Ireland power past Scots

Ireland gained revenge for last year's Six Nations defeat to Scotland with a convincing 28-6 win in Dublin.

Jonathan Sexton kicked two penalties to give the hosts a 6-3 lead after 23 minutes, and they finished the first half strongly.

Two minutes before the interval, Sexton broke through the defence before sending out a pass to the official Man of the Match Jamie Heaslip, who thought he was over in the left corner. However, TV replays showed that the No 8's feet were in touch just before he grounded the ball.

Then, in the last play of the half, numbers on the right saw Rob Kearney find Andrew Trimble, who had an easy run-in. Sexton missed the conversion.

Greig Laidlaw kicked his second penalty early in the second half, but Ireland responded with their second try when Heaslip went over from a driving maul that raced over the line. Sexton kicked the conversion and added a penalty to make it 21-6 after 56 minutes.

Rob Kearney went over for a try in his 50th Test with 10 minutes to go. His brother Dave, on the left wing, almost grabbed another in the last move of the game, when he regathered a chip kick over the line and touched down for what would have been a spectacular try. But the TMO ruled that he was in touch before grounding the ball in the in-goal area.

Ireland – Tries: Andrew Trimble, Jamie Heaslip, Rob Kearney. Conversions: Jonathan Sexton (2). Penalties: Sexton (3).
Scotland – Penalties: Greig Laidlaw (2).

Ireland – 15 Rob Kearney, 14 Andrew Trimble, 13 Brian O'Driscoll, 12 Luke Marshall, 11 Dave Kearney, 10 Jonathan Sexton, 9 Conor Murray, 8 Jamie Heaslip, 7 Chris Henry, 6 Peter O'Mahony, 5 Paul O'Connell (c), 4 Devin Toner, 3 Mike Ross, 2 Rory Best, 1 Cian Healy.
Subs: 16 Sean Cronin, 17 Jack McGrath, 18 Martin Moore, 19 Dan Tuohy, 20 Tommy O'Donnell, 21 Isaac Boss, 22 Paddy Jackson, 23 Fergus McFadden.

Scotland – 15 Stuart Hogg, 14 Sean Maitland, 13 Alex Dunbar, 12 Duncan Taylor, 11 Sean Lamont, 10 Duncan Weir, 9 Greig Laidlaw, 8 Dave Denton, 7 Kelly Brown (c), 6 Ryan Wilson, 5 Jim Hamilton, 4 Tim Swinson, 3 Moray Low, 2 Ross Ford, 1 Ryan Grant.
Subs: 16 Pat MacArthur, 17 Al Dickinson, 18 Geoff Cross, 19 Richie Gray, 20 Johnnie Beattie, 21 Chris Cusiter, 22 Matt Scott, 23 Max Evans.

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Photo: Ian Walton/Getty Images

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