Ireland survive Italy scare to claim first win

Men’s Six Nations

Ireland (5) 20

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

Italy (10) 13

Try: Nicotera Con: Garbisi Pens: Garbisi 2

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.

But after Italy pulled themselves back to within a score, Ireland withstood frantic late pressure from the visitors and dashed their hopes of a snatching a late draw.