Ireland win Six Nations Grand Slam by beating 14-man England
Ireland reignited the St Patrick's weekend celebrations by clinching Grand Slam success in Dublin for the first time with a battling 29-16 bonus-point victory over 14man England.
The world's top-ranked side were odds-on favourites to sweep aside their rivals but were made to work hard for the country's fourth championship clean sweep overall.
Dan Sheehan's two tries and further scores from Robbie Henshaw and Rob Herring ultimately elevated Andy Farrell'sc lass of 2023 alongside the heroes of 1948, 2009 and 2018 on a historic occasion at a rowdy Aviva Stadium.
England played half of the match a man light after Freddie Steward was sent off on the stroke of half-time following an arm to the head of Hugo
Keenan, and did their best to spoil the party.
Visiting skipper Owen Farrell, restored at fly-half, gave his father's side some cause for concern by kicking three penalties, while Jamie George added a late consolation score as Steve Borthwick's men showed a steely resolve following last weekend's recordbreaking humiliation at the hands of France.
Yet a bruising Test match belonged to the hosts, with Ireland skipper Johnny Sex ton moving clear of Ronan O'Gara as the competition' s all-time record points score r with a penalty and three conversions to take his overall tally to 566 on his Six Nations swansong before retirement later this year.
Defending champions France had snatched top spot in the standings earlier in the day courtesy of a 41-28 bonus point victory over Wales to pile the pressure on Ireland.
Scotland beat Italy 26-14 in the other game to finish third, and con sign their opponents to the wooden spoon.
England, meanwhile, crossed the Irish Sea wounded by last weekend's recordbreaking humiliation at the hands of the French, which emphatically extinguished their title hopes. They delivered on their vow to come out fighting.
A pair of early Owen Farrell penalties heightened a palpable nervous tension in the air, before Sex ton halved England' s lead with his milestone kick just before the midway point.
The hosts put a more meaningful dent on the scoreboard seven minutes before the break when a well-executed line-out move allowed Josh Van D er Flier to send Sheehan rampaging for the line to spark the crowd.
England lost Charlie Ewels to a red card inside 82 seconds of last year's 32-15T wickenham defeat to the Irish. And they were left facing a similarly uphill task 12 months on as they went into the break 10-6 and a man down after referee Jaco Pey per dismissed Steward for a robust challenge which forced off rival full-back Keenan.
Galvanised by the red card, the hosts reduced the deficit to a single point through another Farrell kick in the second period, with their penalty win snow being celebrated morethe highs takes sparking a couple of flashpoints.
Henshaw alleviated the mounting tension by crossing in the 62nd minute on his first start of this year's competition, before Sheehan claimed his second score shortly after.
George bulldozed over seven minutes from time as England continued to plug away for pride.
But Borthwick's men finished the match with just 13 men as flanker Jack Ellis was sin-binned late on, before replacement Ireland hooker Herring stretched for the line to complete the scoring.
A deafening roar greeted the full-time whistle. Let the Guinness flow...