Italy Under-20s gave Ireland an almighty scare as their 14 men eventually went down 38-34 in the Under-20s Six Nations in Donnybrook.
The Azzurrini lost Jacopo Bianchi to a red card after just nine minutes, but still ran in five tries and took two losing bonus points from the game.
James McCarthy crossed twice for the Irish in the first half, as the home team ran in four tries to lead 31-12.
However, they had to withstand an almighty comeback before eventually prevailing by four points.
The visitors had made the perfect start with an intercept try from Tommaso Coppo after just two minutes, picking the ball off in midfield.
However that lead was short-lived, with Ireland coming back down the other end and James McCarthy finishing in the left corner after good work from fellow winger Peter Sullivan to make the initial break.
At 5-5, the game was evenly poised, but on nine minutes Italy were dealt a hammer blow when flanker Jacopo Bianchi was sent off for a dangerous tackle on Jack Dunne, leaving the visitors to play with 14 men for the rest of the game.
Ireland took full advantage of the extra man, scoring two tries in the space of three minutes through scrum-half Hugh O’Sullivan and then lock Cormac Daly, both sniping from close range but in very different styles – O’Sullivan stepped the last defender, while Daly simply used his reach to stretch over.
Harry Byrne converted both to make it 19-5 and after an Antonio Rizzi penalty, he was on target again when McCarthy grabbed his second, chipping over the top and leaping acrobatically when it landed awkwardly for the covering defence.
By this point Ireland had the bonus point in the bag, and they ran in a fifth try through Sullivan on the right.
Italy had the final say of the half, with Niccolo Cannone going over from close range and Rizzi’s conversion cutting the deficit to 31-15 at the break.
Ireland flew out of the blocks in the second half, with Jack Aungier powering his way over and Byrne converting.
But Italy responded through centre Damiano Mazza after the pack had been stopped on the line.
He was quickly followed by Rizzi, with the fly-half converting the second to make it 38-27, finishing off a brilliant score as centres Michelangelo Biondelli and Mazza combined wonderfully in the build-up.
Tommy O’Brien was denied what would have surely been the decisive score for Ireland when Michael Silvester put a foot in touch in the build-up.
And in the closing stages it was replacement Edoardo Iachizzi who forced his way over, with Rizzi again slotting the snap conversion.
But after getting the ball back, they could not go the length of the field to complete the most unlikely of comebacks, having to settle for the two points.
