A try from Marcel Garvey, and eight points from the boot of Brad Davies sealed the four points. Commitment, passion and determination came through after a difficult few weeks for Gloucester.

James Simpson-Daniel was ruled out before kick off after struggling with a virus all week. Seti Kiole came in the line-up, with Mark Foster starting from the bench.

Jake Boer also started in the back-row, with Peter Buxton on the bench. The highlight of the match was Marcel Garvey's try, but Gloucester missed other first half chances, which would have seen them go in ahead at half time.

As it was the boot of Barry Everitt saw Irish lead at the break 12-10. Brad Davies and Alex Page answered everything that was thrown at them at half-back, and a solitary second half penalty from the young stand-off took the points.

Andy Hazell, who was taken off with what looked like a serious injury in the second half, was up and walking after the game, after a knock to the head.

Match Summary

2 mins:
Hazell was everywhere in the opening exchanges, finding space in the back line and winning ball on the floor. A Goodridge knock-on under no pressure gave Irish a scrum inside the Gloucester half, but Jake Boer did well to turn over ball.

5 mins:
Gloucester moved the ball into the Irish half, Wood breaking well from the base of a ruck. Brad Davies found Mauger, but the Kiwi knocked on in the tackle and Irish countered. Everitt took possession from his own 22 through to the Gloucester 22.

7 mins:
Irish had the first scoring opportunity when Gloucester were penalised just outside their own 22. Barry Everitt's kick took Irish into the lead.

9 mins:
Irish were penalised as Page fielded a high ball from Everitt, and marched back another 10 metres after words from Hatley with the referee.

10 mins
Terry Fanolua and Nathan Mauger combined in midfield before Irish were caught offside and Brad Davies slotted the three points (11 mins).

(3-3)

12 mins:
Irish hit back straight away and Justin Bishop continued to cause difficulties on the right wing. Gloucester were penalised at the breakdown and Everitt opted for the posts and took the three points.

(6-3 to Irish)

15 mins:
The final pass or the speed to the breakdown was preventing Gloucester from making any in-roads into the Irish defence. Roland Reid almost grabbed a score when he broke 20 metres from the back of a ruck, but the Gloucester defence was solid and Everitt's drop goal was well short.

18 mins:
Goodridge made amends fro his earlier knock-on with a good catch and run under pressure from the Irish tacklers.

19 mins:
Gloucester's first try scoring chance came when Brown found took possession on the wing and cut inside. Page and Davies combined at halfback to put Boer through on the short ball. Powell was in support, but was pulled down five metres short.

21 mins:
Gloucester made the breakthrough, when Mauger, Davies and Fanolua combined with some lovely short passes to put Garvey through. The right winger cut inside the tacklers and dived for the line. The referee went to the television official who awarded the touch down. Davies converted.

(10-6 to Glos)

28 mins:
Kiole smashed Appleford in the tackle to take Irish backwards, and a chip ahead was fielded well by Alex Page and cleared.

Gloucester countered well after Irish errors, including a knock-on from Armitage that gave possession to Gloucester. The ball came out to Garvey, who cut inside before the ball fell loose, and again Gloucester went at Irish. The ball was passed out wide to the forwards, with Balding, Eustace and Hazell finding space, but an overlap was wasted as play cut infield.

32 mins:
Everitt had his third penalty attempt three minutes in from the touch line, and his form continued as he edged Irish back into the game.

(10-9 to Glos)

35 mins:
Nils Mordt replaced Justin Bishop. Armitage moved to the wing and Catt to full-back.

Brad Davies started to make the Gloucester backs tick with some well-tuned distribution that was finding space for Fanolua and Garvey.

36 mins:
Gloucester were penalised again at an Irish line-out in their own half, and Everitt stepped up for the kick. Four from four took Irish into the lead.

(12-10 to Irish)

Irish closed the final five minutes of the second half with all the possession, but on the stroke of the whistle Gloucester won turnover ball and the play went through the back-line, but Goodridge's final pass to Garvey went behind him. The Irish forwards piled in and won a penalty. Everitt stepped up and in the sixth minute of injury time hit the cross bar. Fanolua and Balding cleared.

Second half:

James Forrester replaced Jake Boer at half time.

45 mins:
Irish made the first move of the second period when Staniforth found Roland Reid on the short side. Gloucester's covering defence took play into touch.

47 mins:
Gloucester's first chance came their way when Davies put the backs into space. Goodridge had Mauger alongside him and the Kiwi centre put Kiole into space on the wing, but the Tongan powerhouse was put into touch.

Sigley replaced Wood in the Gloucester front row.

Hazell broke well from half-way and Irish were penalised as he was tackled. Brad Davies opted for the posts from a long way out and slotted it perfectly (50 mins).

(13-12 to Glos)

Azam stole Irish ball, but Adam Eustace's attempt at a cut-out pass almost gave Irish an interception try.

55 mins:
Just as Irish looked like counter attacking and breaking clear, Andy Hazell stole possession and found Garvey on the blind-side. Garvey chipped ahead, but Catt covered.

57 mins:
There was a lengthy pause as Hazell received treatment to a serious injury as he lay on the ground. Buxton replaced the England open-side.

Irish also made changes with Danaher and Hodgson coming on for Gustard and Edwards.

66 mins:
When play resumed nine minutes later Irish were awarded the penalty from the incident when Hazell was injured, but Everitt's kick was wide.

67 mins:
Irish had another penalty kick, and this time it hit the post and Goodridge cleared upfield.

70 mins:
Irish threw everything at the Gloucester line, but Adam Balding and the defence stood strong.

Powell gave away possession as he took the ball into contact, and Irish spread the ball wide through Everitt, Dawson and Appleford, but Page intervened at the breakdown and his clearance kick took play 60 metres back up field. Kiole chased at full pace, and Catt took the ball into touch, but Irish won the set-piece and cleared (74 mins).

76 mins:
Garvey found a few metres of space and attacked into the Irish half. The ball came out through the backline, but again the final pass, this time from Eustace, went forward.

78 mins:
The game went into the final minutes, with injury time looming, and Gloucester were still one point ahead. The Gloucester players were on their guard at every ruck as not to giveaway a penalty.

80 mins:
Curnier replaced Sigley.

80 mins (and injury time)
Everitt's massive clearance from his own half, took play to within 15 metres of the Gloucester line and Curnier threw in, Davies cleared.

80 mins (and four mins of injury time)
Irish had a line-out on halfway and launched a massive charge with the high ball, but Kiole was strong under the pressure and Gloucester won the foot-in.

Foster replaced Kiole, who went off, and Davies cleared.

80 mins (and seven minutes of injury time)
Gloucester put a good run of phases together. Page was at the heart of the increase in tempo. Powell, Mauger, Fanolua and Davies all kept the possession going. Buxton took it on, Page recycled, Davies found Balding with a looping pass, and Forrester overlapped, but was tackled into touch.

80 mins (and 10 mins of injury time)
Curnier broke from a line-out 30 metres out, and raced to within 10 metres of the line, but he was held-up and Page knocked on from difficult ball to give Irish the possession at the scrum.

(12 mins of injury time)

The tension mounted as Irish knocked on in front of the posts, the ball was passed back into the pocket from the set-piece, but Brad Davies' drop goal attempt went wide.

Gloucester were everywhere to tackle the Irish, and it paid off when Everitt knocked-on in front of his posts as Forrester and Balding pressured. Gloucester lost possession at the scrum when the referee penalised Forrester.

(15 mins of injury time)

Everitt went to touch and Irish won their line-out on half-way.

Irish lacked the finishing touch, and Powell was superb to disrupt their ball, Irish almost countered, but Fanolua was onto everything and even though he knocked on, it wasted valuable time as Irish put-in inside their own half.

(17 mins of injury time)

Irish broke with Staniforth, who had Reid, the number eight, in support, and Gloucester were judged to have knocked on as the ball went into contact and the home side had the scrum 12 metres into the Gloucester half, with Everitt lining up the drop goal.

(19 minutes of injury time)
But from the set-piece Irish had a freekick and ran it, Everitt sat back in the pocket and his drop goal went wide.

Attendance: 17,111