Hooker Dan Sheehan scored two tries to assist steer Ireland to a 29-16 victory over England on Saturday for his or her fourth Five/Six Nations Grand Slam.
Ireland skipper Johnny Sexton grew to become the Six Nations all-time report factors scorer after touchdown a penalty, additionally occurring to convert Sheehan’s double and one other attempt by Robbie Henshaw.
It was a dream remaining Six Nations Test for the talismanic Irish fly-half.
Ireland went into the sport realizing a victory or draw can be sufficient to seal the title, however had been made to work by England, who had full-back Freddie Steward despatched off on the stroke of half-time.
England began brightly and put the primary factors on the board with Owen Farrell slotting over a penalty within the eighth minute, and a second three-pointer shortly after.
The Irish had been turning the strain on however had been let down by unforced errors with James Lowe throwing away possession with a unfastened blind move.
Sexton set his personal private landmark for Six Nations factors scoring and acquired the hosts on the board with a penalty from distance within the nineteenth minute.
His watchword being at all times for the group not himself the non-public landmark mattered lower than Sheehan’s attempt within the thirty third minute.
The Irish hooker, fantastically fed by Josh van der Flier, stormed by means of a gaping area within the English defence to contact down.
Sexton transformed for 10-6 to put Ireland’s noses in entrance for the primary time and rouse a beforehand subdued crowd.
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The Irish ended the half not solely up on factors but additionally a person to the great.
England fullback Steward was despatched off after extended debate when he turned sideways and linked with Hugo Keenan’s head, a collision that noticed the Irish participant changed by Jimmy O’Brien.
The English, aided by Irish dealing with errors, took the sport to the house facet, Farrell Farrell lowering the lead to only a level within the 51st minute together with his third penalty.
Ireland had been rattled, epitomised by a nervy clearance kick by Sexton — the captain holding his hand up to apologise to his team-mates after which waving his arms within the air to gee them up.
Tempers had been fraying with Ireland prop Andrew Porter having a go at Owen Farrell however following that Ryan Baird calmed them down with a superb turnover.
A couple of minutes later the Irish eased the strain significantly as Henshaw, who missed the Grand Slam-clinching match in 2018 due to damage, crashed over.
Sexton, whose chic crossfield kick led finally to the attempt, transformed for 17-9 with simply over quarter-hour remaining.
Ireland lastly put it to mattress as a superb offload by Jack Conan to Sheehan noticed the hooker go over within the nook, Sexton changing brilliantly from the touchline.
The English, nonetheless, didn’t bow their heads with Jamie George going over for a attempt Farrell transformed.
Seconds later Sexton limped off the pitch for a remaining time in a Six Nations match — shrugging off a medical employees member who needed to assist him — and receiving a standing ovation.
England misplaced one other man with the clock ticking down as Jack Willis was sin-binned for a harmful deal with.
Appropriately simply as Sheehan was being named man of the match his substitute as hooker, Rob Herring, went over — Ross Byrne’s conversion went broad.
However, that mattered not a jot because the seconds ticked down, the gang burst right into a rendition of ‘Fields of Athenry’, and the perfect Six Nations farewell for Sexton in his hometown.
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