Dramatic Injury Time Win For Ireland.

An injury-time Ronan O’Gara drop-goal, just moments after a similar score by Stephen Jones had given Wales a two point lead, left Ireland 25-24 victors at the Millennium Stadium

An injury-time Ronan O’Gara drop-goal, just moments after a similar score by Stephen Jones had given Wales a two point lead, left Ireland 25-24 victors at the Millennium Stadium and kept their Grand Slam hopes alive. It was an extraordinary end to a game that Ireland seemed sure to lose after Jones smacked over a cracking drop goal from the Ireland 10 metre line to put Wales into a 24-22 lead. But from the restart, replacement O’Gara restored the Ireland advantage with a drop goal of his own.

Even then Ireland had to ride their luck because deep in injury time, referee Steve Landers signalled a penalty to Wales directly in front of the Irish posts but Wales continued to play long enough for the penalty award to be swallowed up in the advantage.

Wales out-scored Ireland three tries to two, Keith Gleeson getting both the Irish tries and the Irish led 14-7 at the break. They extended that lead when Gleeson scored early in the second half but from then on it was Wales who set the pace only to be denied by that piece of O’Gara magic at the end. The tries for Wales came from the outstanding Jones in the first half and a try apiece for Martyn Williams and Gareth Thomas in the second.