Enjoying early possession, Ireland knocked on a try-scoring effort but took the early lead through a David Humphreys penalty after Wales had committed an offside offence.

Humphreys converted another four penalty attempts into points during the first half whilst Stephen Jones could muster only one for the home side. Wales's best try-scoring chance came at the start of the second quarter as Shane Williams chipped ahead. He was denied by a superb intervention by Denis Hickie that prevented a Welsh score, and after this Wales seemed unable to create any more chances in the remainder of the first half.

Mick Galwey and Shane Horgan both crossed the Welsh line in the last period of the first half. However, the two attempts were lacking the luck of the Irish as both try scores were deemed not to have been grounded by the video referee. Ireland had to settle for a 15-3 lead as the teams headed into the half-time interval.

Emerging from the dressing rooms the brighter team, Wales found form on the restart. Despite some handling errors Wales reduced the deficit to 15-6 five minutes in with another Jones penalty but this was, alas, as close as the scores would remain.

Though the Welsh had gained some fluidity to their play, Ireland soon regained their superiority, though the second half was largely scrappy and ragged. Wales's defence held the visitors off until the 73rd minute, but the Irish pressure inevitably turned into a points-paying dividend in the closing stages.

Fly half Humphreys set up Hickie's try and converted the effort to stretch the Irish lead. Just two minutes afterwards Brian O'Driscoll scored try number two and Horgan completed Ireland's hat-trick in injury time to compound Wales's defeat, the scoreline flattering the visitors.

Ireland's victory had pushed Wales into fourth place position in the 2001 Lloyds TSB Six Nations standings, equal on points won with Scotland.