Ireland captain Evan O’Connell ‘over the moon’ after last-gasp World U20 win over Georgia

It was the sort of last-ditch heroics his uncle Paul pulled off many times for Munster as the Irish struck at the death to break Georgian hearts after a cracking contest at the Danie Craven Stadium.

Replacement winger Finn Treacy was the hero as they made it two wins from two to tee up a table-topper final clash against Australia next Tuesday.

Ireland, one of the tournament favourites, seemed poised for a shock when they trailed 16-15 as the clock ticked into the red but 25 phases later Bray native Treacy, who is in the Connacht academy, saved the day when he got over in the left corner. His former Pres Bray teammate Jack Murphy added the touchline conversion.

“They were a really physical team and just getting that try in the corner, we are over the moon,” said O’Connell afterwards.

Ireland led 12-6 at the end of an opening half that they dominated playing with the breeze, but they struggled to break down a resolute Georgian defence.

Ireland had feared the Georgian scrum but for the most part they held their own in that department but surprisingly their lineout wobbled and a few chances were let slip from promising positions in the opening half.

Both sides were guilty of sloppy handling in the sticky conditions before the afternoon rain in Stellenbosch and Ireland had to settle for a six point interval lead.

Similar to their emphatic win over Italy in the opening game, Ireland hit the front from a penalty down the left after Sean Edogbo won it inside his own half.

Ireland executed the lineout and after debutant Ruben Moloney was stopped short in a multi-phase move, the experienced Hugh Gavin cut a perfect line to get over, with his Connacht academy teammate Sean Naughton adding the extras to make it 7-0 after six minutes.

Moloney got over four minutes later when he cut a superb line in midfield but the score was scratched when tighthead Andrew Sparrow was pinged for obstruction on the edge of the ruck.

The new laws, which see the players trialling new smart mouthguards, resulted in Georgian tighthead Davit Mtchedlidze being called ashore for a HIA before returning after 12 minutes.

Ireland crossed for their second try at the end of the opening quarter when another multi-phase move from wing to wing ended with Gavin setting up Stephen Smyth with a neat out-the-back pass and the hooker stepped inside before scoring an unconverted try near the right corner.

Ireland sorted out their lineout in the run-up to the break but the Georgians also readjusted their scrum and won a couple of penalties and as they finally built phases, out-half Luka Tsirekidze, who has been capped at senior level, landed two good penalties to cut the gap to 12-6 at the interval.

Georgia laid down a marker on the restart when they won a penalty on an Irish scrum and after going to touch down the right, a series of surges, with centres Giorgi Khaindrava and Luka Kobauri making most ground, ended with skipper and No.8 Nika Lomidze cutting through for a converted try which edged them 13-12 in front after 46 minutes.

They went for the kill with a kickable penalty on the 22 three minutes later but, to Ireland’s relief, got pinged for obstruction after taking the five-metre lineout.

Ireland, having drafted in Munster’s Brian Gleeson at No.8 in a bid to stem the flow, countered and Naughton edged them back in front with a penalty inside the 22 before the out-half was replaced by Jack Murphy.

But it was Georgia who seized the upper hand and piled forward and it took some desperate defence from O’Connell, Edogbo and Smyth to keep them at bay.

Georgia got a couple of chances to wrap it up but Tsirekidze was somehow off target with two penalties from 30 metres in the final ten minutes.

Those misses kept Ireland in the game and they made the most of them to salvage a most dramatic winning try and set up a pool decider against Australia next Tuesday which will guarantee the winners a semi-final spot.

Scorers – Ireland: Tries: H Gavin, S Smyth, F Treacy. Cons: S Naughton, J Murphy. Pen: Naughton. Georgia: Tries: N Lomidze. Con: L Tsirekidze. Pens: Tsirekidze (3).

Ireland: B O’Connor; D Colbert, S Berman, H Gavin, R Moloney (F Treacy 65); S Naughton (J Murphy 57), O Coffey; J Boyd (P Bell 41), S Smyth, A Sparrow (A Mullan 51); J McKillop (A Spicer 64), E O’Connell; S Edogbo, M Flynn (M Yarr 78), L Murphy (B Gleeson 46).

Georgia: O Metreveli; L Khorbaladze, L Kobauri, G Khaindrava, L Keshelava (T Burtikashvili 75); L Tsirekidze, A Jigauri (M Kachlavashvili 72); L Ungiadze (L Kotorashvili 57); M Khakhubia (S Kheladze 62), D Mchedlidze (D Kuntelia 11-23 HIA); D Lagvilava, T Tsulukidze (M Tskhadadze 62); L Suluashvili, A Dvali, N Lomidze (T Ganiashvili 72).

Referee: Reuben Keane (Australia).