Ireland quartet Paul O'Connell, Johnny Sexton, Peter O'Mahony and Keith Earls injured in France win

Ireland suffered a quadruple injury blow in their World Cup clash with France with captain Paul O'Connell among those hurt.

Influential fly-half Jonny Sexton and O'Connell were injured in the first half of the Pool D decider at the Millennium Stadium in Cardiff, which Ireland eventually won 24-9 to top the group despite their injury problems. 

Sexton was replaced 25 minutes into the clash with the French and appeared to leave the pitch in tears after sustaining injuries to his groin and ribs. 

Sexton, Ireland's playmaker and hugely reliable kicker, seemed to hurt his ribs making a tackle before receiving treatment on his groin. He re-joined the action, only to be put on his back by a crunching hit from Louis Picamoles.

The 30-year-old was helped off the field and replaced by Leinster team-mate Ian Madigan.

O'Connell was then injured just before half-time and was carried off on a stretcher to a standing ovation from the Irish fans clutching his right leg and wearing an oxygen mask, with Iain Henderson replacing him at lock at the start of the second half.

"Paul is the one who worries me most," said Ireland head coach Joe Schmdt. "It doesn't look great with Paul. It's an upper hamstring. We'll wait until Monday for the scan and the inflammation to go down.

"Johnny looks like an abductor to me. That's not a learned eye of a medic so we are probably going to get Johnny scanned on Monday.

"Johnny was already talking about next week in the changing room but I'm not sure if that means he'll be playing or not."

Ireland lost flanker O'Mahony after 55 minutes of hugely physical rugby when his foot stuck in the pitch and he also needed a stretcher to leave the field due to a suspected knee problem.

"Pete (O'Mahony) didn't seem too bad, so we're hopeful with Pete. He was walking around okay in the changing rooms so it looks like he's going to be okay," Schmidt said.

Versatile back Earls then joined the casualty list after picking up a knock, although his injury did not appear as serious as the other three and he was later seen on the bench with his right arm iced up.

There could also be a further Irish setback to come after flanker Sean O'Brien punched France's Pascal Pape less than a minute into the match and is likely to face a retrospective ban ahead of the quarter-final against Argentina.

Pape was banned for 10 weeks in February after causing Ireland's Jamie Heaslip to damage three vertebrae and if O'Brien's misdemeanour is confirmed, he is likely to face a retrospective ban.

"I truly hope not," Schmidt said. "He was being held at the time, he swung but I don't think he was looking directly at the player but it's not for me to determine.

"It's not a closed fist. I'd be hopeful but it's not a decision for me.Hopefully it's not something that impacts on us.

"Considering the dressing room at the moment, we can ill-afford to lose another player, particularly a player of Sean's experience and standing in the group."