Barry Everitt salvaged a draw for Ireland with the last kick of the contest against Scotland to deny their hosts revenge last season's convincing Ireland win.
Duncan Hodge's troops, who were at the wrong end of a 60-3 battering in Belfast last year, got off to a superb start only to be left frustrated deep in stoppage time.
Hodge's penalty, which glanced off the inside of the post and dropped over the bar had looked like being enough to clinch it, but Everitt had the final word.
Scotland had broken the deadlock in the fourth minute with a try after Hodge gambled by keeping the ball alive at a penalty close to the line instead of going for goal. His boldness paid off as lock Jason White burrowed his way through from close range.
Ireland soaked up further waves of home pressure before levelling the contest midway through the half.
Lions centre Rob Henderson was in the right place at the right time to squeeze over in the corner after latching onto a short pass by scrum-half and skipper Neil Doak.
Hodge was off-target with a penalty immediately afterwards, but Scotland shook off the double setback to surge in front before the break.
Irish full-back Jeremy Staunton was yellow carded for deliberately knocking on a White pass bound for Andy Rennick and seconds later White completed his double in the wake of another tapped penalty and pack-drive.
This time Hodge was spot on with the conversion and Ireland were lucky not to be reduced to 13 men when Mick O'Driscoll escaped a spell in the sin-bin for throwing a blatant punch.
The inconsistency of French referee Christophe Berdos was then underlined when White was yellow-carded for killing the ball on the deck.
Ireland instantly capitalised as wing James Topping fastened onto an Eric Miller feed to jink over - with Everitt adding the extra points.
There was another big blow for the Scots five minutes later when Henderson was awarded his second touchdown - despite appearing to spill the ball across the line. Everitt again slotted the kick.
James McLaren powered over to keep the Scots in the hunt and the crowd roared their delight as Hodge banged over the conversion from a wide angle, then the late penalty.
But Everitt replied in identical style to grab the draw for Ireland.