Lee Byrne’s sin-binning was the crucial difference that allowed Ireland to score twice through Keith Earls and Thomas O’Leary and establish a 16-6 half-time lead. All Wales points coming from the boot of Stephen Jones.
The second half and Wales needed to up the tempo which they did, but they failed to breach the Irish defence and it was that man Earls who scored midway through the half to take the game away from Wales. Jones did post two more kicks at goal and this gave us the final score of:
Ireland 27-12 Wales
Scorers
Ireland
Tries: Earls (2), O’Leary Pens: Sexton (3) Drop: Sexton
Wales
Pen: Jones (2)
Teams
Ireland: Murphy, Bowe, O’Driscoll, D’Arcy, Earls, Sexton, O’Leary; Healy, R. Best, Hayes, O’Callaghan, O’Connell, Ferris, D. Wallace, Heaslip.
Replacements: Kearney for D’Arcy (23), O’Gara for Earls (77), Reddan for O’Leary (78), Cronin for R. Best (79), Buckley for Hayes (73), Cullen for O’Connell (79), Jennings for Ferris (78).
Wales: Byrne, Halfpenny, Hook, J. Roberts, S. Williams, S. Jones, R. Rees, P. James, M. Rees, A. Jones, B. Davies, Charteris, Thomas, M. Williams, Delve.
Replacements: Bishop for Byrne (63), Peel for R. Rees (61), Gill for P. James (77), Bennett for M. Rees (56), Gough for B. Davies (58), Warburton for M. Williams (66).
Referee: Craig Joubert (South Africa)
Att: 81,340