Ireland beat Wales to make it three wins in three

2 years ago 42

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Ireland: (17) 31
Tries: Sheehan, Lowe, Frawley, Beirne Cons: Crowley 4 Pen: Crowley
Wales: (0) 7
Try: Penalty try

Ireland moved closer to completing back-to-back Six Nations Grand Slams with an unconvincing bonus-point win over a spirited Wales side in Dublin.

Dan Sheehan's opening try and a James Lowe score had the hosts 17-0 up after a dominant first-half display.

Welsh hopes of a shock win were boosted when they were awarded a penalty try early in the second half as Ireland's Tadhg Beirne was sin-binned.

But Ciaran Frawley eased home nerves before Beirne bagged the bonus point.

The win means Ireland have equalled England's Six Nations record of 11 consecutive victories and remain on course to become the first team since France in 1998 to secure back-to-back Grand Slams.

For Wales, it is a third successive defeat but they were not blown away as some had predicted, and can take positives from a spirited second-half showing in which they caused their hosts problems, but lacked the cutting edge to really eat into the deficit.

More to follow.

Line-ups

Ireland: Frawley; Nash, Henshaw, Aki, Lowe; Crowley, Gibson-Park; Porter, Sheehan, Furlong; McCarthy, Beirne; O'Mahony (capt), Van der Flier, Doris.

Replacements: Kelleher, Healy, Jager, Ryan, Baird, Conan, Murray, McCloskey.

Sin-bin: Beirne (43), Ryan (76)

Wales: Winnett; Adams, North, Tompkins, Dyer; Costelow, Tomos Williams; G Thomas, Dee, Assiratti, Jenkins (capt), Beard, Mann, Reffell, Wainwright.

Replacements: Elias, Domachowski, D Lewis, Rowlands, M Martin, Hardy, I Lloyd, Grady.