UPDATE 1-Rugby-Late O'Driscoll try ends Australian slam hopes

By Padraic Halpin

DUBLIN, Nov 15 (Reuters) - Ireland captain Brian O'Driscoll celebrated his 100th test with a last gasp try to give his side a 20-20 draw at Croke Park on Sunday and end Australia's bid for a grand slam over the four home nations.

The Wallaby pack completely dominated a first half in which wing Drew Mitchell's second-minute try, taking advantage of an overly-ambitious skip pass from Ronan O'Gara, helped the visitors to a 10-6 halftime lead.

Australia's forwards kept the pressure on early in the second half but the Irish woke up with a 56th minute Tommy Bowe try before Wallaby captain Rock Elsom powered home in the corner to restore the advantage five minutes later.

Bowe almost went over again in the dying minutes and O'Driscoll stretched the Six Nations champions' unbeaten run to nine, bursting through under the posts with the last play of the game.

Ireland's welcome home in their first match in Dublin since snatching a first grand slam since 1948 this year was short lived as Mitchell quickly opened the scoring.

O'Gara, struggling for provincial form at Munster, asked a little much of O'Driscoll with a long pass deep in his own half and Mitchell picked up the dropped ball.

Matt Giteau added the conversion but O'Gara made amends a minute later, nailing his first penalty after Australia were penalised for offside.

The home side came back into the game and, despite Australia managing to turn over a number of strong home attacks, O'Gara got another crack in front of the posts midway through the half and reduced the deficit to a point.