Ireland come up agonisingly short once more as quarter-final hex continues
KILLER: Jonathan Sexton after the defeat in Paris.
IRELAND are out of the World Cup after a devastating loss to the All Blacks described by man of the match Ardie Savea as "one of the best test matches ever."
In a dramatic finale, Ireland put together a 30-plus attacking phase as they desperately attempted to score the winning try, but the resolute New Zealand held firm to book a semi-final place against Argentina.
It continues Ireland's miserable last eight record at the tournament, where they have now lost all eight quarter-finals in which they have played. It also brings to a close the glittering career of Johnny Sexton, who will retire after the tournament. Each time New Zealand threatened to get away on the scoreboard, Ireland bounced back with tries from Bundee Aki, Jamison Gibson Park and a second half penalty try. All Blacks resilience was tested to the limit with two yellow cards and Jordie Barrett held Ronan Kelleher up when he was over the line for the score that would have given Ireland the lead for the fist time.
Agonising.
Said man of the match Savea: “It was just a battle and I’m real proud of my boys. A shout out to the Irish boys who really raised the game everywhere. I hardly noticed [the yellow cards] as we were working so hard. I’m just so proud of the boys.”
They fell to a 13-0 early deficit as New Zealand made a strong start and after a sustained spell of pressure, they got the scoreboard up and running in the seventh minute when Richie Mo'unga sent a close-range penalty between the posts.
Jordie Barrett then doubled the All Blacks' advantage seven minutes later with a penalty from just shy of the half-way line.
Things got worse for the Irish in the 20th minute when New Zealand winger Fainga'anuku scored the first try of the evening, converted by Mo'unga.
Captain Johnny Sexton reduced the deficit to 13-3 with a penalty moments later to get the world's top-ranked side a foothold on the scoreboard.
The Irish got themselves back to within three points of the All Blacks in the 27th minute with a brilliant solo try from Bundee Aki, converted by Sexton.
But New Zealand got their second try of the night in the 33rd minute when Ardie Savea finished things off on the right. Mo'unga was wide with his conversion attempt, but the Irish trailed by eight.
The All Blacks were reduced to 14 men in the 37th minute when Aaron Smith was yellow-carded for a deliberate knock-on, and Ireland swiftly capitalised as Jamison Gibson-Park pushed his way through to score, with Sexton converting, leaving New Zealand 18-17 ahead at the break.
The sin-binned Smith returned to the pitch with no further damage incurred by his team in the early part of the second half.
New Zealand reasserted themselves in the 52nd minute with a brilliant breakaway try finished off by Will Jordan and converted by Jordie Barrett.
Sexton had a chance to reduce the deficit in the 59th minute, but he sent his penalty kick wide from just outside the 22, leaving the Irish trailing 25-17 going into the final quarter of the match.
The momentum shifted back in Ireland's favour in the 64th minute when they awarded a penalty try after Codie Taylor collapsed a maul, bringing themselves back to within a point and their cause was further boosted when the All Blacks hooker was sin-binned for his infringement.
But 14-man New Zealand opened up a four-point cushion five minutes later when Barrett - who had missed a long-range attempt moments later - kicked a penalty from the 40-metre line.
Ireland, who had been playing catch-up for the majority of an exhilarating encounter, were unable to find the try they needed in the closing stages as the All Blacks held on to seal a 28-24 win and set up a last-four meeting with Argentina next Friday.
Hugo Keenan; Mack Hansen, Garry Ringrose, Bundee Aki, James Lowe; Johnny Sexton (captain), Jamison Gibson-Park; Andrew Porter, Dan Sheehan, Tadhg Furlong; Tadhg Beirne, Iain Henderson; Peter O’Mahony, Josh van der Flier, Caelan Doris.
Ronan Kelleher, Dave Kilcoyne, Finlay Bealham, Joe McCarthy, Jack Conan, Conor Murray, Jack Crowley, Jimmy O’Brien.
Beauden Barrett; Will Jordan, Rieko Ioane, Jordie Barrett, Leicester Fainga’anuku; Richie Mo’unga, Aaron Smith; Ethan de Groot, Codie Taylor, Tyrel Lomax; Brodie Retallick, Scott Barrett; Shannon Frizell, Sam Cane (captain), Ardie Savea
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