When Andy Farrell looks back at 2020, Georgia may well be on his mind.
It was an eighth straight home win, but it came with just two tries and 23 points – against a side that conceded 16 tries and 114 points in their last three games.
Ireland led 20-7 at half time, but wasted opportunities, set piece difficulties and general sloppiness led to a 3-3 second half and will leave Farrell wondering where to turn next.
The opening minutes were scrappy, with Billy Burns' early chip intercepted and Jacob Stockdale mis-kicking in space out wide, but Georgia were not much better and it was their poor penalty kick that handed the ball cheaply to Ireland 90 seconds before the opening try.
Iain Henderson, partnering James Ryan in the second row for the first time since February, made a big carry to take Ireland deep into Georgia's half, with CJ Stander and Will Connors adding their weight.
Conor Murray shifted the attack wide but Georgia scrambled well to deny Keith Earls. But they couldn't keep Ireland out long, and when Murray found Chris Farrell, the Munster centre's reverse pass found Burns, who darted home to score a first international try on his first start.
The Ulster out half added a penalty minutes later to stretch Ireland's early lead, but if you thought it would be one-way traffic you were very wrong.
Just four minutes later Georgia scored one of the tries of the year, through 23 year-old centre Giorgi Kveseladze.
A lovely midfield move saw the outside centre gather the ball inside his own half, before he set off on a stunning solo run. He skipped by Andrew Porter, dummied Stockdale before stepping inside Burns, leaving the outhalf on his back. McCloskey and Stockdale tried a desperate last tackle but they couldn't deny the Georgian a glorious score.
Former Terenure College student Tedo Abzhandadze added the extras to cut Ireland's lead to three points with 20 minutes on the clock.
Burns stretched it to six after Georgian skipper Sharikadze conceded a breakdown penalty but the scorekeeper was untroubled for the next 15 minutes or so as both sides struggled to click in attack.
Ireland looked dangerous every time they got into the Georgian 22, but the visitors stood strong with the outstanding Beka Gorgadze denying Rob Herring off an attacking maul.
The green wave could not be denied forever though, and once more Murray's quick hands made the difference; the scrum half fed Burns, who found Stockdale and the Ulsterman's skip pass to Hugo Keenan gave the Leinster rookie an easy touch down out wide for his third try in five tests.
Abzhandadze took three points early in the second half taking Georgia's tally to 10 points, more than they scored in their previous three games against Wales, England and Scotland combined.
Sub Ross Byrne converted a penalty on the hour mark to end almost half an hour without a point, but there were no more scores to come.
Shane Daly made his bow – the 10th debutant under Andy Farrell – on 62, replacing clubmate Earls, but it was ultimately the only highlight in a poor second half as Georgia's physicality and Ireland's lack of creativity led to a dire stalemate.
