THE Fields of Athenry echoed around the emptying Stadio Olimpico as Ireland players did a lap of honour ten minutes after the final whistle.
No one was singing it ten minutes earlier as the only sound from the 30,000 Irish fans was the sighs of relief.
Ireland closed out their Six Nations campaign with a bonus point victory over Italy.
That bare statement of fact would suggest it was as routine as most games against the Azzurri. But this win was anything but a routine win.
Italy earned a losing bonus point and were driving for a score in the final minutes that could have won them the game.
Indeed, the Azzurri know this was the one that got away; had they not had two yellows and a red card, or lost three of their pack to injury, they may well have won.
Of course those cards were self-inflicted and Ireland took full advantage as they scored four tries, with three coming from hooker Dan Sheehan.
But Ireland were far from clinical, with their error-strewn performance constantly giving Italy hope, and the fans palpitations.
The thousands travelled ready to bid farewell to Munster duo Peter O’Mahony and Conor Murray playing their final games before retirement.
The worry is that so many other players – 12 of the 23 involved were over 30 – were made look old by Italy.
It meant there was no one talking about how they were top of the Championship table at full-time. Everyone knew they had not done enough to stay there through the England and France games.
Really, it was just relief at avoiding a nightmare loss.
Head coach Simon Easterby looked at the positive side of it.
He said: “It was the five points we needed initially, a little bit disappointed that we didn’t play our best but Italy to their credit had a part to play in that.
“We didn’t make the most of some of the opportunities we had.”
BRIGHT START
Italy deservedly went in front with a brilliant move on 12 minutes that allowed Lyon winger Monty Ioane to score.
Tommaso Menoncello beat two Irish men to pass to Paolo Garbisi whose grubber kick was grounded by the flying Ioane.
And they could have had more as the Azzurri looked dangerous every time centre Menoncello got the ball in his hand.
Easterby said: “It was missed tackles mostly. It looked a little bit greasy out there, there were guys slipped a little bit.
“There is no doubt they had an ability. They concede too easily but they attack well.”
And that Italian defensive weakness was soon shown up by Ireland as they drew level on 24 minutes when Hugo Keenan scored off a quick pre-planned move off the back of a scrum.
It came after a period of Irish dominance as Finlay Bealham had a try correctly disallowed after six phases by the forwards, before another nine phases won a penalty.
And, after the forwards could not get it done, the backs finished with one move as Jack Crowley fed Keenan.
Ireland should then have got on top, particularly as Italy lost three of their pack to injury in the opening 30 minutes. Yet, still handling errors and indiscipline cost the visitors.
And then Italy were gifted a chance to go back in front when Garry Ringrose picked up a ball when clearly offside on the wrong side of a ruck.
Allen made no mistake with a mammoth 50 metre kick but it was soon Italian schoolboy errors letting Ireland back in the game. .
Michele Lamaro inexplicably stuck a hand in to stop Ireland getting quick ball out of a ruck and got one of the dumber yellow cards you will see this season.
Ireland kicked the penalty to touch, won the line-out and then ploughed over for the try through Dan Sheehan.
But the lead was just two points as Crowley made a mess of his conversion attempt right on the stroke of half time.
Still, it was all Ireland at the start of the second half with several chances before Sheehan got his second try off another set-piece.
But just as Italy were getting back to 15 men with Lamaro’s return, they were reduced to 14 when Ross Vintcent caught Hugo Keenan with his head, with his yellow then upgraded to red.
Keenan soon scored a fourth try but, after the conversion, it was disallowed by the TMO for a knock-on.
TRY AGAIN
Still, Ireland were not to be denied a fourth try for long as Sheehan – again – went over for his third of the afternoon.
Again, it was a pre-planned move. But this time, the hooker joined the backs for a clever move that was not dismissal of Jamie Osborne’s try in Cardiff.
This time, it was Jack Crowley kicking high to the corner where Mack Hansen rose and – basketball style – palmed the ball back inside where Sheehan arrived to run over the line.
But if Ireland thought that their work was done, Italy had other ideas and narrowed the gap to five points again on 63 minutes through Stephen Varney.
Keenan again had a try ruled out when he touched down after Lowe was – wrongly – adjusted to be out of bounds that set up a grandstand finish for Italy.
But Ireland held firm, with Italy sub Giancomo’s cheap shot on O’Mahony in a ruck that saw him yellow carded ended the home side’s hopes.
The full time whistle was greeted by jeers from the home fans, and soon the visitors were on a lap of honour.
It did not feel like it at the time, but captain Caelan Doris later stressed that there was a lot of good in this Six Nations now overshadowed by a bad loss to France and narrow win in Italy.
He said: “I think there has been a lot of good stuff. I think winning the Triple Crown in our first three games showed quite a lot of positive things.
“There are obviously lots of things we can learn and grow from over the last couple of weeks.
“I hope that it will be a springboard for us as a group to go on and continue to evolve and a bit of a realisation that there’s still a lot of work to be done and a lot in us.
“But overall four wins from five, lots of positives in there, definitely.”
