Ireland v Scotland Six Nations result: Battling Ireland bounce back to win title and crush Scottish dreams

Eire turned back-to-back Six Nations champions by crushing Scotland’s quest for a primary triple crown in 34 years with a scrappy 17-13 win.

Andy Farrell’s hosts have been effectively under their free-flowing greatest in Dublin however averted any main “Tremendous Saturday” drama to retain the championship title.

Andrew Porter’s second-half strive fatally broke the resistance of the cussed Scots to ignite the St Patrick’s weekend celebrations and fulfill an expectant capability crowd on the Aviva Stadium.

Hooker Dan Sheehan set Eire on target for glory – and a tenth successive win over Scotland – with an opportunistic first-half rating, whereas Jack Crowley kicked seven factors.

A pair of first-half Finn Russell penalties meant Gregor Townsend’s males trailed simply 7-6 on the break and he added a late conversion following Huw Jones’s comfort strive.

But the Scots have been powerless to forestall Eire bouncing again from the frustration of their dream of successive grand slams being agonisingly ended by England final weekend.

Underdogs Scotland crossed the Irish Sea with a slender probability of snatching the title however realistically looking for to safe a primary triple crown since 1990 following a chastening round-four loss to Italy.

Their mission to tear up the script started in constructive style due to an early Russell penalty earlier than Sheehan was gifted his fifth strive of the event by George Turner’s overthrown lineout.

The lucky Thirteenth-minute rating, transformed by Crowley, did little to settle Irish nerves and the fired-up Scots saved up the strain with one other three factors from Russell’s boot.

Farrell’s males have been struggling to realize significant territory throughout a cagey opening interval punctuated with errors and frequent kicking exchanges amid a subdued environment.

Crowley squandered a long-range penalty to stretch the slender benefit as resolute Scotland remained comparatively untroubled, whereas providing a menace on the counterattack.

Eire, who had been pressured to interchange injured full again Hugo Keenan with Jordan Larmour simply earlier than kick-off, trudged down the tunnel main by solely a single level and with main room for enchancment.

Scotland head coach Townsend acknowledged pre-match that his facet wanted to supply “one thing particular” to spoil the Irish occasion and bounce again from a dismal show in Rome.

Crowley made their uphill job barely more durable with a simple penalty earlier than the guests acquired a significant reprieve when Tadhg Furlong’s obvious contact down was chalked off following a prolonged evaluate as referee Matthew Carley deemed the ball had been dislodged.

Heroic last-ditch defending was the one factor stopping a rampant dwelling facet displaying renewed goal from absolutely taking management of the competition.

Scotland flanker Andy Christie beautifully halted the weaving Calvin Nash with the strive line in touching distance earlier than rusty Eire substitute Garry Ringrose inexplicably fumbled.

Ringrose, making his first look of the event following a shoulder damage, atoned with a lung-busting intercept run which led to Eire’s essential second strive.

Robbie Henshaw was adjudged to have been held up on the road within the instant aftermath earlier than Porter subsequently powered over from a tap-and-go penalty following a yellow card for Ewan Ashman.

Supporters responded with a rousing rendition of the Fields of Athenry, absolutely believing the job was completed.

Nevertheless, dwelling followers have been pressured to endure a nervy closing couple of minutes after substitute fly-half Harry Byrne was sin binned for a head-on-head problem on Russell and Scotland centre Jones broke clear to the touch down.

Eire duly averted any additional points to jubilantly have fun a fifth championship title in 11 years – and sixth total – to underline their standing because the northern hemisphere’s main nation.