Churchill Cup Plate Final: Ireland A 30, England Saxons 27 Ireland A snatched the Barclays Churchill Cup plate and third place in the tournament with a dramatic injury-time victory to pile more misery on English rugby.
The Saxons had taken a last-minute lead through centre Ben Johnston but Ireland regrouped and Leinster prop Ronnie McCormack was driven over the English line six minutes into added time.
As referee Peter Allan awarded the score, England's replacement hooker David Paice was aiming blows at Trevor Hogan and became the third Saxons player to be shown the yellow card - David Barnes and Andy Beattie having been binned for collapsing Ireland's dominant driving maul.
Ireland should have moved into an early lead after a sharp break from Ulster outhalf Paddy Wallace but his long pass was too far ahead of the unmarked Andrew Maxwell.
England took an early lead after Ireland's captain, Shane Jennings, was warned for stamping on Kai Horstmann.
Ireland went close through Ulster lock Matt McCullough after powerful number eight Jamie Heaslip had charged 30 yards through Clive Stuart-Smith's tackle.
Ireland lost Connacht prop Ray Hogan after he suffered a suspected broken leg in a tackle - play was held up for almost 10 minutes - but moved ahead with two penalties from Wallace.
They then shot themselves in the foot as Ayoola Erinle charged down an attempted clearance from fullback Bryn Cunningham and Horstmann dived over in the corner.
Ireland hit back as John Hearty ran an excellent angle onto Wallace's pass and Heaslip barged over in the first minute of added time. But there was still time for Erinle to pick up Dave Walder's clever grubber kick and power through Cunningham to score.
England extended their lead to 22-13 after the interval when Sam Vesty touched down.
But Ireland again responded. First McCullough was driven over and then Ireland took a 23-22 lead through hooker John Fogarty.
The Saxons pressed Ireland back as the game entered injury time, and a stolen lineout in the Irish 22 led to Johnston's try.
But Ireland's powerful maul proved decisive as McCormack sealed the win.
IRELAND A: Cunningham; Maxwell, Hearty, Lawlor, McPhillips; Wallace, O'Leary; R Hogan, Fogarty, Court; T Hogan, McCullough; Jennings, McMillan, Heaslip. Replacements: Blaney, McCormack, Browne, Muldoon, Keane, Hickey, Keogh.
ENGLAND SAXONS: Armitage; Haughton, Johnston, Vesty, Erinle; Walder, Stuart-Smith; Barnes, Buckland, Turner; Hudson, Kennedy; Roche, Seymour, Horstmann. Replacements: Paice, Ward, Beattie, Narraway, Wigglesworth, Horak, Woods.
Referee: Peter Allen (RFU)
