Foley's last-minute score secures dramatic Irish victory in openign battle

February 01, 2019
1305
Ultimate Rugby

It was a breath-taking first fixture, with scores from Cadan Murley, Tom Willis, and Josh Hodge giving England a lead at the break.

But the boot of Harry Byrne gave the hosts a one-point advantage with 20 minutes left after Dylan Tierney-Martin’s double and Scott Penny’s score.

With seconds left, super-sub Foley secured the victory with a dramatic try in front of more than five thousand supporters in Cork to kick-start their 2019 campaign with a 35-27 win.

It was Byrne who got the first points of the evening from the tee after England were caught holding on, but the visitors responded well and capitalised on an error in the Irish 22.

Murley scooped up a loose pass and ran in for the visitors, with Marcus Smith converting.

Two minutes later England were over again, Ted Hill with a brilliant offload to Willis who sprinted over the line untouched.

Smith converted to give England a 14-3 lead, before Ireland hit back through the forwards.

Pilling on the pressure up front, hooker Tierney-Martin burrowed over to cut the deficit, with Byrne adding the extras.

But again England immediately responded, with Hodge taking a high ball and running it straight through excellently.

Smith converted and Byrne added another penalty with five minutes remaining, but there was plenty more action before the break.

The hosts made an incisive break in midfield and Penny dived over, with Byrne narrowing the gap to just a point.

Smith added three points with his boot to give England a slender half-time lead in Cork, but the hosts came racing out of the changing rooms.

Again the forwards proved their muscle, with Tierney-Martin notching his second off the back of a driving maul to take the lead.

Tom Hardwick slotted a penalty to nudge England back in front as he took over kicking duties, but Byrne added his third penalty to nick the lead once more in a thrilling battle.

After 20 minutes of back and forth, with England getting held up on the line and Ireland forcing them all the way back to their own five-metre line, Ireland eventually took their moment.

Having been on the pitch for a mere matter of minutes, Foley crossed with seconds left on the clock and Byrne concluded the game with a successful conversion, securing a first Irish scalp of the Championship in dramatic style.