{"id":298046,"date":"2026-02-14T16:53:13","date_gmt":"2026-02-14T16:53:13","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/ie\/298046\/"},"modified":"2026-02-14T16:53:13","modified_gmt":"2026-02-14T16:53:13","slug":"farrells-ireland-survive-a-big-scare-to-beat-italy-in-dublin-%c2%b7-the-42","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/ie\/298046\/","title":{"rendered":"Farrell’s Ireland survive a big scare to beat Italy in Dublin \u00b7 The 42"},"content":{"rendered":"

\"\"<\/p>\n

\n Murray Kinsella<\/p>\n

Reports from the Aviva Stadium<\/p>\n

Ireland 20<\/p>\n

Italy 13<\/p>\n

GONE ARE THE days when Ireland could enjoy a stroll in the park against Italy in the Six Nations, the near guarantee of plentiful tries making it something of a calm curiosity of a fixture.<\/p>\n

For the second year running, Andy Farrell\u2019s men found themselves in an intense, pulsating, thrilling battle against the Azzurri, who led 10-5 at half time and gave every single one of the home fans a real fright.<\/p>\n

This literally came down to the bounce of the ball in the 77th minute as Paolo Garbisi\u2019s chip over the Irish defence just evaded Tommaso Menoncello for what might have been an equalising converted try.<\/p>\n

The Italians showed that they\u2019re continuing to get better here and they deserve real respect, but Ireland showed that they continue to be a team who deliver the ultimate mixed bags of performances.<\/p>\n

There was some class in here from Farrell\u2019s men, particularly a slick team try topped off by Jamie Osborne in the first half, and an even better flowing multi-phase try that Robert Baloucoune finished brilliantly in the second.<\/p>\n

Stuart McCloskey continued to state his case as Ireland\u2019s best player with another influential performance as he provided the assist for both of those tries, while number eight Jack Conan bagged the other Irish try from close range.<\/p>\n

And they showed some grit to come from behind to win a game that could have got away.<\/p>\n

\"robert-baloucoune-celebrates-scoring-his-sides-third-try-of-the-match-with-jack-crowley\"
\n Jack Crowley made an inpact off the bench for Ireland. Ben Brady \/ INPHO<\/p>\n

Ben Brady \/ INPHO \/ INPHO\n<\/p>\n

But then there was the bad stuff from Ireland, like a scrum that disintegrated under massive pressure from the Italians, even after the experienced Tadhg Furlong was sent on at half time. It\u2019s rare to see the Wexford man lifted off the ground at scrum time.<\/p>\n

Farrell\u2019s men turned the ball over too often outside of those sweeping passages that yielded their tries, while they were fortunate with a few big let-offs in both halves. In the first, Lorenzo Pani couldn\u2019t find his captain, Michele Lamaro, with an offload. In the second, Menoncello\u2019s scoring pass to wing Louis Lynagh was ruled to be forward.<\/p>\n

Ireland weren\u2019t helped by what looked like a harsh yellow card for Craig Casey in the first half, but then they didn\u2019t take enough advantage of a first-half yellow for Italy\u2019s Lynagh, winning only 5-3 in that 10 minutes.<\/p>\n

Overall, this was not the convincing response Ireland wanted to last week\u2019s disappointment in Paris, but they have a Six Nations win on the board.<\/p>\n

Among the positives were McCloskey\u2019s latest showing, an impressive return for Lowe, Baloucoune\u2019s cracking finish on his Six Nations debut, some nice moments from Cormac Izuchukwu on his, and a Test debut for Edwin Edogbo in the final 10 minutes. Jack Crowley and Jamison Gibson-Park were among those to make a telling impact from the bench.<\/p>\n

But this was not the kind of performance that will put all of the concerns about Ireland\u2019s trajectory to bed. Next weekend\u2019s trip to Twickenham looks like a daunting task.<\/p>\n

\"jamie-osborne-celebrates-scoring-his-sides-first-try\"
\n Jamie Osborne celebates the opening try. \u00a9INPHO<\/p>\n

\u00a9INPHO\n<\/p>\n

Ireland were 10-5 down at the break after a troubling first half that had started with some promise as newly-introduced wing pair Baloucoune and Lowe won the first couple of aerial battles, while Joe McCarthy and James Ryan carried aggressively.<\/p>\n

Farrell\u2019s men initially lacked accuracy in the Italian 22, with Dan Sheehan pinged for jumping dangerously into the tackle after tapping a five-metre penalty, before Italy won a counter-ruck turnover close to their line after a good attack from Baloucoune and Lowe.<\/p>\n

The Italians were down to 14 men at that stage, right wing Louis Lynagh shown yellow for a deliberate knock-on, and Ireland finally made the numerical advantage count when they put together a sharp, snappy nine-phase sequence of attack that ended with McCloskey spinning and offloading to send Osborne over.<\/p>\n

But Prendergast had a bad miss off the tee with the conversion just to the left of the posts, then Ireland gave up three points before Lynagh returned from the sin bin. It was a tough penalty on Cormac Izuchukwu for contact in the air at a lineout but Paolo Garbisi made no mistake for 5-3.<\/p>\n

Restored to 15 men, Italy grew in belief and Ireland had a let-off after Lorenzo Pani countered superbly off a mishit Prendergast contestable kick, the Italy fullback chipping and regathering before nearly finding skipper Michele Lamaro with an offload out of Craig Casey\u2019s crucial scrambling tackle.<\/p>\n

\"giacomo-nicotera-scores-a-try\"
\n Giacomo Nicotera finished Italy’s first-half try. \u00a9INPHO<\/p>\n

\u00a9INPHO\n<\/p>\n

But the tide was against Ireland now and Casey found himself in the sin bin for a high tackle soon after. It seemed very harsh when the Irish scrum-half was so passive in the contact with Lorenzo Cannone. Even the off-field review, which confirmed yellow but suggested high force in the collision, was confusing.<\/p>\n

Italy didn\u2019t mess around with Ireland down to 14. The penalty went into the left corner, they constructed a superb maul, and hooker Giacomo Nicotera darted off it to score, Garbisi converting with composure from wide on the left.\u00a0<\/p>\n

The Italians were 10-5 to the good and with their scrum suddenly enjoying total dominance, crumbling the Irish pack with seconds of the half remaining, they had one last chance to extend the lead. Ireland needed a big turnover from McCloskey in a tackle on opposite number Leonardo Marin to nip it in the bud.<\/p>\n

Whatever was said at the interval had the desired effect because Ireland resumed with renewed energy and punch, with Tadhg Furlong sent on at tighthead.\u00a0<\/p>\n

They put together a purposeful attack, won a penalty, kicked to the left corner, and powered their way over from close range as number eight Jack Conan produced a potent finish. But again, Prendergast was wide with a kickable conversion.<\/p>\n

\"tempers-flare-between-both-sides\"
\n Tempers flare in Dublin. \u00a9INPHO<\/p>\n

\u00a9INPHO\n<\/p>\n

Back to 10-10, Ireland gave up more momentum at the scrum in the following minutes, Furlong unable to prevent another gigantic Italian shove.<\/p>\n

Down in their own 22, Farrell\u2019s men needed a smart lineout steal from Izuchukwu, an important try-denying tackle from Osborne and Baloucoune on Pani, then a breakdown turnover from captain Caelan Doris to survive the ensuing onslaught.<\/p>\n

There was then another big let-off for Ireland as powerful Italy centre Tommaso Menoncello scythed in between Conan and Garry Ringrose just inside the Irish half and appeared to send Lynagh over with a long pass to his right. Fortunately for Ireland, TMO Ian Tempest called it forward and referee Hollie Davidson agreed.\u00a0<\/p>\n

With 25 minutes left, Farrell sent on Crowley for Prendergast and Ireland instantly put together a brilliant multi-phase attack that ended with a superb Baloucoune finish.\u00a0<\/p>\n

Lowe, Ryan, and Izuchukwu featured prominently as Crowley steered the slick phase play calmly from 50 metres out, and once they were within striking range, McCloskey\u2019s clever overhead pass gave Baloucoune the space to show his speed as he swerved outside Pani and beyond Cannone. Out-half Crowley added the extras.<\/p>\n

Now it was Ireland setting the tone in an increasingly pulsating game, and they sensed the chance to begin opening up some breathing room, Lowe kicking ahead well at one stage and Crowley stroking three points through the posts for a 20-10 lead.<\/p>\n

\"a-view-of-a-scrum\"
\n Ireland’s scrum had some tough moments. Billy Stickland \/ INPHO<\/p>\n

Billy Stickland \/ INPHO \/ INPHO\n<\/p>\n

Yet the scrum remained under severe pressure, with the experienced Furlong \u2018getting his wings\u2019 as he was lifted off the ground in the 66th minute, with Italy opting to kick the three points through Garbisi for 20-13.<\/p>\n

Ireland botching their next lineout didn\u2019t help to ease the home nerves in the Aviva Stadium, but replacement scrum-half Jamison Gibson-Park soon rolled a settler of a kick into touch down in Italy\u2019s 22.<\/p>\n

Yet there was still time for plenty more drama as Garbisi\u2019s chip just bounced to the right of Menoncello in a big score for Ireland with a few minutes to go.<\/p>\n

Edogbo was penalised to give Italy another chance in the Irish 22, but their defence held firm with the clock in the red and Lowe came away with a vital intercept, racing down the other end and helping Ireland to win a penalty.<\/p>\n

That gave Ireland a chance to grab a try-scoring bonus point, but Crowley kicked the ball dead. And in truth, Farrell\u2019s men didn\u2019t deserve it.<\/p>\n

Ireland scorers:<\/p>\n

Tries: Jamie Osborne, Jack Conan, Robert Baloucoune<\/p>\n

Conversions: Jack Crowley [1 from 1], Sam Prendergast [0 from 2]<\/p>\n

Penalties: Jack Crowley [1 from 1]<\/p>\n

Italy scorers:<\/p>\n

Tries:\u00a0Giacomo Nicotera<\/p>\n

Conversions: Paolo Garbisi [1 from 1]<\/p>\n

Penalties: Paolo Garbisi [2 from 2]<\/p>\n

IRELAND:\u00a0Jamie Osborne; \u2060Robert Baloucoune, \u2060Garry Ringrose, \u2060Stuart McCloskey; \u2060James Lowe, \u2060Sam Prendergast (\u2060Jack Crowley \u201956), Craig Casey (yellow card \u201932) (Jamison Gibson-Park \u201952); Jeremy Loughman (Tom O\u2019Toole \u201967), \u2060Dan Sheehan (R\u00f3nan Kelleher \u201952), \u2060Thomas Clarkson (Tadhg Furlong \u2018HT); Joe McCarthy (Tadhg Beirne \u201952), \u2060James Ryan (Edwin Edogbo \u201970); \u2060Cormac Izuchukwu (\u2060Nick Timoney \u201959), Caelan Doris (captain), Jack Conan.<\/p>\n

ITALY: Lorenzo Pani; Louis Lynagh (yellow card \u201911), Tommaso Menoncello, Leonardo Marin (Paolo Odogwu \u201967), Monty Ioane; Paolo Garbisi, Alessandro Fusco (Alessandro Garbisi \u201963); Danilo Fischetti (Mirco Spagnolo \u201959), Giacomo Nicotera (Tommaso Di Bartolomeo \u201959), Simone Ferrari (Muhamed Hasa \u201959); Niccol\u00f2 Cannone (Riccardo Favretto \u201967), Andrea Zambonin (Federico Ruzza \u201960); Michele Lamaro (captain), Manuel Zuliani, Lorenzo Cannone (David Odiase \u201967).<\/p>\n

Referee: Hollie Davidson [SRU].<\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"Murray Kinsella Reports from the Aviva Stadium Ireland 20 Italy 13 GONE ARE THE days when Ireland could…\n","protected":false},"author":2,"featured_media":298047,"comment_status":"","ping_status":"","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"footnotes":""},"categories":[2],"tags":[61,60,102,43,1094,15551,130837],"class_list":{"0":"post-298046","1":"post","2":"type-post","3":"status-publish","4":"format-standard","5":"has-post-thumbnail","7":"category-ireland","8":"tag-ie","9":"tag-ireland","10":"tag-italy","11":"tag-news","12":"tag-report","13":"tag-six-nations","14":"tag-tense"},"_links":{"self":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/ie\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/298046","targetHints":{"allow":["GET"]}}],"collection":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/ie\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts"}],"about":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/ie\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/types\/post"}],"author":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/ie\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/users\/2"}],"replies":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/ie\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/comments?post=298046"}],"version-history":[{"count":0,"href":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/ie\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/298046\/revisions"}],"wp:featuredmedia":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/ie\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media\/298047"}],"wp:attachment":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/ie\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media?parent=298046"}],"wp:term":[{"taxonomy":"category","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/ie\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/categories?post=298046"},{"taxonomy":"post_tag","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/ie\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/tags?post=298046"}],"curies":[{"name":"wp","href":"https:\/\/api.w.org\/{rel}","templated":true}]}}