Unscrupulous guests spoil the party

Ireland 17 France 20:After the hoopla there was always a danger that fans, wellwishers and players would forget that it was France coming to Croke Park. Les Bleuswere surely impressed by the grand arena but after the first whistle was blown they were focused on one thing alone; spoiling the party.

Ireland were headed for an emotional and historic win in the first rugby match to be staged at Croke Park when Ronan O'Gara, who scored all the home points, landed a 77th-minute penalty to earn a 17-13 lead.

The restart, however, was not cleanly won by Ireland and France orchestrated a mismatch between Vincent Clerc and John Hayes. The prop was then beaten for pace by the French winger who touched down and silenced headquarters for the first time today.

81,572 people watched the visitors roar into their hosts from the start and shake the venue as Ireland had a week previously in the Millennium Stadium with Rory Best's try.

For the first 20 minutes Ireland were chasing shadows as France played some immaculate rugby, the best of the tournament so far.

Two early David Skrela penalties gave them a platform on which to build and a try was always coming. Coach Eddie O'Sullivan will not be happy with the way it was conceded, though, as hooker Raphael Ibanez, with no support, manager to sidestep Geordan Murphy and touch down.

Skrela's conversion ensured a 13-11 lead at halftime.  It was a paltry advantage considering their dominance but a wonderfully improvised Ronan O'Gara try and two penalties from the Munster outhalf kept O'Sullivan's men in touch.

O'Gara try was a timely intervention and came after a the Irish backs looked to have run down a blind alley.  The outhalf, however, had different ideas and duck inside the onrushing defence to switch the point of attack before feeding Denis Hickie.

Hickie managed to pull three French defenders in his direction and then offloaded to Shane Horgan who, on his return to the side after knee surgery, made space for David Wallace on the wing.  Wallace had little time but was grateful to see O'Gara on the loop. Ireland's number 10 gathered the pop pass at the second attempt to finish the move he started in the corner.

Ireland came out looking far more purposeful with the slippery Gordon D'Arcy taking the initiative in the absence of injured centre partner and captain Brian O'Driscoll.

The pressure eventually told when O'Gara landed a 56th-minute penalty to grab the lead and the homeside battled and scrapped for possession as a real war of attrition developed around the fringes.

The home fans were furious when Marcus Horan appeared to have been pulles back twice after a neat little kick through the French defence, but referee Steve Walsh ignored the prop's pleas for the second time in the game.

France'e replacement outhalf Lionel Beauxis then struck the post with a 74th-minute drop goal attempt and as Hickie cleared the rebound the crowd must have felt it was their day.

They certainly thought enough had been done when the Irish pack steamrolled their way up the pitch and forced France into pulling the maul down. O'Gara's fourth penalty opened up a vital four-point lead and victory was on the cards.

France, though, produced something special when it was most needed. Straight from the restart they forced a ruck on the 22 and moved the ball to Clerc. 20 metres out with defenders bearing down the winger stepped inside the weary Hayes and Hickie, and gleefully ran in for the winner.

Beauxis then converted to leave only the small pocket of French fans singing in an otherwise silent stadium.

Scripted it was not.