Ropitini said his charges dug deep until the penalty kick and left nothing in the tank in the dying six minutes but to no avail.
"We had a crack but they took the ball back and put us back under pressure," the delighted coach said despite remaining win-less although last year they were the best of the country sides.
"The spectators enjoyed the spectacle and both teams got great support from the crowd."
Ropitini said the game was devoid of the apathy often associated with traditionally one-sided affairs.
McKay said he had spoken to fans on the grandstand who were immensely proud of both teams with the end-to-end display.
"It's our first win so we'll keep our chins up and keep going," he said before they kick off at 2pm against undefeated powerhouses Hastings East today and 1pm tomorrow against defending champions Napier.
McKay named No 8 Tawera Rautahi his player of the day because of his brilliance and captaincy.
Ropitini said Wairoa would struggle in locking horns with Napier but they'll "still go out and give them a bit of a nudge".
Napier beat Hastings West 21-5 in the second game in a bid to keep the Bill Matthewson Memorial Trophy another season after streaking to a 14-0 lead at halftime.
"The boys have started to hit their straps and are beginning to play a more structured game now," said victorious assistant coach Paul Teddy.
Teddy singled out flanker Joshua Quinn, centre Xanda Scott-Semenoff and halfback Jehmial Ross as the standouts for Napier.
He drummed into his troops the need to comprehend that there were no such things favourites.
"You go out to win the shield every year, you do not defend it," he said, ruling out complacency against Wairoa today.
A Hastings West spokesman, speaking on behalf of manager Ginny Clarke-Lloyd, said they competed well after recovering from "the shock to the system".
"We came back stronger in the second half but we weren't aggressive enough and Napier wanted it more than us," he said after their win and a loss although they were wary of Central in their 1pm clash today.
Halfback Kahlia Awa was Hastings West's player of the day (POD) because of her ability to dictate play and orchestrate defence around the forwards and backs.
The spokesman lauded lock and try scorer Lanson Randell but lamented the inability of others to keep up with him.
In the final game, Hastings East flogged Central 44-0 after a bullocking 29-0 statement at halftime.
Winning coach Andrew Hui said while they were undefeated with Napier they weren't going to take hosts Dannevirke lightly today.
"We'll just run out and work on our patterns and systems," Hui said, happy to work their way towards the shield-defining match at 2pm on Saturday against Napier before the closing ceremony.
"For us it's a case of just doing what we do so every game is a final."
Hui said Hastings East were not concerned with what the oppositions were doing but on what they could influence so by adhering to that edict the results would take care of themselves.
He named lock Jason Smith the side's POD and made special mention of hooker Tom McFetridge, winger/centre Ryan Ashman and fullback Phelix Bargh in keeping the pot simmering on the back burner as seven players scored eight tries.
Day 2 results
From the Ross Shield matches played yesterday:
Dannevirke 8 (Cody Borlase try; Campbell-Carrington-Morse pen) Wairoa 7 (Stanley Baty try, Moana Ropitini con). HT: 7-5 Wairoa.
Napier 21 (Jehmial Ross, Xanda Scott-Semenoff, Bradley Campbell tries; Afa Moleli 3 cons) Hastings West 5 (Lanson Randell try). HT: 14-0.
Hastings East 44 (Troydyn Bird, Dallas Hemi-Mason, Ryan Ashman, Nav Te Riini, Phelix Bargh, Jayden Gillies, Tom Goodwin 2 tries; Kody Deacon 2 cons) Central 0. HT: 29-0.
