Ireland survive scare from superb Italy to claim first Six Nations win

Men’s Six Nations

Ireland (5) 20

Tries: Osborne, Conan, Baloucoune Con: Crowley Pen: Crowley

Italy (10) 13

Ireland survived a major scare from Italy to claim their first win in this year’s Six Nations and deny the Azzurri a first championship victory in Dublin.

Hurting from last week’s thumping defeat by France in Paris, Ireland took the lead through Jamie Osborne’s unconverted try after Italy wing Louis Lynagh’s yellow card for a deliberate knock-on.

But momentum shifted in Italy’s favour, and after Paolo Garbisi’s penalty and Ireland scrum-half Craig Casey’s yellow card, hooker Giacomo Nicotera crashed over to give the Italians a deserved half-time lead.

Ireland, who slipped to fifth in the world rankings for the first time in nearly four years after losing to France, responded three minutes after the restart through Jack Conan.

However, Sam Prendergast’s missed conversion attempt left the score tied at 10-10 and the home side breathed a huge sigh of relief when Lynagh’s apparent try was ruled out for a forward pass.

With the game delicately poised, Ireland wing Rob Baloucoune marked his Six Nations debut with a decisive try before Jack Crowley’s penalty moved the home side 10 points clear.

Having had nine days to stew on a miserable defeat by France, after which Farrell criticised his side’s “lack of intent”, Ireland were under pressure to deliver a statement performance and create some positive discussion around the team.

But Italy, who have suffered several wallopings in Dublin down the years, were in no mood to let that scenario play out as they chased a first Six Nations win on Irish soil at the 14th attempt.

Despite losing Lynagh for 10 minutes after a deliberate knock-on, a fired-up Italian defence coughed up just five points to a sputtering Irish attack before Garbisi’s penalty brought the visitors to within two points after 20 minutes.

As the first half wore on, Italy ramped up the pressure on Ireland, and after Craig Casey was sin-binned for a high tackle on Michele Lamaro, the Azzurri kicked to the corner and mauled their way to the Irish line for Nicotera to crash over.

Ireland scored early in the second half through Conan, but Prendergast failed to edge the hosts ahead when he missed another conversion attempt.

The Italians, undeterred by anything Ireland threw at them, continued to stretch the home defence with rapid, heads-up rugby.

And Ireland were let off the hook when Lynagh’s try was ruled out because of Tommaso Menoncello’s forward pass to the Benetton wing.

With replacement half-backs Crowley and Jamison Gibson-Park having injected much-needed tempo into the Irish attack, Ireland’s best moment came when McCloskey’s neat offload gave Baloucoune the chance to step and scythe his way over.

But Italy refused to lie down and piled more pressure on the Irish defence in the closing 10 minutes as unease grew among the fans.

However, Ireland escaped when James Lowe intercepted a pass and rushed up the field, but home hopes of a bonus-point win were ended when Crowley kicked the ball dead after they had won a penalty.

It was, however, a much-needed return to winning ways for Ireland before next week’s away match against England.

It will be a deeply dispiriting result for Italy, for whom a single try was a poor return for the level of pressure they put on Ireland.

Ireland: Osborne; Baloucoune, Ringrose, McCloskey, Lowe; S Prendergast, Casey; Loughman, Sheehan, Clarkson, McCarthy, Ryan, Izuchukwu, Doris (capt), Conan.

Replacements: Kelleher, O’Toole, Furlong, Edogbo, Beirne, Timoney, Gibson-Park, Crowley.

Yellow card: Casey (32 mins)

Italy: Pani; Lynagh, Menoncello, Marin; Ioane; P Garbisi, Fusco; Fischetti, Nicotera, Ferrari, N Cannone, Zambonin, Lamaro (capt), Zuliani, L Cannone.

Replacements: Di Bartolomeo, Spagnolo, Hasa, Ruzza, Favretto, Odiase, A Garbisi, Odogwu.

Referee: Hollie Davidson (Sco)

Assistant referees: Matthew Carley (Eng) and Luc Ramos (Fra)

Television match official: Ian Tempest (Eng)