Nervous Irish fans who couldn't believe their side was on the cusp of such a famous victory also took to the Twittersphere to cope with their nerves in the dying stages.
The wave of anxiety swept across some of Ireland's major celebrities including leading novelist, playwright and rugby tragic Colm Tobin who posted a series of hilarious posts towards the end and immediately after the game.
If we are slightly ahead with a minute to go, you will find me in the garden sucking my thumb in the fetal position. #IREvNZL
Ireland's pre-match concerns about All Blacks try-scoring machine Julian Savea, who was playing his 50th test, also got the treatment with the Irish defence more than coping with the big Hurricanes winger.
The grace shown by All Blacks coaches Steve Hansen and Wayne Smith towards their Irish counterpart Joe Schmidt also drew praise from social media followers.
