(22/03/03 kick-off 14:00)
@ Millennium Stadium, Cardiff
WALES 24 IRELAND 25 (HT 7-14)
2 mins: A bright start by Wales, with Dafydd Jones, and Gareth Cooper both making good ground.
4 mins: A superb kick by David Humphreys bounces into touch a metre from the Welsh line to give Ireland great field position.
6 mins: Wales caught offside. David Humphreys penalty goal from 30m (0-3)
8 mins: Stephen Jones misses with a 25m penalty goal attempt (0-3)
13 mins: Wales opt to kick to the corner rather than take an easy three points. Heavy pressure on the Ireland try line.
16 mins: Video ref signals the first try of the game. Stephen Jones is tackled by Geordan Murphey, but has the strength to touch down in the corner. Jones converts (7-3)
17 mins: Wales dominating possession 73 % – 27 %
19 mins: Humphreys second penalty goal hauls the Irish back into the game (7-6)
27 mins: Wales infringe at a ruck after Murphey’s angled run causes the Wales defence problems.Humphreys’ third penalty goal gives the Irish the lead (7-9)
30 mins: Wales scrum-half Gareth Cooper breaks the gain line, but his offload finds Irish hands.
32 mins: Brian O’Driscoll’s 35m drop goal attempt hits Stephen Jones, the ball makes it’s way to Rhys Williams who clears, Georden Murphey fumbles the ball and Wales have good territory.
37 mins: Johnathan Humphreys causes panic in the Irish defence by charging down David Humphreys’ kick, but Wales haven’t got the speed to capitalise
38 mins: Geordan Murphey’s excellent kick causes Wales problems and leads to a Ireland line-out 5m from the Wales line.
39 mins: Patient Ireland play in the Wales 22 eventually leads to a score. Geordan Murphey’s clever run draws three defenders, and his timely pass puts in Keith Gleeson in the corner. David Humphreys fails to convert (7-14)
40+4 mins: Wales pushing hard, but Mark Taylor knocks on to spoil a promising move as the Ireland defence holds firm
HALF TIME – WALES 7 IRELAND 14
41 mins: Mathews Watkins’ kick is charged down, Alan Quinlan passes to David Humphreys who passes to Keith Gleeson who powers over the line. Humphreys fails to convert (7-19)
45 mins Wales captain Johnatan Humprheys leaves the field injured
46 mins: Penalty against Wales for handling in the ruck, David Humphreys kicks to the corner, but they make a mess of the lineout, and Stephen Jones clears to touch
48 mins Ireland on the charge again, but knock on.
50 mins Denis Hickie’s break leads to a Iealnd lineout on the Wales 22. Scrappy play from both sides.
52 mins Ireland dominating ‘time in oppositions half’ 85% to 15% – but possession is even.
54 mins Colin Charvis breaks the gain line 22m out, and feeds Rhys Williams, who offloads in the tackle to Cardiff team-mate Martyn Williams. He scores his first international try. Jones converts (14-19)
58mins Video ref Joel Jutge denies Brian O’Driscoll a try, saying he failed to ground the ball. Scrum 5 for Ireland.
62 mins Iestyn Harris replaces Mark Taylor in the centre
65 mins Wales caught offside. Humphreys scores his fourth penalty goal to put the Irish eight points clear. (14-22)
68 mins: Stephen Jones’ run breaks the gain line, the ball is kept alive, and when Iestyn Harris collects the ball and his missed pass feeds Gareth Thomas, Wales have men over – but the Bridgend man finds the gap himself, and powers over. Jones converts to cut the gap to just one point (21-22)
74 mins. Alan Quinlan concedes a penalty for a high tackle. Stephen Jones 50m penalty goal attempt just fades short and wide.
82 mins Stephen Jones scores a monster dropped goal from 45 metres to give Wales the lead (24-22)
83 mins Ronan O’Gara breaks Wales hearts with a dropped goal of his own to give Ireland the lead (24-25)
84 mins Jones attempts another miracle drop goal, but this time it does not register.
84 mins Stephen Jones is award the RBS man-of-the-match award
86 Jones attempts another drop goal from the 22 but Denis Hickie charges it down
FINAL SCORE WALES 24 – IRELAND 25
Wales: R Williams (Cardiff); M Jones (Llanelli), M Taylor (Swansea), T Shanklin (Saracens), Gareth Thomas (Bridgend); S Jones (Llanelli), G Cooper (Bath); I Thomas (Llanelli), J Humphreys (Bath, capt), G Jenkins(Pontypridd), R Sidoli (Pontypridd), G Llewellyn (Neath), C Charvis(Swansea), M Williams (Cardiff), D Jones (Llanelli).
Replacements: M Davies (Pontypridd), M Madden (Llanelli), S Williams (Northampton), Gavin Thomas (Bath), M Watkins (Llanelli), I Harris(Cardiff), D Peel (Llanelli).
Ireland: G Murphy (Leicester); J Bishop (London Irish), B O’Driscoll (Blackrock College/Leinster, capt), K Maggs (Bath), D Hickie (St Mary’s College/Leinster); D Humphreys(Dungannon/Ulster), P Stringer (Shannon/Munster); M Horan (Shannon/Munster), S Byrne (Blackrock College/Leinster), J Hayes (Shannon/Munster), L Cullen (Blackrock College/Leinster), M O’Kelly (St Mary’s College/Leinster), A Quinlan (Shannon/Munster), K Gleeson (St Mary’s College/Leinster), A Foley (Shannon/Munster).
Replacements: F Sheahan (Cork Constitution/Munster), J Fitzpatrick (Dungannon/Ulster), D O’Callaghan (Cork Constitution/Munster), E Miller (Terenure College/Leinster), G Easterby (Llanelli), R O’Gara (Cork Constitution/Munster), J Kelly (Cork Constitution/Munster).
