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.