| Positives to be taken from a hollow
victory Italian full-back Roland De Marigny will be remembered
as the man that cost Ireland our first Six Nations Championship win since
1985 when he touched down in stoppage time to hand France the crown by
the narrowest of margins.
However Ireland finally expressed themselves at the Stadio Flaminio on
Saturday playing arguably the best rugby of any side in this year’s
campaign and bagging eight tries along the way.
It seemed to take an eternity for Ireland to click into gear in the Eternal
City but when they did the Azzurri had no answer to swarms of rapid and
at times sensational Irish attacks.
In a tense first-half Ireland under the blazing sun ran in three tries
from Girvan Dempsey, Simon Easterby and Gordon D’arcy but couldn’t
seem to shake-off their hosts.
The home side looking for their third win on the trot had Ramiro Pez
to thank as the former Leicester Tigers man bagged 12 first-half points
from penalties to keep them in touch.
In a second-half of running rugby, superb ball-handling and exquisite
decision-making Ireland tore the Italians to shreds. Dempsey picked up
his second try soon after the break before Shane Horgan, Denis Hickie
(2) and Ronan O’Gara all crossed the try line to crank up the pressure
on the French in Paris.
Regrettably though Marco Bortolami had the home fans on their feet when
he touched down.
Then with time up De Marigny stooped to score in the corner. After a successful
conversion from Pez the whistle finally went leaving Irish players and
supporters flocking to find television screens for the next chapter of
a tantalising tale to unfold.
In Paris the Scots seemed to be doing us a favour as full-time approached.
Could this be Ireland’s day? Would it be the most memorable St.
Patrick’s Day in Irish sporting history?
Every Irish man held his breath and hoped except for one.
When Elvis Vermeulen barged over the line at the death the referee went
straight to the television match official for confirmation of the try.
That man happened to be Irishman Simon McDowell who had the painful task
of assuring the referee that the try would stand. France converted to
win 46-19 claiming consecutive Six Nations titles on points difference.
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