As it happened: Six Nations Italy v Ireland minute-by-minute updates
HAT TRICK: Dan Sheehan of Ireland during the Guinness Six Nations Rugby Championship match between Italy and Ireland at the Stadio Olimpico in Rome, Italy. Photo by Ramsey Cardy/Sportsfile
Ireland Player Ratings v Italy: Jack Crowley makes decent fist of opportunity
Dan Sheehan's hat-trick sees nervy Ireland edge past Italy to keep Six Nations title hopes alive
A win is a win and Ireland did what they had to. Just. All eyes now on Wales vs England and France vs Scotland this evening with Ireland needing a miracle really to win the Six Nations title.
Stay tuned for our match report, reaction and analysis from our reporters in Rome. Thanks for joining us.
Should be an Italy red card. He gets a yellow but it's under review. Ireland will surely just kick it out to seal the win.
Quick offload almost gets Italy free down the left but it goes out of play. Relief for Ireland. Good work by Bundee Aki. TMO checking for an Ireland penalty.
James Lowe gets his hands on it.
Italy on the attack. Ireland need to be careful here. Home fans getting behind their team.
Controversial call. Lowe looks to keep his feet inside the line before offloading for an Ireland try. Either way it's not given. Italy line-out.
Good work down the left by James Lowe almost gets Ireland in for another try.
Conor Murray comes on to great applause. Sam Prendergast is also on in place of Jack Crowley.
Italy not done yet. Great kick to the corner decieves the Irish defence, although Hansen could have done better, and Stephen Varney applies the finish. Garbisi adds the conversion. Game on.
59mins Jack Crowley kicks well wide of the near post. Not a great kicking display by him this afternoon.
And it's a hat trick for Dan Sheehan. Clever kick to the corner by Gibson-Park, great bat down by Hansen allows Sheehan to touch down behind the line.
Bundee Aki comes on for Ireland, to another massive ovation.
Ross Vintcent sees his yellow card upgraded to a red.
But it is being checked by the TMO after Crowley fires over the extras.
Peter O'Mahony is about to come on. The crowd rises to their feet to applaud the Cork man.
Another yellow card for Italy but it looks like it will be upgraded to a red. Just as they were going to be restored to the full 15.
Jack Crowley misses his coversion. Again. To be fair this one was a much tougher kick and it was also much closer.
Now it's a try for Ireland and Dan Sheehan has his second. With one minute left on the yellow card as well.
Ireland think they have a try but the referee hasn't given it. TMO now having another look.
Great move involving Hansen gets Ireland deep into Italy territory. Italy suffer another injury.
Ireland scrum in their own half.
Ireland pressing to make their extra man advantage count.
Dan Sheehan powers over the line but Jack Crowley kicks the conversion well wide.
Yellow card for Italy and Ireland kick for the corner. Michele Lamaro will be in the sin bin for the next 10 mins.
Knock on Ireland but the TMO checking if it's actually an Italy knock on first.
Simon Easterby looks very frustrated watching on from the stands. It will be interesting to see what impact he can make at half time.
Great kick by Garbisi from distance just drops inside the far right post.
Penalty for Italy and they're going for the posts.
Quick break by Italy but Crowley collects their kick forward and touches down behind his own line.
Knock on Ireland.
Crowly's quick pass to Keenan allows him in for the easy try. Crowley adds the extras from close-range.
Ireland scrum.
Knock on but advantage Ireland as they are at the line.
Ireland on the attack again though.
TMO make the call to check it as Crowley was lining up the conversion.
Finlay Bealham looks to have crossed the line. TMO going to check it though.
Great kick by Jack Crowley right into the corner. Ireland driving.
Italy forced into an early change through injury.
Let off for Ireland as Italy drop the ball after a surging attack. A quicker offload and it could easily have been another try for the home side.
Italy scrum just inside their own half.
Italy add the extras through Garbisi.
Great try for Italy. Lovely offload by Tommaso Menoncello, lovely kick in behind by Garbisi and Monty Ioane touches down.
Gibson Park loses the ball, Italy kick it forward but Robbie Henshaw touches it down before his opponent.
Ireland line-out now close to the halfway line.
Italy penalty in their own half.
Good start by Ireland but James Lowe is forced out on the left as he looked to race clear.
Fields of Athenry rings around the stadium. Italy have a line-out.
Italy building the first attack of the afternoon. Great Irish crowd in attendance.
Sorry I haven't updated in a couple of minutes, I was enjoying the Italian national anthem. And Ireland's call as well, of course.
And the players are now out on the pitch. It's time for the anthems.
The players are in the tunnel.
Just minutes to go until kick-off. Final call to read our previews below.
'We haven't maxed our potential' - Skipper Doris insists much more to come. Click here to read more.
For the final time in green! 🫡#TeamOfUs pic.twitter.com/4wexfh1rzi
— Irish Rugby (@IrishRugby) March 15, 2025
Welcome to the Irish Examiner's live blog for Ireland's final Six Nations clash.
My name is Andrew Horgan and I will be talking you through the best of the action as Ireland take on Italy in Rome.
It's not quite the monumental day many had hoped it would be but who knows, the Irish could still land the silverware, somehow. Stranger things have happened.
First of all though they need to do the business against the improving Italians before they can even think about Scotland upsetting France, and Wales upsetting England, later this evening.
Anyway, we will talk you through the best of the action as it happens with kickoff coming at 2.15pm.
But in the meantime, here is some pre-match reading for you to enjoy.
Donal Lenihan believes Ireland must restore faith but that France will be worthy champions in his column.
Hugo Keenan is desperate to reward the travelling green army with a Roman show. Click here to read what he had to say.
