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Ireland's Triple Crowns


By Gary Watton
February 14 2014

As the men in green prepare for a potentially historic mission to Twickers on February the 22nd, let us take a trip back in time to the ten occasions when the Oirish recorded a triple crown in European rugby's premier tournament.  

1894 [Ireland won their first-ever Home Nations Championship with this clean sweep.]

England 5 IRELAND 7; 3rd February; at Blackheath

Ulster's John Lytle from the North of Ireland Football Club scored a try, but the decisive contribution was a drop goal from Forrest of the Wanderers club.

IRELAND 5 Scotland 0; 24th February; at Lansdowne Road

John Lytle this time converted a try, from Wells of Bective Rangers for the only scores of the match. Bective Rangers had four players on duty for Ireland.

IRELAND 3 Wales 0; 10th/19th March; at Ulster Cricket Ground

John Lytle's penalty separated the two teams. Lytle was one of five players representing the North of Ireland Football Club.

 

1899

IRELAND 6 England 0; 4th February; at Lansdowne Road

Allen from the Derry club scored the match's only try. The hosts were also assisted by a penalty from the captain, Louis Magee.

Scotland 3 IRELAND 9; 18th February; at Inverleith

Campbell and Reid recorded two tries while Jim Sealy of Dublin University kicked a penalty. This was Ireland's first-ever win in Scotland.

Wales 0 IRELAND 3; 18th March; at Cardiff Arms Park

Gerry Doran from the Lansdowne club scored the decisive try in front of a record crowd of over forty thousand for a Home Nations rugby match. 

 

1948 [Ireland achieved a grand slam too!]

England 10 IRELAND 11; 14th February; at Twickenham

Jackie Kyle, Bill McKay, and William McKee each obtained a try in this nail-biter. Both teams had been deadlocked at five points each at the interval.

IRELAND 6 Scotland 0; 28th February; at Lansdowne Road

Jackie Kyle and Barney Mullan recorded the match-winning tries. This was a happy debut for Michael O'Flanagan.

IRELAND 6 Wales 3; 13th March; at Ravenhill

John Daly and Barney Mullan were the try-scoring heroes in this tense encounter which had been 3-3 at the halfway stage.

 

1949

IRELAND 14 England 5; 12th February; at Lansdowne Road

William McKee and Bertie O'Hanlon helped themselves to tries while full back George Norton kicked eight points.

Scotland 3 IRELAND 13; 26th February; at Murrayfield

George Norton kicked seven more points, including a conversion of each of Jim McCarthy's two tries which were scored in each half.

Wales 0 IRELAND 5; 12th March; at Swansea

George Norton converted another Jim McCarthy try, as Leslie Griffin and Noel Henderson each tasted a win in their second cap as they had done in their first.

 

1982

IRELAND 20 Wales 12; 23rd January; at Lansdowne Road

Ollie Campbell inspired this win, resulting in a brace of tries for Munster winger, Moss Finn and one for the other winger, the debutant Trevor Ringland.

England 15 IRELAND 16; 6th February; at Twickenham

Leinster's Hugo MacNeill dived over in the corner in the first half and Munster's Ginger McLoughlin was shoved over for another in the second half.

IRELAND 21 Scotland 12; 20th February; at Lansdowne Road

Leinster's Ollie Campbell kicked six penalties and a drop goal to end the 33-year triple crown drought.

 

1985

Scotland 15 IRELAND 18; 2nd February; at Murrayfield

Trevor Ringland obtained a try in each half, the second of which came in the dying seconds after a drive by Spillane and a great movement from the backs.

Wales 9 IRELAND 21; 16th March; at Cardiff Arms Park

The Ulster wingers, Ringland and Crossan recorded tries either side of half time in this famous rout.

IRELAND 13 England 10; 30th March; at Lansdowne Road 

Brendan Mullin touched down early in the match, but it took a late drop goal from Michael Kiernan to win this contest after Lenihan had set up good ruck ball.

 

2004

IRELAND 36 Wales 15; 22nd February; at Lansdowne Road

Leinster's Shane Byrne and Brian O'Driscoll shared four tries, while Munster's Anthony Foley and Ronan O'Gara also collected a try each.

England 13 IRELAND 19; 6th March; at Twickenham

The world champions were humbled, courtesy of a Girvan Dempsey try early in the second half. O'Gara converted it and he also kicked four penalties too.

IRELAND 37 Scotland 16; 27th March; at Lansdowne Road

Gordon D'Arcy recorded a pair of tries, while Geordan Murphy, David Wallace, and Peter Stringer also helped themselves to a try in this historic triumph.

 

2006

IRELAND 31 Wales 5; 26th February; at Lansdowne Road

Wales took an early lead but then David Wallace and Shane Horgan scored tries either side of half time. Peter Stringer added a third one in the last minute.

IRELAND 15 Scotland 9; 11th March; at Lansdowne Road

Munster's Ronan O'Gara added a second half penalty to the four that he converted in the first half. Ireland had only led 12-9 at the interval.

England 24 IRELAND 28; 18th March; at Twickenham

Big Shane Horgan scored an early try and then squeezed over in the corner for a late try which sealed a dramatic win. Denis Leamy also recorded a try.

 

2007

Wales 9 IRELAND 19; 4th February; at the Millennium Stadium

Wales managed three penalties and Ireland none, but Ireland crucially recorded three tries: from Rory Best, Brian O'Driscoll, and Ronan O'Gara.

IRELAND 43 England 13; 24th February; at Croke Park 

Girvan Dempsey and David Wallace both scored tries shortly before half time, and then after the interval, Shane Horgan and Isaac Boss added two more.

Scotland 18 IRELAND 19; 10th March; at Murrayfield

Ronan O'Gara kicked two penalties in each half and converted his own first-half try and then ended his one-man show concussed at the final whistle!

 

2009 [Ireland achieved a grand slam too!]

IRELAND 14 England 13; 28th February; at Croke Park

Brian O'Driscoll recorded a second half drop goal and then squeezed over for a try. England scored a late converted try, but it was merely a consolation.

Scotland 15 IRELAND 22; 14th March; at Murrayfield

Jamie Heaslip's converted second-half try was the difference between the two teams. Ronan O'Gara also kicked four penalties and a drop goal.

Wales 15 IRELAND 17; 21st March; at the Millennium Stadium

Brian O'Driscoll repeated his try from the England match and then Tommy Bowe sprinted through for a second at the start of a frenetic second half. 

 

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Ireland's Triple Crowns
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