Ireland in Front at Half-Time

A try from Girvan Dempsey, converted by Ronan O’Gara, who also added a penalty gives Ireland a 10-7 lead over Argentina at a wet and perfectly miserable Lansdowne Road tonight.

Girvan Dempsey scored a try at the start of the second quarter after Brian O’Driscoll’s massive up and under had been spilled by Puma full-back Ignacio Corleto. O’Gar added the conversion but from the restart, Dempsey and Shane Horgan dithered over a kick ahead and from a quick line-out throw, Rolando Martin raced over unopposed for the visitor’s opening try. Felipe Contepomi converted but in the 33rd minute O’Gara was on the mark again with a penalty to give Ireland a narrow interval lead.