Wales advance to second World Cup semi final

Welsh halfback Mike Phillips' superb diving lunge to score an unlikely try was ultimately the moment that broke Ireland and sealed a frenetic 22-10 victory that put Wales into their second World Cup semi final.

Phillips cornered and caught short by the Irish defence reached out one handed to deftly plant the ball down and with it put one Welsh foot in the semi finals of the Rugby World Cup.

Favourites Ireland had the best of the support and the early howling wind direction but fell to a passionate Welsh team that scored two second half tries to pull away from their Celtic cousins.

Fleet-footed winger Shane Williams opened the scoring after two minutes bustling over following an unbroken procession of Welsh possession and territory after kick-off.

The Irish forayed into the Welsh half many times but was continually held up by a wall of red. Ronan O'Gara's lone penalty on 22 minutes was all that Ireland salvaged from the first half.

Leigh Halfpenny dug his own boot into Irish hopes by sinking a 50m penalty into the teeth of a bitterly cold wind minutes from the half.

The 10-3 Welsh lead was eerily the same scoreline as the last time the side made a World Cup quarter final against England in 2003.

The Irish leveled the scores soon after the resumption of play with flowing cross field movements ultimately finished by Keith Earls on the left wing. The TMO, unable to determine if a last-ditch tackle had taken Earls out, ruled in favour of the resurgent Irish.

Centre Jonathan Davies busted through a tiring Wales defence after 63 minutes to establish a lead that proved too much for Ireland to overcome.

The in-form Welsh shaping as the dark horse of the tournament will now face the winner of the England and France quarter final next week at Eden Park.

Wales 22 (Tries: Williams, Phillips, Davies Con: Priestland 2, Pen: Halfpenny), Ireland 10 (Tries: Earls, Con, O'Gara, Pen: O'Gara)

Wales 10-3 HT