Published: Sunday, 22nd March, 2009 2:15pm

Homer kicks Irish to victory

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London Irish 32, Northampton Saints 27 - full time

Young full back Tom Homer kicked 22 points to inspire London Irish to a 32-27 St Patrick's Day victory over Northampton Saints.

The 18-year-old landed eight kicks out of eight to see the Exiles past Jim Mallinder's side.

The visitors went in front in the first half through a tries from skipper Bruce Reihana and number eight Roger Wilson before Adam Thomstone's third try in the last five Guinness Premiership matches put Irish in front 16-15 at the break.

The Saints hit back in the second half with 12 points from Reihana, but a penalty try for the hosts and the immaculate kicking of Homer sent the crowd of 21,295 home happy.

FT - Irish hold on for the win and Tom Homer is named man of the match. The young full-back tries to keep his cool, but can't help but crack a smile.

78 - PENALTY - Bruce Reihana kicks Saints within one score. This is getting tense again. 32- 27.

78 mins - SIN BIN - London Irish will have to do this the hard way after Peter Richards was sent to the bin for taking out a Saints player off the ball.

76 mins - TRY - London Irish looked to have sealed the win with a penalty try after the pack destroyed Northampton from a scrum on the five metre line. Tom Homer added the extras to put Irish eight points clear. 32-24

72 mins - With just one point in this enthralling contest the crowd hardly needed anything else to get the pulses racing. But they got it when a streaker got in on the act.

I've heard there was one at the Berkshire Cup semi-final at Reading Abbey on Friday too. Is this the latest crazy to hit Reading!?!

69 mins - PENALTY - Irish back into the lead again after yet another successful kick from their 18-year-old fullback. 25-24

66 mins - PENALTY - After Seilala Mapasua is obstructed Homer slots his sixth successful kick of the match to put Irish within two. 24-22

62 mins - PENALTY - Tom Homer makes it five out of five with the boot and brings Irish to within a converted try of victory. 24-19

61 mins - SUBSTITUTION - Peter Richards on for Elvis Seveali'i.

60 mins - PENALTY - Reihana does the business again. The crowd are starting to get a bit restless.

55 mins - SUBSTITUTION - Kieran Roche, Tonga Lea'aetoa and Richard Thorpe on for Irish in place of Gary Johnson, Richard Skuse and Chris Hala'Ufia. Steffon Armitage also back from the bin.

Alex Rae off the bench for Saints. Alex Rae scored a very important goal in this very stadium for WOlves against Reading in the 2003 play-offs.... probably a different person.

54 mins - PENALTY - Saints skipper Bruce Reihana increases his side's lead with a well-struck penalty. 21-16

52 mins - CLOSE - Despite being a man down Irish nearly score a break away try. Paul Hodgson and Adam Thompstone combined, before Sailosi Tagicakibau was held up just short of the line.

49 mins - SUBSTITUTION - With the Irish lineout struggling, Danie Coetzee is replaced by David Paice at hooker. The former Newbury player is back in contention after completing the four match ban for his red card against Quins.

48 mins - PENALTY - Bruce Reihana takes over the kicking duties for a long ranger and lands it from the halfway line. Saints now lead 18-16.

47 mins - SIN BIN - Just like Northampton in the first half, Irish have been hit by an early sin binning with Steffon Armitage sent to the bin.

40 mins - AND we are underway in the second half at the Madejski Stadium with London Irish leading by just one point against the Northampton Saints.

37 mins - MISS - Everitt hits the crossbar with a penalty from the right and Armitage scrambles the ball clear for the Exiles, who stay in front.

35 mins - PENALTY - Another outstanding kick from Tom Homer puts Irish back in front. The kick was from a similar position to Steven Jones' miss in the last minute for Wales against Ireland yesterday, but the youngster had the distance and the accuracy. 16-15

33 mins - CLOSE - Paul Hodgson gets a block on an Everitt kick out of his own 22. The ball could have bounced anywhere, but it favoured the Saints as it bounces safely into touch.

31 mins - TRY - Roger Wilson scores the Saints second try after an overlap developed down the left flank. Everitt misses the conversion. The visitors are ahead 15-13.

28 mins - PENALTY - Irish back in front through Tom Homer after Foden was penalised for holding on. 13-10

26 mins - PENALTY - Everitt slots over his first penalty of the game to level the scores. 10-10

24 mins - CLOSE - Armitage is starting to get stuck into the Saints. His clever interception launches another Irish attack and Thompstone just strays into touch touch as he tries to field Elvis Seveali'i's grubber kick.

22 mins - The game has settled down now after an all-action start, with a few errors creeping into both side. Reihana knocks on for Saints before Irish waste good field position after a storming run from Steffon Armitage down the left wing.

16 mins- PENALTY - Irish into the lead with a Homer penalty. Not as difficult as his last kick, but it was far from straight forward. Homer wheeled away in triumph as soon as the ball left his boot. This kid looks a class act.

10 mins - TRY - Irish get their reward with a try out wide right by young winger Adam Thompstone. He received the ball on the wing from Tom Homer and rode a challenge from England hopeful Ben Foden before touching down. 18-year-old Homer slots an excellent conversion from the touchline. 7-7.

8 mins - Irish camped in the Saints 22, but a chance goes begging as Irish are penalised.

5 mins - SIN BIN - Irish respond well to conceding the early try and they now have a man advantage after the Saints Courtney Lawes is sent to the bin.

2 mins - TRY - The visitors make an impressive start and break the gain line on several occasions before skipper Bruce Rehana jinks in on the right corner. Former Exiles Barry Everitt slots over the difficult conversion. Irish trail 7-0.

1 min- We are underway at the Mad Stad.

TOBY Booth makes one late change to his London Irish squad for today's (Sunday) big St Patrick's Day clash with Northampton Saints.

England scrum-half Peter Richards has passed a late fitness test and replaces Argentine Alfredo Lalanne on the bench.

Last season 23,709 rugby fans descended on the Mad Stad for this feast of Guinness Premiership rugby and the early signs are that the crowd will be every bit as big today.

Fifteen minutes to kick-off now and the sun is shining. Looks a good day for the Exiles famous running rugby.

IRISH: 15. Tom Homer; 14. Adam Thompstone; 13. Elvis Seveali'i; 12. Seilala Mapusua; 11. Sailosi Tagicakibau; 10. Mike Catt (captain); 9. Paul Hodgson; 1. Clarke Dermody; 2. Danie Coetzee, 3. Richard Skuse; 4. James Hudson; 5. Gary Johnson; 6. Declan Danaher; 7. Steffon Armitage; 8. Chris Hala'Ufia.

Replacements: 16. Tonga Lea'aetoa; 17. David Paice; 18. Kieran Roche; 19. Jonathon Fisher; 20. Richard Thorpe; 21. Peter Richards; 22. Eoghan Hickey.

SAINTS: 15 Ben Foden; 14 Bruce Reihana (capt); 13 Joe Ansbro; 12 James Downey; 11 Sean Lamont; 10 Barry Everitt; 9 Lee Dickson; 1 Soane Tonga'uiha; 2 Brett Sharman; 3 Barry Stewart; 4 Courtney Lawes; 5 Juandre Kruger; 6 Mark Easter; 7 Neil Best; 8 Roger Wilson

Replacements: 16 Joe Gray; 17 Tom Smith; 18 Alex Rae; 19 Mark Hopley; 20 Stephen Myler; 21 Chris Mayor; 22 Chris Mayor