Sloppy Ireland survive scare against Italy but third consecutive title slips away

Dan Sheehan scored a hat-trick as Ireland overcame a sloppy start to briefly keep alive their hopes of retaining the Six Nations title with an unconvincing 22-17 bonus-point success over Italy.

Seven days on from having their grand slam dream crushed by a 42-27 Dublin drubbing at the hands of France, Simon Easterby’s side scraped to victory in Rome to move top of the championship table.

But England’s dismantling of Wales in Cardiff leaves Steve Borthwick’s men top, pending the result of the final fixture in Paris as “Super Saturday” concludes.

Hugo Keenan’s score cancelled out an early opener from Azzurri wing Monty Ioane before hooker Sheehan’s treble turned the contest in the visitors’ favour.

However, fly-half Jack Crowley, who started ahead of Sam Prendergast, squandered three of his four conversion attempts to leave Italy with hope of masterminding a shock.

Stephen Varney’s try, supplemented by seven points from Tommaso Allan, increased the tension but the hosts’ chances were harmed by indiscipline.

Michele Lamaro spent time in the sin bin, while Ross Vintcent was shown a 20-minute red card and Giacomo Nicotera received a late yellow before Ireland hung on.

Backed by an estimated 30,000 travelling fans, Ireland ran out at a sold-out Stadio Olimpico requiring a resounding win to put pressure on their title rivals following last week’s humiliation on home soil.

Easterby’s side were punished for a poor start when Paolo Garbisi’s clever poke to the corner following fine work from the impressive Tommaso Menoncello sent Ioane over on the left, with full-back Allan nailing a tricky conversion.

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Italy, who were out to successfully avoid the wooden spoon for a second successive year, had conceded 18 tries across heavy defeats to France and England in rounds three and four.

Finlay Bealham had a score ruled out for a double movement as Ireland finally threatened the hosts’ 22 before Keenan raced over following a scrum.

Crowley’s simple slot levelled proceedings but the afternoon was not going to plan and an Allan penalty from close to halfway deservedly put the Azzurri back ahead.

Ireland somehow ended a stuttering opening period 12-10 in front, aided by a moment of madness from Italy captain Lamaro.

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The Benetton flanker, who began on the bench before being brought on as his side lost three forwards to injury inside half an hour, was sin-binned for cynically swotting the ball out of Jamison Gibson-Park’s hands, leading to hooker Sheehan powering over from a resultant lineout maul.

Crowley’s subsequent shank from the kicking tee epitomised Ireland’s first-half struggles.

With Lamaro still on the sidelines, Sheehan’s second score – in the 47th minute – was a carbon copy of his first and, again, Crowley failed to add the extras.

Italy had won just one of the previous 25 Six Nations fixtures between the countries.

Their task became more difficult when replacement flanker Vintcent was sent to the bunker after making head-on-head contact with Keenan from the restart, with the card ultimately upgraded from yellow to red.

Keenan was then denied his second try by a Caelan Doris knock-on in the build-up before the bonus point was secured when Sheehan completed his hat-trick after Gibson-Park’s clever cross-field kick was superbly kept alive by Mack Hansen.

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Hansen swiftly undid his fine work by misjudging a bouncing ball inside the in-goal area, allowing Varney to apply the finishing touch to Ange Capuozzo’s kick.

Allan’s conversion left Italy just five points behind as they returned to 15 men going into a tense final 10 minutes.

Ireland, who gave farewell cameos to retiring centurions Peter O’Mahony and Conor Murray and a first Test cap since last summer to injury-dogged prop Tadhg Furlong, were under pressure until the final whistle.

A try-saving tackle from replacement hooker Gus McCarthy prevented scrum-half Varney going over again as Easterby’s men survived a major scare.

PA