Following Wales’ dramatic victory earlier today against Italy in Cardiff, it suddenly became a two-horse race between the two sides in the Ravenhill venue to see who would claim third spot in the Championship table and – by extension – a spot at the 2025 RWC showcase in England.

Speaking at full-time, number eight Brittany Hogan summed up the magnitude of the result.

“It means so much,” said Hogan.

“We came out for a performance today. We didn’t know what was going to happen after the end of it if we qualified or not but we just wanted to do it together.

“I’m just so proud. I literally heard before I came over here that we’ve qualified and I’m just so happy.

“We’ve come through so much as a group and every single one of us – management, players, people who aren’t here today and all our supporters – everyone means everything.”

A late addition to the starting line-up that had originally been announced on Thursday, Leicester Tigers hooker Elis Martin appeared at the back of a line-out maul and dotted down to give Scotland a breakthrough try in the eighth-minute.

Helen Nelson was narrowly off-target from the tricky conversion that followed this score, but the play was subsequently held up for several minutes due to a serious injury sustained by her half-back partner Caity Mattinson.

Ireland initially gained a foothold inside the Scottish half when the action finally resumed but, in spite of their best endeavours, there was a lack of cutting edge in attack from the hosts during the opening half-hour.

Yet Ireland started to ramp things up as the interval approached and it took superb Scottish defence to prevent Neve Jones (one of just two Ulster natives in the Irish starting line-up) from crossing the whitewash for her third try of the Championship on 33 minutes.

Although Martin’s early five-pointer remained the sole difference between the sides, this all changed within 60 seconds of the restart. Ireland had displayed their intent straight from the kick-off at the beginning of the second half and teenage winger Katie Corrigan was picked out in space on the right-flank to touch down for an unconverted try – her third in as many international home games in 2024.

Momentum appeared to be with Ireland at this point, but Scotland impressively regained the initiative when a Lisa Thomson try on the stroke of 50 minutes was supplemented by a bonus strike from Helen Nelson.

However, just shy of the hour mark, O’Brien found touch from an attacking penalty to leave Ireland within striking distance of the Scottish whitewash.

In almost identical fashion to Martin in the opening period, replacement hooker Cliodhna Moloney latched onto the resulting set-piece maul from Ireland and confidently burst over for her first international try since April 2021.

Thanks to O’Brien nailing her latest conversion attempt in the wake of this five-pointer, Ireland were back on level terms (12-12) heading into the final-quarter of an engrossing encounter and when she wisely opted for the posts for the posts with six minute remaining, the Carlow native gave the home team the lead for the first time in the game.

There were some tense moments in the dying embers of the game – Beibhinn Parsons was yellow carded in the 79th minute for a deliberate knock-on – but a resolute Ireland held firm to claim the victory they so badly craved.

Scorers for Ireland: Tries – K Corrigan, C Moloney. Pens – D O’Brien. Cons – D O’Brien.

Scorers for Scotland: Tries – E Martin, L Thomson. Cons – H Nelson.

IRELAND: M Deely; K Corrigan, E Higgins, E Breen, B Parsons; D O’Brien, A Reilly; L Djougang, N Jones, C Haney; D Wall, S Monaghan; A Wafer, E McMahon, B Hogan.

Replacements: N O’Dowd for Haney (h-t), C Moloney for Jones (46), S Ikahihifo for McMahon (72).

SCOTLAND: M Smith; C Grant, E Orr, L Thomson, F McGhie; H Nelson, C Mattinson; L Bartlett, E Martin, C Belisle; E Wassell, L McMillan; R Malcolm, A Stewart, E Gallagher.

Replacements: M McDonald for Mattinson (12), E Clarke for Belisle (48), E Donaldson for McMillan, R McLachlan for Stewart (both 59), M Wright for Martin, L Cockburn for Bartlett (both 63).

Referee: N Ganley (New Zealand).