Powerful Ireland punish Italians to keep Grand Slam dream alive

Patrick Campbell of Ireland holds off the challenge of Nicolò Teneggi of Italy. Credit: Sportsfile

Fionn Gibbons of Ireland is tackled by Federico Cuminetti of Italy during the Guinness U20 Six Nations Rugby Championship match between Ireland and Italy at Musgrave Park in Cork. Photo by Brendan Moran/Sportsfile

Patrick Campbell of Ireland holds off the challenge of Nicolò Teneggi of Italy. Credit: Sportsfile

Fionn Gibbons of Ireland is tackled by Federico Cuminetti of Italy during the Guinness U20 Six Nations Rugby Championship match between Ireland and Italy at Musgrave Park in Cork. Photo by Brendan Moran/Sportsfile

Patrick Campbell of Ireland holds off the challenge of Nicolò Teneggi of Italy. Credit: Sportsfile

Michael Sadlier

February 25 2022 10:54 PM

A powerful second-half performance saw Ireland stay on course for a Grand Slam and Six Nations title after seeing off Italy at Musgrave Park to make it three wins from three in the championship.

After just leading by 13-7 at the break, Ireland finally got on top and crossed the Italian line a total of five times, four of those touchdowns coming in the second period.

However, Italy’s indiscipline meant that their challenge was undone by shipping three yellow cards during the contest.

Not long after Nicolo Teneggi missed a kickable 12th-minute penalty, Ireland opened the scoring when an attack from their own 22 saw Patrick Campbell burst up the middle before Mark Morrissey put Fionn Gibbons clear to hit the corner.

Before the conversion, Italy flanker David Odiase was yellow-carded for making contact with James McCormick’s face. David Tector landed the extra two points.

Tector then took it to 10-0 with a penalty which became 13-0 shortly after the Italians, who were being frequently penalised by Welsh referee Aled Evans, were back to full strength.

The visitors then had a 35th-minute penalty reversed after skipper Giancomo Ferrari became the second Italian binned for leading with the arm on James McNabney.

But for all Ireland’s dominance, the 14-man Italians finished the half with prop Luca Rizzoli dancing through and Teneggi’s conversion closed the home team’s lead to just six points.

Italy started the second half well but scrum-half Matthew Devine was the one who scored next, wriggling over on 56 minutes, Tector converting, though Italy were down again when hooker Lapo Frangini was shown yellow.

Replacement Lorcan McLoughlin scored Ireland’s third, though Tector missed the extras. James Culhane claimed the bonus point with just over 10 minutes left, replacement out-half Tony Butler converting.

Chay Mullins got try number five for Ireland, Butler again converting, though the Italians finished the scoring in Cork when Tommaso Scarmoncin got in off a driving maul – with Lorcan McLoughlin then being shown yellow for the home team.

Ireland U-20 – P Campbell; C Mullins, J Postlethwaite, B Brownlee (D O’Grady h-t), F Gibbons; C Tector (T Butler 68), M Devine (E Coughlan 59); J Boyle (O Michel 68), J McCormick (J Hanlon 67), R McGuire (D McSweeney 59); J C O’Tighearnaigh (A McNamee 70), M Morrissey, J McNabney (L McLoughlin 51), R Crothers, J Culhane.