Hooker Dan Sheehan scored two tries to assist steer Eire to a 29-16 victory over England on Saturday for his or her fourth 5/Six Nations Grand Slam.
Eire skipper Johnny Sexton grew to become the Six Nations all-time report factors scorer after touchdown a penalty, additionally happening to transform Sheehan’s double and one other attempt by Robbie Henshaw.
It was a dream closing Six Nations Take a look at for the talismanic Irish fly-half.
Eire went into the sport realizing a victory or draw can be sufficient to seal the title, however have 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 have been turning the strain on however have been let down by unforced errors with James Lowe throwing away possession with a unfastened blind cross.
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 all the time for the workforce not himself the non-public landmark mattered lower than Sheehan’s attempt within the thirty third minute.
The Irish hooker, superbly fed by Josh van der Flier, stormed by means of a gaping house within the English defence to the touch down.
Sexton transformed for 10-6 to place Eire’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 related 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 aspect, Farrell Farrell decreasing the result in only a level within the 51st minute along with his third penalty.
Eire have been rattled, epitomised by a nervy clearance kick by Sexton — the captain holding his hand as much as apologise to his team-mates after which waving his arms within the air to gee them up.
Tempers have been fraying with Eire prop Andrew Porter having a go at Owen Farrell however following that Ryan Baird calmed them down with an excellent turnover.
A couple of minutes later the Irish eased the strain significantly as Henshaw, who missed the Grand Slam-clinching match in 2018 attributable to damage, crashed over.
Sexton, whose chic crossfield kick led ultimately to the attempt, transformed for 17-9 with simply over quarter-hour remaining.
Eire lastly put it to mattress as an excellent offload by Jack Conan to Sheehan noticed the hooker go over within the nook, Sexton changing brilliantly from the touchline.
The English, nevertheless, didn’t bow their heads with Jamie George going over for a attempt Farrell transformed.
Seconds later Sexton limped off the pitch for a closing time in a Six Nations match — shrugging off a medical workers member who wished 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 extensive.
Nevertheless, that mattered not a jot because the seconds ticked down, the group burst right into a rendition of ‘Fields of Athenry’, and the right Six Nations farewell for Sexton in his hometown.
