Wales win thriller in Dublin

Wales piled fresh misery on Ireland just four months after knocking them out of the World Cup by claiming a dramatic and controversial Six Nations victory, yesterday.

Full-back Leigh Halfpenny kicked an 80th-minute penalty after Ireland flanker Stephen Ferris was sin-binned for a dangerous tackle on Wales lock Ian Evans.

It appeared a harsh call by English ref Wayne Barnes, with the offence nowhere near as bad as Bradley Davies’s tackle which earlier upended Ireland’s Donnacha Ryan.

Davies received a yellow card, when it should have been red.

Halfpenny held his nerve to give Wales a rare Six Nations win in Dublin as boos rang around the Aviva Stadium, his strike following earlier tries by centre Jonathan Davies (2) and wing George North.

Halfpenny landed another penalty and conversion after taking over the duties from an out-of-sorts Rhys Priestland, who missed two penalty sitters.

Priestland’s opposite number Jonathan Sexton slotted three penalties and a conversion, while hooker Rory Best and wing Tommy Bowe scored tries in a game when the lead changed hands five times.

But Ireland’s Grand Slam, Triple Crown and probable title hopes were ultimately shredded by a Wales team whose last Six Nations win on Dublin soil came during a Grand Slam title-winning season in 2008.