Wales 23Ireland 16

Murray Kinsella reports from the Millennium Stadium

IRELAND’S GRAND SLAM dream ended with a 23-16 defeat to Warren Gatland’s impressively combative Wales at the Millennium Stadium.

Scott Williams dives in for Wales’ crucial second-half try. Source: Cathal Noonan/INPHO

In an enthralling game in Cardiff, Wales’ sublime defensive effort repelled Ireland at crucial times, while their lineout got the better of Paul O’Connell’s pack on the day of the lock’s 100th cap.

The championship remains alive for Ireland, who travel to Edinburgh next weekend, but there will be disappointment on the journey home from Wales. That said, the hosts were worthy of their win, attacking incisively at crucial points and arguably bettering Ireland in the aerial battle.

Scott Williams’ second-half try was vital, but the kicking game of Leigh Halfpenny, as well as a drop goal from Dan Biggar did most of the damage for Gatland’s men.

Ireland simply struggled to truly cut the Welsh apart with ball in hand, despite a healthy share of the second-half possession in particular. The tryline stands were magnificent from the Welsh, but Schmidt will reflect on a lack of the final thrust when within striking distance.

The Welsh made a lightning start to the game, thundering into Irish tackles, competing successfully in the air and absolutely hammering bodies at ruck time. The combined effect was essentially a 12-0 lead with just 14 minutes gone, Halfpenny firing over four penalties.

Ireland struggled to get to grips with Barnes’ demands around the breakdown, particularly in releasing after the tackle and rolling away, O’Connell looking for clarity on both issues.

Schmidt’s men finally made an impression on the scoreboard in the 18th minute, Sexton kicking a penalty from 46 metres out shortly after missing one from a similar distance wide on the left.

Source: Dan Sheridan/INPHO

Momentum gradually shifting in their favour, O’Connell and Sexton opted to go to the corner with a quarter gone and Wales penalised for failing to roll away. Big moment you thought, but Sam Warburton leaped to steal in front of Devin Toner as Ireland threw to the tail.

The Welsh captain was soon in the sin bin though, Barnes losing patience when the openside illegally looked to turn Irish possession over at ruck time. Sexton rubbed salt in the wound by making it 12-6.

Wales stemmed Ireland’s growing influence by powerfully building to a 40-metre drop goal for Biggar, though there was frustration that the score stemmed from a harsh scrum penalty against Ireland inside the Wales half.

Ireland’s fluid attack brought them back on top again, O’Connell taking a cleverly delayed Sexton pass to break the impressive Welsh defence and draw another penalty. The out-half had no problem in making it 15-9.

After what had been a stuttering first-half in terms of the flow of the game, the second was one for the ages, both teams adapting to what Barnes wanted at the breakdown. That allowed longer passages of play.

With 50 minutes on the clock, Ireland kicked a penalty to touch on the right side of Wales’ 22 and launched a frankly incredible portion of the game.

Through 32 phases, Wales’ defence held up to the Irish battering of their tryline, hammering ball carriers back in the tackle. Ireland’s error-free attack was similarly astonishing, but they couldn’t find that crucial weak point, Liam Williams eventually being penalised for not releasing post-tackle.