Italy deny Ireland long-awaited Six Nations win

Ireland prop Linda Djougan is tackled by an Italian defender in Sunday's Six Nations match in Dublin

Italy withstood a late fightback from Ireland to earn a merited 27-21 Six Nations win in Dublin on Sunday.

Ireland rallied with a Neve Jones try before Aura Muzzo sealed the bonus point with a fourth Italian try.

A breakaway Katie Corrigan try gave Ireland late hope of a first Six Nations win in almost two years, but Italy held on for victory.

• Ireland v Italy as it happened

Ireland's last Six Nations win came against Scotland in April 2022 and they had targeted this game as their best opportunity to get a much-needed win in the tournament.

Despite losing in France last week, it was a much-improved Ireland performance and hopes were high another good display could lead to a long-awaited win.

And things looked good early on when they were awarded a penalty try after seven minutes.

Fullback Minuzzi went into the sin-bin for a cynical knock-on of Eve Higgins' attempted pass to Beibhinn Parsons and after checking with the TMO, referee Holly Davidson awarded the seven points for a penalty try under the posts.

Ireland Sevens' star Beibhinn Parsons has returned to the 15s game for the 2024 Six Nations campaign

Ireland had a lot of territory and possession in the opening quarter but handling errors cost them. They made five to Italy's one, and a few knock-ons undid a lot of their good work with the ball in hand.

They were made to regret their failure to turn early dominance into points when Vittoria Vecchini scored the first of her two tries after 25 minutes after a rolling maul.

Ireland still led 7-5, but a frustrating passage of play gifted Italy easy territory via a knock-on and a penalty.

In only their second foray inside the Ireland '22' lock Valeria Fedrighi dotted down under the posts from close range after a powerful run and impressive leg drive from Sara Tounesi.

Rigoni added the conversion and followed it up with a penalty five minutes before half-time to put Italy 15-7 ahead.

Lauren Delany was stretchered off with a neck injury before the break of a first half that was slow and laboured at times and littered with stoppages.

The game was still there for Ireland if they could regroup and tidy up the individual mistakes in the second half.

They were on the front foot early as an errant kick from Ilaria Arrighetti fell straight to Katie Corrigan, but she was forced into touch just shy of the line.

The third quarter was scrappy from both teams with no real sightings of a score until Vecchini's second try after 57 minutes.

Aoife Wafer celebrates an Ireland try

An outstanding break by D'Inca lit up an otherwise dull third quarter and the play ended with Vecchini rumbling over. Rigoni's conversion made it 22-7 in favour of the visitors.

Ireland looked in serious trouble but they fought back well in the fourth quarter, first with Neve Jones' try in the 62nd minute.

A perfectly executed lineout maul was finished by Jones dotting down, after great work by the forwards. Dannah O'Brien added the extras to reduce the deficit to 22-14.

However, Italy wrapped up the bonus point 12 minutes from the end.

Winger Muzzo, who minutes earlier had a try disallowed for a forward pass, gathered a low ball brilliantly after a great pass out wide by Rigoni to make no mistake at the second time of asking.

Leading 27-14, Italy must have felt the game was won but a breakaway try from 18-year-old winger Corrigan after 78 minutes gave Ireland late hope.

When they kicked a penalty to the corner and captain Sam Monaghan won the lineout, they found themselves camped on the Italian line as the clock ticked into the red, but Italy held on for a deserved win.

Ireland: Delany; Corrigan; Higgins, Breen; Parsons; O'Brien, Reilly; Djougang, Jones, Haney; Wall, Monaghan; Moore, Wafer, Hogan.

Replacements: Delaney, O'Dowd, McGrath, Tuite, Corri, Scuffil-McCabe, Fowley, Dalton.

Italy: Ostuni Minuzzi; Muzzo, Rigoni, Stevanin, D'Inca; Madia, Stefan, Turani, Vecchini, Seye, Fedrighi, Duca, Tounesi, Sgorbini, Arrighetti.

Replacements: Gurioli, Maris, Gai, Locatelli, Veronese, Frangipani, Granzotto, Capomaggi.