ROME (Reuters) – Hooker Dan Sheehan scored a hat-trick of tries as champions Ireland laboured to a 22-17 bonus-point victory over hosts Italy on Saturday to move top of the Six Nations table and retain a chance of winning the title.
Ireland have 19 points from five matches having completed their campaign with four victories, and must now hope Wales upset England in Cardiff and Scotland beat France in Paris later on Saturday to claim a third Six Nations crown in a row.
Fullback Hugo Keenan also crossed for a try as Ireland failed to finish numerous other entries into the Italy 22 in a scrappy display that was a last in international rugby for retiring loose-forward Peter O’Mahony and scrumhalf Conor Murray.
Italy played for half an hour with 14 players after yellow cards for Michele Lamaro and Giacomo Nicotera, and a 20-minute red for Ross Vintcent, but managed tries through winger Monty Ioane and scrumhalf Stephen Varney in a spirited end to their campaign.
(Reporting by Nick Said, editing by Ed Osmond)
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