The effort expended in playing for over an hour with a man down took its toll in the final quarter against Wales, according to ex-Ireland hooker Shane Byrne.
Peter Jackson: Peter O Mahony s elbow did little for Tomas Francis’ looks but real damage to title hopes
Thirteen unanswered points suggested they could take a red card on the chin and still win, as they had done despite CJ Stander’s against the Springboks in Cape Town five years ago
Peter O Mahony of Ireland leaves the pitch after being shown a red card against Wales. Picture: Chris Fairweather/Sportsfile
Mon, 08 Feb, 2021 - 07:00
When the red alerts kept flashing all around him at Cardiff’s reopened Superdome, Tadhg Beirne responded by running the ball more often than the entire English threequarters managed 24 hours earlier.
By Andrew Baldock, Press Association. LOUIS Rees-Zammit scored a try on his Guinness Six Nations debut as Wales held off 14-man Ireland to win 21-16 at the Principality Stadium. The 20-year-old Gloucester wing pounced midway through the second half, destroying Irish hopes of a famous triumph over adversity after flanker Peter O’Mahony’s 14th-minute red card. Munster forward O’Mahony was sent off following a reckless shoulder-led hit to Wales prop Tomas Francis’ head, but Ireland still led until Rees-Zammit struck. Ireland also lost lock James Ryan to a failed head injury assessment, and skipper Johnny Sexton’s afternoon ended 11 minutes from time when Wales flanker Justin Tipuric’s knee accidentally caught him in the head.