Ireland stumbled to a 23-20 win over Italy in their final World Cup warm-up match on Friday after a disputed last-minute try to flyhalf Ronan O'Gara.

The game finished deep in injury-time with Ronan O'Gara squeezing over the line for Ireland to steal the match 23-20. The Azzurri were downcast, as they had been on the verge of what would have been their first win over Ireland since 1997.

Italian protests that O'Gara had not grounded the ball appeared justified by video replays and Ireland coach Eddie O'Sullivan said his side probably had not deserved to win.

"I was disappointed to say the least," O'Sullivan told reporters. "Despite that we're not a hundred miles away but we've got to make the fixes pretty soon, there isn't much time left."

A few minutes earlier O'Gara had again filled the saviour's role with a drop-goal in the last minute of normal time. But Italy struck back with a length-of-the-field hack and chase that finished with a try for Matteo Pratichetti.

Ireland started strongly and took an early lead with a penalty in the sixth minute.

Italy drew even after 20 minutes with a drop goal from fullback David Bortolussi. Ireland's Andrew Trimble replied five minutes later with the first try of the game.

The visitors fought back through a try by Alessandro Troncon shortly before the break to take a 13-10 halftime lead.

An O'Gara penalty shortly after the break evened the score and a drop goal by the flyhalf put his side ahead.

Italy regained the lead with a try from Matteo Pratichetti before Trimble passed the ball to O'Gara, who ran in for a controversial try in the closing minute.

O'Sullivan described the game as a wakeup call for Ireland.

"It focuses the mind, it makes us realise we can take nothing for granted and we've got to work very hard now for the next two weeks," he said. Reuters

In Italian: Italia, impresa sfiorata: vince l'Irlanda 23-20

A Ravenhill gli azzurri avanti 20-16 a 2' dal termine. O'Gara allo scadere vola verso la meta ma viene placcato e scatta l'istant replay: valida tra le polemiche. Sfuma il possibile risultato storico. Tra i migliori Parisse, Troncon e Robertson.

Ravenhill, 53 anni dopo: storico l'appuntamento, quasi il risultato. Vince l'Irlanda 23-20, ma all'ultimo secondo e con una meta che nemmeno l'istant replay ha saputo leggere. Peccato, perché l'Italia - con un grandissimo Robertson e gli ottimi Bortolussi, Parisse e Troncon - ha dimostrato di essere una squadra altamente competitiva, molto forte in mischia, migliorabile in avanti. Altrimenti come spiegare il 16-20 a favore degli azzurri a 2' dal termine grazie alle mete di Troncon e Pratichetti, i calci di Bortolussi e De Marigny? Era il secondo e ultimo test-match prima della Coppa del Mondo: ora sì che l'Italia è pronta per stupire in Francia.