Ireland scrape victory over Georgia

Ireland have just managed to beat Georgia 14-10 in their World Cup Pool D match.

Rory Best and fullback Girvan Dempsey saved the team from humiliation as Georgia obtained their first World Cup point with the bonus for losing by seven points or fewer.

Ireland, who had already struggled in their 32-17 victory over Namibia, are now level with Argentina at the top of the group, with nine points.

Their two toughest games are still to come against hosts France and the Pumas.

The Georgians held the upper hand overall territorially and Ireland had to work hard to hold back several attacks on their line in the final ten minutes when Georgia almost scored a winner.

The team found the Georgians tough to penetrate from the start and were only 7-3 up at the interval following Best's try converted by Ronan O'Gara to a penalty by Georgia flyhalf Merab Kvirikashvili.

Ireland flanker David Wallace was sent off for purposely slapping the ball out of scrumhalf Bidzina Samkharadze's hands to give away the penalty three minutes before the interval.

With Wallace still off the field and Ireland attacking close to the Georgian line five minutes into the second half, Shkinin intercepted Peter Stringer's overlap pass to Brian O'Driscoll and ran 80 metres for a try, which Kvirikashvili converted.

It was a second World Cup try for Georgia, who made a worthy effort throughout the match.

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