3 moments that mattered in Ireland's victory over France

1. Ireland’s fallen warriors

Not a moment as such, but a collection of them. France targeted Johnny Sexton ruthlessly and got their man; Paul O’Connell’s tears hurt us more than Ian Madigan’s warmed us; Peter O’Mahony ending the game in a heap was the unwanted icing on our injury cake.

It bodes well that Ireland kept such cohesion and clear-headedness in their absence but along with Sean O’Brien’s likely departure should he be cited for that punch on Pascal Pape, you wonder will it be enough if Schmidt’s men make it to the tournament’s business end.