WALES 24 IRELAND 25

THIS was more like it - much more like it!

Wales rose from the depths of depression to if not quite a shock result the next best thing in front of a riveted Millennium Stadium on Saturday.

Ireland went in overwhelming favourites, but came out clinging to the life-raft as Wales all but sunk them.

In quite their best performance of the season, and their finest since probably France two years ago, Wales at last gave the fans something to sing about.

And it all hinged on a refereeing decision as high-octane, tense, right-to-the-wire battles often do.

Wales looked just about dead and buried as all-action flanker Keith Gleeson snapped up tries either side of the interval to ease an unusually cautious Irish side into a 19-7 lead.

But Wales, this time, found the pride missing in Italy, the skill levels absent against England and cut out the mistakes of Scotland to hurl Ireland back on their heels and set up a heart-stopping finale.

Martyn Williams, who had taken over the captaincy from shoulder injury victim Jonathan Humphreys, scored the best try of the match after Colin Charvis, Rhys Williams and Mefin Davies handled.

Though David Humphreys kicked his fourth penalty, Wales came again with replacement Iestyn Harris calling the shots as he put players into space and threatened something every time he had the ball.

Stephen Jones made a break, Davies, Harris and Jones again handled and Gareth Thomas swept inside and over for another try.

Jones' conversion made it 21-22 and Irish nerves were on end as full time was up.

Four minutes of injury time contained enough drama for a full match as Jones slotted a 45-yard dropped goal to regain a lead for Wales which they lost in the 27th minute.

Three minutes still remained, but it needed only 30 seconds for Ireland to snatch the lead back as Ronan O'Gara, who had replaced Humphreys, calmly slotted a dropped goal virtually from the restart.

But even then it was far from over. Referee Steve Lander clearly had his arm out as Irish wing Justin Bishop deliberately knocked on.

But was it for a penalty or was he playing advantage for a knock on?

Whatever, Charvis ran on for the Irish line only to be halted just short with no penalty at the end of it. The final whistle went, Wales were denied while Ireland escaped and confusion reigned.

At first the message came back that Lander gave a penalty, but the advantage was over after Charvis' run. Then it was changed to a knock-on, and the referee was playing advantage. No penalty.

Either way, it was a desperate finale which will live long in the memory, and at last a performance of which Wales could be proud.

The heart was there, as it should be, but rarely is at the moment, and so was the all-important platform. Coach Steve Hansen praised the front five afterwards and rightly so.

Iestyn Thomas was immense at loose head prop, Ireland so disrupted that they complained of illegal scrummaging, while Gethin Jenkins is going to have to switch to tight head such was the level of his performance.

While a few line-outs were lost, Robert Sidoli, Gareth Llewellyn and the ever-improving Dafydd Jones all made their mark.

Charvis' rehabilitation is now complete while Williams again personified the Welsh effort.

And by scoring three tries to two, only Rhys Williams looking shaky among the backs and former Newport player Matthew Watkins getting nearly a full game as a replacement for injured Mark Jones, Wales took a slight moral victory out of the game when Ireland were supposed to be the side with all the dangerous runners.

Yet they are playing a strange game, a kind of safety-first approach through a strong pack and a kicking outside half when they have gifted players like Brian O'Driscoll, Denis Hickie and Geordan Murphy waiting to pounce.

O'Driscoll seemed to stroll through the game until he visibly tried to lift his game once he realised Wales were not going to lie down.

It was Hickie who denied Wales a further opportunity late on as he shot out of the blocks to charge down another Jones dropped goal attempt.

It all meant that Wales head for France trying to avoid their first Six Nations whitewash on Saturday while Ireland set up a Grand Slam showdown against England the day after.

Those are the basic facts to emerge from the Millennium Stadium. But they hide a mighty Welsh effort.