O'Gara: We have it all to play for

Wales 24 Ireland 25

Ireland hero Ronan O’Gara today reflected on the split-second decision that could end Ireland's 55-year wait for the Grand Slam.

O’Gara’s long-range drop goal in the third minute of stoppage time broke Welsh hearts and maintained Ireland’s winning streak to set up a championship showdown with England in Dublin next Sunday.

“It was my first drop goal for Ireland and I’ll remember it forever,” said the Munster fly-half, who had been sent on as a replacement for a cramp-affected David Humphreys after 70 minutes of Saturday’s Millennium Stadium thriller.

Man of the match Stephen Jones thought he had won it for wooden spoon favourites Wales a minute earlier when his 45-metre drop goal nudged his side 24-22 ahead.

But, as the frenzied action continued unabated and the tension became almost unbearable, O’Gara judged his kick-off perfectly for the towering Malcolm O’Kelly to win the most important re-start of his career on his 50th appearance.

“I asked him where he was putting it and I told him to put it on the 15,” said O’Kelly.

“And, fair play to him, he put it on the money. It was all on the kick and we did everything we could to get to it.”

O’Gara revealed afterwards that he had practised re-starts but not drop goals and that thought must have flashed through his mind in those dramatic seconds as Ireland’s RBS 6 Nations hopes hung in the balance.

“It just struck in my head that it was directly in front,” he said of the drop-goal chance.

“Then it got shot halfway through its flight but it managed to stay on course to go the right side from our point of view.”

The drama – and a touch of controversy – was not over, however, as Wales camped inside the Irish half throughout the remaining four minutes of time added on for two referrals to video referee Joel Jutge.

Match referee Steve Lander played the advantage rule after what appeared to be a deliberate knock-on by Justin Bishop and Jones had time for two more drop-goal attempts, the second of which was charged down by Denis Hickie.

There was no going back for what Lander later confirmed would have been a scrum but the feeling was that Ireland had been let off the hook.

“I was certain it was a penalty,” admitted O’Gara.

“I was on the deck and his hand seemed to go above his head as opposed to down to his side.

“The drop goal wasn’t the end, it wasn’t the winning of it. There was a bit of work to be done after that and it was the defence that won it.

“I didn’t even hear the final whistle. The players were out on their feet. There was silence at the end, no celebration, everyone was just shattered.”

So, despite being outscored three tries to two and failing to find the fluidity that characterised their earlier championship displays, Ireland maintained their 20-year unbeaten record in Cardiff.

More importantly, a 10th straight win gives them a chance to claim only their second-ever Grand Slam when Clive Woodward’s men enter Lansdowne Road for what promises to be a memorable finish to the 2003 campaign.

Tries from flanker Keith Gleeson either side of half-time had put the Irish 19-7 in front and, had skipper Brian O’Driscoll been awarded a touchdown when he thought he had reached the line on 57 minutes, the game would have been over.

But Wales, making a mockery of their previous form in this championship, roared back and Gareth Thomas sliced through for a 68th-minute try to add to earlier scores from Jones and Martyn Williams, and Jones added his third conversion.

Ireland, unable to release their dangerous threequarters, relied heavily on the touch finding of Humphreys and his four penalties were potential match-winners until O’Gara’s late contribution.

The talk around Westgate Street on Saturday night was all about the luck of the Irish but O’Gara insisted his side have developed a winning habit and, under shrewd boss Eddie O’Sullivan, have discovered a mental toughness that carries them through tight situations.

“Far from being lucky, I felt we showed a bit of character,” he said.

“In the past we could have folded and accepted that we’d won three games.

“But, with two minutes to go, to get up to the other end of the field and score epitomises what this team is all about. The management have everything really well covered, there is nothing left to chance.

“We could have closed out the game at 19-7 and there was a 14-point turn-around when we nearly scored at one end and they scored under the sticks. Maybe we were not as ruthless as we could have been but we weren’t lucky.”

O’Gara accepts that Ireland will need to rediscover the defensive qualities that served them so well in their first three games and find a few more gears in attack if they are to overcome England, but he is convinced they are ready to seize their chance.

“No-one has even mentioned next week,” he said.

“It could easily have been a nothing match. But there is everything to play for now.”