Coaches' Reaction: John O'Sullivanhears Eddie O'Sullivan say he always knew this game would be tough

No hymns. No arias. Rarely has the Millennium Stadium been so devoid of atmosphere for long periods of yesterday's Six Nations Championship game.

The Welsh supporters were tantalised by the brio and flair which their side displayed but ultimately unfulfilled because of a lack of tangible reward on the scoreboard. They took the girl to the dance but it was ultimately Ireland who brought her home.

There Irish counterparts spent the final throes of a tension-laden afternoon whistling continuously in the hope that referee Kelvin Deaker would decide to end this contest early.

Irish nerves were fraught for long periods in Cardiff and it wasn't until Ronan O'Gara scampered over in the 78th minute that visitors expressed themselves freely on and off the pitch.

It wasn't pretty and it was error-strewn from an Irish perspective but there was also buckets loads of character. This match had to be won, whether swan-like or ugly-duckling style. It probably lent itself more to the latter but there were a few nuggets.

Ireland coach Eddie O'Sullivan acknowledged there were several aspects of the performance that disappointed but was correct not to get too mired in negativity. "I would think implicit in that question was that it was a bad (Irish) performance. There were aspects that were bad. We made mistakes, we turned the football over at ruck time and we kicked loosely.

"It's not the road map for getting out of Cardiff with a victory but I think if you balance it up, our defence was excellent, even off turnovers. Despite the fact that it wouldn't have been a vintage performance, to win the match and score three tries and not give up any tries, (well) there is something positive in that.

"But I agree that it would certainly have to go up a notch next week. I would have to give some credit to Wales. They played well at times too. I'm sure that they are disappointed that they weren't more accurate. It wouldn't be the performance we wanted, particularly here.

"The important thing is that when the chips were down with 15 minutes to go, we didn't panic and killed the game off. There are positives and negatives."

The essence of a contest that is only decided in the final minutes means that both sides will dispute the right to victory. O'Sullivan acknowledged: "I suppose every time you win you get away with it. It was a topsy turvy game and I know psychologically, there were ebbs and flows for both sides.

"There was a period in the second half when we had worked our way down to the corner. We had a lineout and overthrew it. Wales came out and if they had scored at that juncture it might have turned the game on its head, but that's the rough and tumble of Test rugby. When you win a tight game you always feel you got out of it.

"We knew this would be a tough game. I had been saying this all week but people don't believe you. I am glad that we believed it because if we had gone out with some wooly notion that this was going to be a stroll in the park, we'd have lost the game."

What pleased the coach immensely was his team demonstrated both the aptitude to claim victory and the nerve to accomplish it. "(When) the game was on the line (and) it was a three-point spread, we got field position. I knew that if we didn't execute for sure, that Wales were going to come back and have a crack at winning the game.

"Experience was a big part to play in it. I was just thinking that two years ago when we lost here, it was a similar game in some ways, except that as the game went on we lost our composure and lost control of the game. I think that the difference today (was) that when it came down to the wire we didn't panic.

"The try was the third time we ran that play. The first two times we took it up the guts and tightened them up. And then the third time we let it go round the corner and that's what led to the score. There was a lot of maturity under pressure to do that. There was a tactical awareness there that this is what they're trying to do.

"I think if you didn't have that (experience) it would be hard to put it into a team. Whereas the other thing, that we made mistakes, turnover at rucks, rucks that got sloppy where we left our feet a bit; you can fix those in a few days. They are the easy things.

"Being composed under pressure, it takes a while to get that into the side. That came through today without a shadow of a doubt and important today in getting a result in what was, not a vintage game of rugby but a very tight one."

Wales coach Gareth Jenkins, who was in charge of his first Six Nations game, said his side had failed to capitalise on periods of intense pressure. "It was a wasted opportunity, we gave away tries far too easily," he said. "Our spirit and endeavour was good but we showed a touch of naivety at times which cost us. But we have to carry ourselves up to Scotland next week in a positive mood."