are penalised for not binding correctly in the scrum.
73 minutes Ireland lose the ball at the lineout but are let off as Grayson knocks on Dallaglio's pass on the Irish '22.
70 minutes O'Gara fires the ball at Anthony Foley near the English '22. The Munster man is not the outhalf's intended receiver and the force of the pass causes him to knock on. Grayson thumps the ball downfield where England force Howe to cough up but Dawson and Woodman combine to knock on as Ireland look stretched.
68 minutes Maggs takes crash ball up the middle - O'Driscoll attempts a drop goal after O'Gara is taken out but his effort hits the post under the crossbar.
67 minutes Dawson drops O'Gara's restart and then passes to Robinson who slices his kick and fails to clear his own '22 metre line.
65 minutes Ireland are penalised for offside on their own '22. Grayson kicks to once again put England within a single score of Ireland. England 13 Ireland 19
65 minutes Ireland defend as England manage to retain possesion for a sustained period - tackles from O'Kelly and Easterby put England on the back foot but O'Driscoll knock on as Ireland look like turning the ball over.
63 minutes Paul Grayson returns to the fray, relieving Ollie Barkley after receiving attention to a blood injury.
62 minutes England flanker Chris Jones knocks on on the Irish '22 to relieve a period of pressure.
60 minutes Kevin Maggs replaces an injured Girvan Dempsey. Mark Regan is forced out by Malcolm O'Kelly, saving a try, as the hooker drives towards the Ireland line from an England lineout.
58 minutes O'Gara and Easterby combine to break the Irish line in the centre. Ireland move the ball wide to Howe and win a lineout. Mark Regan replaces England hooker Steve Thompson.
56 minutes O'Driscoll kicks direct to touch to give England an oppurtunity at the Ireland 10 metre line but Simon Easterby steals at the lineout. O'Gara kicks to touch.
51 minutes Chris Jones (wing-forward) and James Simson-Daniel (wing) come on for England, replacing Balshaw and Joe Worsley. Paul Grayson is replaced by Ollie Barkley soon after. Jason Robinson moves to full-back.
50 minutes Girvan Dempsey scores a try for Ireland after a clean line break by Gordan D'Arcy . Dempsey slides after Ireland shift the England defence from touchline to touchline. O'Driscoll, O'Connell and Foley are instrumental in setting up a brilliant team try. O'Gara converts from the touchline. England 10 Ireland 19
47 minutes The pressure is lifted when Keith Gleeson gives away a penalty at the ruck. Grayson kicks to Ireland 10 metre line but Ireland steal the lineout and kick into the Irish '22.
45 minutes Ireland counter attack and make 60 metres to come within 5 metres of the England line after Girvan Dempsey opts to run back a Grayson kick. O'Driscoll throws the ball forward and directly into touch.
43 minutes O'Gara drills a kick down the touchline to gain Ireland 60 metres after a crooked throw by England hooker Steve Thompson.
41 minutes England start with a bang - Grayson sparking a great sequence of running and passing with a clever chip before Ben Cohen grounds the ball in the corner. Ireland are given a penalty for double movement, after D'Arcy's tackle, after a poor pass by full-back Iain Balshaw forced Cohen to cut inside the Ireland number 12.
39 minutes Balshaw is penalised for holding on in the ruck near halfway. Ireland kick for a lineout near the England '22. They maul and win a penalty. Honiss threatens England, specifically lock Ben Kay, with a trip to the sin-bin. O'Gara kicks to put Ireland in front at half time. England 10 Ireland 12
35 minutes Ireland benefit from referee Paul Honiss' interpretation of the accidental offside law as he awards a penalty for a 'truck and trailer' violation. O'Driscoll almost bursts through from the resultant scrum but he knocks on near the England '22/
34 minutes Ireland put pressure on the English lineout with O'Kelly at the forefront of a hack on and chase which, unfortunately for Ireland, dribbles into touch.
32 minutes O'Kelly takes it up in midfield and Woodman handles on the deck after a poor kick from Josh Lewsey. O'Gara steadies the Irish ship by landing fairly simple penalty. England 10 Ireland 9
29 minutes England again put pressure on Ireland at the scrum - with Dawson's boot causing Stringer to pass poorly. O'Gara is caught up under his own posts and England are given a penalty for collapsing the resulting scrum. Grayson lands the penalty. England 10 Ireland 6
25 minutes England put pressure on Ireland at the scrum. Stringer fumbles near his own '22 and O'Gara also fails to gather which allows England outhalf Paul Grayson to pick up calmly and put his Northampton clubmate Matt Dawson, running an intelligent line, through for a try which Grayson converts. England 7 Ireland 6
22 minutes Richard Hill is penalised for offside near the England 10 metre line. O'Gara does well to land a long shot at goal. England 0 Ireland 6
21 minutes Jason Robinson breaks clean through Corrigan and Keith Gleeson but scrumhalf Peter Stringer makes a brilliant ankle tap tackle to end the elusive centre's run.
20 minutes Gordon D'Arcy makes good ground using great footwork. Reggie Corrigan knocks on attempting a crash ball.
18 minutes Ronan O'Gara recovers well from a poor Stringer pass to down the wing to Iain Balshaw who kicks the ball straight into touch. Brian O'Driscoll knocks on in midfield to give England a scrum from which they knock.
14 minutes Ireland turn the ball over in the tackle in midfield and O'Gara continues to kick well, putting England back into their own '22. Ireland turn over again at the lineout to give Shane Byrne the throw for Ireland. Ireland win another penalty when England's other prop Trevor Woodman collapses the maul near the '22. Ireland outhalf O'Gara opts ot kick at goal from near the touchline and successfully puts the ball over to put Ireland in front. England 0 Ireland 3.
12 minutes Ireland begin to maul effectively and win a penalty when England prop Phil Vickery comes in at the side and disrupts but Ireland fail to win the resulting lineout.
10 minutes After an exchange of kicks, Ireland centre Brian O'Driscoll coughs up the ball in midfield when attempting to run back at England but Paul O'Connell and Malcolm O'Kelly combine to end the danger in the Ireland '22 before O'Gara clears well.
6 minutes Ireland continue to play in the England '22 - another kick through by O'Gara results in an England lineout which England wing Josh Lewsey clears from but he can only make 5 yards with the kick. Ireland set up a maul but give away a penalty for accidental offside.
3 minutes Ireland are given a penalty near the England line after England centre Will Greenwood, lucky to escape a yellow card, blocks Brian O'Driscoll after a grubber kick by Peter Stringer. Ronan O'Gara misses badly.
2 minutes Two good kicks by Brian O'Driscoll and an accidental offside by England give Ireland a scrum, and then a free kick near the England line. Ireland opt to scrum a second time.
1 minute Ronan O'Gara kicks off long for Ireland
Conditions: Clear, not too windy. Heavy rain before kick off means the ball will be wet and the underfoot conditions poor.
Filed by Brendan Cole
