Ireland Rue Missed Chances Against Champions France

RBS Six Nations: Ireland 22 France 25

Declan Kidney's Ireland will have nothing but regrets after they failed to most of their superiority in their 25-22 defeat to France in the first RBS 6 Nations match at the Aviva Stadium.

Ireland outscored the reigning champions three tries to one courtersy of scores from Fergus McFadden, Tomas O'Leary and Jamie Heaslip.

Yet they were made to pay for their indiscipline which was ruthlessly punished by the boots of Morgan Parra and Dmitri Yachvili with Maxime Medard's 55th-minute try proving enough to keep France's 100per cent record intact.

But Ireland could have snatched victory in a thrilling finale and replacement hooker Sean Cronin will have nightmares after dropping the ball with the try line begging at the death.

Ireland had dominated the first half scoring two tries but led just 15-12 at the break as Parra punished their indiscipline to keep the visitors in touch.

And in a pulsating second half first France seized momentum before Ireland hauled their way back into it only to fall short at the death

Kidney's side dominated the opening exchanges and Luke Fitzgerald thought he had scored after just two minutes as Ireland pounded the French line.

Referee Dave Pearson called Fitzgerald back for a forward pass but the respite was only temporary for France as Clement Poitrenaud dropped a simple pass to gift possession to Ireland in the visitors 22.

Ireland piled on the pressure and McFadden picked and went, diving under the tackle of Thomas Domingo for a first try in Ireland colours. Sexton adding the extras.

Les Bleus were clearly rattled and Damien Traille's restart barely went a metre handing the initiative back to the home side.

Sexton and Parra then exchanged penalties before the diminutive scrum-half chipped away at the Irish lead.

McFadden was penalized for holding on after a poor pass from Sexton and Parra knocked over the penalty.

And Ireland's indiscipline cost them again as they failed to roll away after a tackle on Traille with Parra again adding three points.

Donncha O'Callaghan then failed to release Parra who gave France the lead despite a lacklustre first half hour by the visitors.

A doubt before the start of the game, O'Leary gave Ireland a deserved lead just before half-time.

The Munster scrum-half burrowed over despite the attentions of Nicolas Mas after more pressure from the hosts but Sexton missed the conversion.

The second half followed a similar pattern to the first as Paul O'Connell was penalized and Parra levelled it up.

And despite Ireland dominating proceedings, France clinically finished off their first real opportunity as Medard went over.

Off the back of a scrum on halfway Aurelien Rougerie ran straight and Gordon D'Arcy missed a simple tackle.

The Clermont center then drew in Fitzgerald before releasing Medard on his shoulder for the score.

Immediately after Rory Best was penalized allowing replacement Yachvili to stretch the French lead to ten.

But the hosts were not out of it yet as Heaslip got them right back into it diving over in the corner after incessant pressure on the French line.

And Ireland then raced the length of the pitch only for Cronin to drop the ball with the try line inches away.