The Munster fly-half did not appear to ground the ball after losing it while diving over the line but referee Nigel Owens still awarded the touch down.

The fortuitous score capped a disappointing display from Ireland in their first Test at Ravenhill for 53 years and O’Sullivan knows his side must improve if they are to challenge at the World Cup.

He said: “Things are clearer after this match. If we had scored some soft tries like we did in March when we played Italy in the Six Nations we could have started thinking everything is hunky-dory.

“It was the wake-up call we needed because we played a very good Italy side. It’s easy to say now but they played very well and deserve a lot of credit.

“They didn’t come here to make up the numbers. They came with a gameplan and executed it well. We got into a dogfight with them, which is a difficult way to beat Italy.

“We have things to work on now. It was better in some sense that we had to work hard to get the win against Italy.

“I would have preferred if we had played better, but I would rather find out now if we have a couple of issues to iron out.

“It’s better now than at the World Cup – that’s what these warm-up games are about.”

Italy looked on course to register a famous victory when winger Matteo Pratichetti touched down in the 84th minute.

But O’Gara pounced in the last play of the match.

Ulster centre Andrew Trimble crossed in the first half, capping a promising opening, while the boot of O’Gara completed the Irish score.

Italy’s veteran scrum-half Alessandro Troncon – who at the final whistle had to be restrained by team-mates as he sought to confront the referee – ensured the try count finished level with an opportunist effort.

Furious Italy coach Pierre Berbizier was incensed by the decision that robbed his side of a shock victory at Ravenhill.

“We won because we saw on the video that O’Gara lost the ball over the line,” said the Frenchman.

“I don’t know why the try was given. I didn’t want to go into the World Cup with something like this – we deserve the same respect off the field that we have won on it.

“We clearly saw that O’Gara lost the ball. He did not touch it down, so why was it given? But I am proud of my team because they won the respect of Ireland on the field.”