Robbie Henshaw’s second-half try proved the difference as Ireland claimed an impressive victory over England to remain unbeaten in this year’s RBS 6 Nations.
Fly-half Jonathan Sexton kicked 14 points for Ireland as they snapped a four-match losing streak against England and handed Stuart Lancaster the first defeat of his reign against the men in green.
George Ford kicked three penalties in Dublin and England pushed late on but by then the damage had been done.
Referee Craig Joubert regularly penalised the Red Rose at the breakdown and they also failed to cope with Ireland’s aerial assault meaning their hopes of a first Grand Slam since 2003 will have to wait for yet another year.
For Joe Schmidt’s Ireland, the defending RBS 6 Nations champions take a measure of revenge for their defeat at Twickenham last year and will head to Cardiff in the next round as the only team still in with a chance of winning the Grand Slam.
England had made slow starts in both their first two games of this year’s Championship and in Dublin they were sluggish once again, James Haskell infringing at a breakdown and allowing Sexton to settle Irish nerves with a second-minute penalty.
Ireland’s well-documented kicking game was immediately clear for all to see, Sexton targeting both Jack Nowell and Ford with his patented up and unders.
And the strong Irish start was soon rewarded as Ireland battered the English try line and forced another penalty that Sexton slotted again from bang in front and with eight minutes played they were already 6-0 in front.
Lancaster’s side needed points from their first foray into Irish territory to steady them and Ford duly provided it, slotting a drop goal with referee Joubert playing advantage already.
And it could soon have been parity after Jordi Murphy put his hands in a ruck on halfway but Ford’s long-range effort leaked narrowly wide.
England were growing into the contest but their gathering momentum was stalled by two Irish lineout steals deep in their own 22, Ford also turning down a kickable penalty in an attempt to turn the screw.
Sean O’Brien went off with a head injury with only a quarter of the game played but impressive Irish defensive pressure soon had Ireland back on the front foot.
Luther Burrell was caught in possession by Sexton and forced to concede a penalty that the fly-half duly slotted to open up a six-point lead at 9-3 with half an hour played.
Inaccuracy was costing England dearly in their own half and when Joseph knocked on and Anthony Watson scooped up the loose ball from an offside position Sexton could have stretched the lead but his penalty went wide and it was 9-3 at the break.
The second half started out in a similar pattern to the first with England struggling to retain possession and Ireland, roared on by the home crowd, pushing hard.
Only superb emergency defensive work from Alex Goode under his own posts saved the Red Rose the first time with Henshaw lurking but a fourth Sexton penalty when England went offside made it 12-3 to the hosts.
And it was only getting better for Ireland and with 51 minutes played they deservedly had the game’s first try, Joubert again playing advantage as Murray’s clever chip was claimed by Henshaw above Goode before the centre expertly stayed in play to ground the ball.
Sexton’s conversion from the right touchline was superbly dispatched and at 19-3 Ireland appeared to be home and hosed.
Sexton was then removed with what looked like leg injury to be replaced by Ian Madigan and a Ford penalty after the England scrum got the nudge on made it 19-6.
Victory appeared out of reach for England but they were still taking the points when they were on offer as Ford slotted a third penalty of the day on 68 minutes to close to a ten-point deficit.
England had finally found their feet in the closing stages and the impressive Billy Vunipola was denied a score for an accidental offside from replacement Billy Twelvetrees.
Nowell thought he had scored England’s deserved try right at the death but Twelvetrees’ final pass was ruled forward and Ireland could celebrate a tenth win in a row, a record they have only achieved once before in their history.
