Ireland got off to a winning start in their RBS 6 Nations campaign with a win against Italy at Lansdowne Road this afternoon.
Paul O'Connell and Ronan O'Gara gave inspirational performances to battle against a determined Italian side.
In the end ireland won by ten points but the result was uncertain until O'Gara converted a penalty three minutes from the end.
RESULT: IRELAND 26 ITALY 16
80 mins Full-time.
78 mins O'Gara is successful with his attempt to score the final points of the game. Ireland 26-16 Italy.
77 mins Italy deliberately obstruct an Irish attack and O'Gara has the opprtunity to seal the win for Ireland.
76 mins Italy react badly to a penalty decision in Ireland and afters ensue.
74 mins Pez fails in his attempt and Ireland breathe again.
73 mins Ireland concede another penalty and Pez opts to go for posts from 44m.
72 mins O'Driscoll launches the ball clear form the resulting Irish scrum and the pressure is relieved.
71 mins Italy come straight back at the Irish and manage to run into each other and concede an accidental offside close to the try line.
70 mins Ireland clear following a maul and Stringer kick.
69 mins Pez finds touch 1 yard out from the Irish line.
67 mins O'Gara converts the penalty from under the posts. Ireland 23-16 Italy
66 mins Ireland pick for a hole in the Italian defence. Again Italy concede a penalty under pressure.
65 mins O'Driscoll kicks through and Griffen is forced to being the ball into touch 1 yard out.
64 mins Murphy is tackled early under a high ball and Ireland get the scrum in their own half.
62 mins O'Callaghan replaces O'Kelly for Ireland and Persico replaces Bergamasco for the Italians.
62 mins Pez converts the penalty. Ireland 20-16 Italy
61 mins Ireland bring down an Italian scrum and gift the Italians another penalty.
59 mins O'Gara converts the penalty. Ireland 20-13 Italy
58 mins Again D’Arcy breaks through and Italy concede another penalty to prevent the Irish nearing their line.
57 mins D'Arcy cuts through and Wallace carries the ball forward but a forward pass lets the attack down.
55 mins Ireland edge over the Italian 22 with a maul and Stringer eventually releases the ball wide but the Italian defence hold strong again.
54 mins A promising Irish attack is foiled when Horgan is forced over the touchline by the Italian defence
53 mins O’Gara brings play back in to the Italian half with another penalty.
52 mins Griffen has a poor attempt at a drop goal and Horgan clears well.
49 mins O'Gara converts. Ireland 17-13 Italy
48 mins An excellent cross field ball from O’Gara set up Tommy Bowe to take the ball across the Italian line. Ireland 15-13 Italy
47 mins O'Gara brings Ireland close the Italian 22 with a penalty.
45 mins Griffen converts the penalty and Italy lead again. Ireland 10-13 Italy
42 mins Italy break for the Irish line again and Ireland find their defence stretched to its limit and concede a penalty.
41 mins O'Gara gets play underway in the second half.
40 mins O’Gara converts the ensuing penalty to send the Irish into the dressing room level at half time Ireland 10-10 Italy.
39 mins Pez is sent to the sin-bin following a third late tackle.
38 mins Italy bring play back to the Irish 22 with a penalty, Ireland clear following an Italian knock on. O’Driscoll is involved in afters at a ruck and is subjected to a lecture from the referee.
33 mins O'Gara kicks through and forces the Italians to concede a lineout on their own 22.
34 mins Italy clear following an accidental Irish offside.
30 mins Italy come straight back up the field and Bergamasco breaks through for their first try. Pez converts. 7-10
29 mins O'Gara continues to grow in stature and confidence with a massive clearance from the Irish to break up the Italian counter attack.
25 mins Ireland switch play to the opposing wing and and Horgan links up with Flannery before the Italian force the Irish out of play. Ireland steal the lineout and force the maul over Italian line with Flannery touching down. O'Gara converts Ireland 7-3 Italy.
23 mins Ireland finally break through the Italian defence as O’Gara release Murphy to combine with Bowe and bring play close to the Italian line.
19 mins O’Connell carries the ball against the Italians but Ireland, again, fail to build as they concede a scrum with a knock-on. Italy fail to prosper as Pez kicks the ball over the deadball line.
18 mins O'Gara missed a penalty from close to halfway.
16 mins Ireland struggle to break through the strong Italian defence and Murphy mis-kicks the ball into touch on the full.
14 mins Ireland try and hit back quickly and O'Gara finds touch deep in the Italian half.
12 mins Shane Horgan concedes a penalty as he fails to release the ball under considerable Italian pressure. Pez succeeds with the penalty attempt. Ireland 0-3 Italy
11 mins O'Gara clears the Irish lines again as the Italians refuse to be intimidated by the Irish crowd.
9 mins Flannery gives the throw straight to the Italians and an excellent opportunity is wasted.
8 mins Italy bring down an Irish scrum on halfway and O’Gara brings Ireland to the Italian 22 with the resulting penalty.
6 mins Murphy gets back to relieve more pressure on the Irish defence as Eddie O'Sullivan's side struggle to get into their stride early on.
4 mins O'Gara wastes the free-kick as he kicks it out on the full and gifts the Italians a scrum.
3 mins Ireland counter-attack from their own half and chase a massive O’Driscoll clearance. Italy concede a free-kick just inside their own half.
2 mins Italy spread the play wide and build on their early pressure to cause concern for the Irish under their own posts. An Italian knock-on relieves the pressure for Ireland and O’Gara clears.
1 min Pez gets kicks off and the 2006 RBS 6 nations is officially underway.
Ireland team: Geordan Murphy, Shane Horgan, Brian O'Driscoll, Gordon D'Arcy, Tommy Bowe, Ronan O'Gara, Peter Stringer, Denis Leamy, David Wallace, Simon Easterby, Paul O'Connell, Malcolm O'Kelly, John Hayes, Jerry Flannery, Marcus Horan. Replacements: Rory Best, Simon Best, Donncha O'Callaghan, Johnny O'Connor, Eoin Reddan, David Humphreys, Andrew Trimble.
Italy team: Cristian Stoica, Pablo Canavosio, Gonzalo Canale, Mirco Bergamasco, Ludovico Nitoglia, Ramiro Pez, Paul Griffen, Salvatore Perugini, Fabio Ongaro, Carlos Nieto, Santiago Dellape, Marco Bortolami (captain), Josh Sole, Mauro Bergamasco, Sergio Parisse. Replacements: Carlo Antonio Festuccia, Andrea Lo Cicero, Martin Castrogiovanni, Carlos Del Fava, Aaron Persico, Simon Picone, Rima Wakarua.
