It came, we saw, they conquered

IT is always heartbreaking to lose a game that appears in the bag but when the dust has settled on yesterday’s thrilling Six Nations game at Croke Park, the fact that Ireland were never quite as convincing as they needed to be will surely be appreciated.

Referee Steve Walsh had his parentage questioned many times in Dublin and throughout the country last night and his eye sight was also a constant source of discussion. True, he did make at least two massive decisions that had a profound bearing on the outcome but, if like me, you dislike blaming the referee, you will instead look at the shortcomings in the Irish performance that also contributed to this desperately disappointing setback.

The truth is that, just like in Cardiff a week previously, Ireland made far too many unforced errors in the opening half hour, letting the French off the hook at crucial times when in attack and uncertain and disorganised when forced on to the back foot. Individual Irish players will have their games dissected and in some cases roundly criticised. It would be difficult to escape the fact that some failed to step up to the plate but it was as a team that Ireland failed. That’s a fact that was being gradually accepted as the evening wore on.

All that said, the nature of the defeat and the historic occasion on which it happened plunged the nation into gloom and little wonder. To be four points ahead with just two minutes to go and concede a converted try with hardly any time to restart the game will always be a bitter pill to swallow. The French were favoured by the bounce from the restart, tackles were missed and Vincent Clerc had scored and the great Irish dream of a first Grand Slam since 1948 had been shattered.

“It is particularly hard to swallow when you think it was a lucky bounce rather than a silly penalty or mistake that cost us the game”, said coach Eddie O’Sullivan. “Had we beaten ourselves, it would have been almost impossible to take.”

Skipper Paul O’Connell was left to ruefully reflect that it “was a fabulous occasion and I feel we did it justice — until the last few minutes.”

It will be argued long and hard as to whether it would have been a far happier and different story had Steve Walsh — a man who through his own fault is destined to be a controversial figure wherever he goes and whatever he goes — not blown for a French knock-on a split second before Geordan Murphy set off on an unobstructed run that would have yielded Ireland seven points at an early stage of the second half. O’Sullivan revealed that Walsh apologised to the Irish players for whistling too quickly but that was of little consolation.

Likewise, there are those who will maintain to their dying day that Marcus Horan was unfairly impeded within inches of the French posts and that a penalty at the very least and a yellow card should have been the outcome.

But in many cases, sport is a case of swings and roundabouts. Ireland and Simon Easterby escaped any censure for a similar infringement in Cardiff a week previously and to his credit O’Sullivan made that point. This time it was the turn of the French to get the rub of the green and it’s something the Irish must live with. It’s not easy, though, considering how poor England were against Italy on Saturday coupled with the downright mediocrity of the Scotland-Wales game, leading to the very definite impression that the victorious side yesterday would have the Slam within their reach.

But you don’t exactly set the right tone by falling a penalty goal behind after two minutes and following up by losing your first line-out and your first scrum. Ireland were forced to defend for the first half with the line-out contest going clearly in favour of the French who gained clean possession at will whereas scrum-half Isaac Boss was forced to operate at the end of a very scrappy service. The scrum quickly settled to again give an excellent account of itself and the improvement in the Irish performance was reflected by the superb 31st minute try in a move begun and finished by Ronan O’Gara after some crucial contributions from Denis Hickie and the outstanding David Wallace.

O’Sullivan admitted with good reason that he was happy to go in at half time only 13-11 behind. As if encouraged by that very fact, they were a different side on the turnover. Scores were never going to come easily but with Paul O’Connell leading by example and Wallace, Horan and Donncha O’Callaghan also in inspired form, things suddenly looked a lot brighter for the home side.

Several chances were created and even though Gordon D’Arcy had another splendid match, he did drop a ball deep in enemy territory after a stirring Irish attack. The worried French rang the changes and one of those to depart was Sebastien Chabal who, not for the first time, discovered just how difficult it can be to cope with a fired up Irish pack. There was the occasion when Ireland played on having been awarded a penalty in a very kickable position only for Walsh to strike again by ruling that the advantage was over.

Simon Easterby spilled a pass in another fierce attack but at least this time they had already forced a goal kick with which O’Gara edged them in front. With time almost up, a magnificent maul that covered a good thirty metres forced the French to infringe and O’Gara obliged once again to bring his personal total to 17 points. Ireland were now four points clear and The Fields of Athenry could be heard for miles around as the bulk of the 82,000 strong crowd sensed victory. It all meant the French had to score a try to win....