Kelleher Equals Try Record As New-Look Ireland Shine

Player-of-the-match Ronan Kelleher raided over for a record-equalling four tries as Ireland closed out the Vodafone Summer Series with a comprehensive 71-10 win over the USA at the Aviva Stadium.

Match Photo Gallery: Ireland 71 USA 10

The 6,000 spectators present were treated to a richly enjoyable 10-try performance from Andy Farrell’s men, with eight debutants on show in this season finale.

Debut scores from Robert Baloucoune and Nick Timoney, coupled with a brace from Kelleher, had Ireland leading 31-3 at half-time.

The Leinster hooker went on to became only the fourth Irish player to score four tries in a Test – matching the feats of Brian Robinson (1991), Keith Wood (1999) and Denis Hickie (2003) – in a one-sided second half.

The USA had flanker Riekert Hattingh sent-off in the 53rd minute, after which Kelleher completed his handsome haul and there were further tries from Stuart McCloskey, Hugo Keenan, Gavin Coombes and replacement Finlay Bealham.

US replacement Michael Baska crossed late on, but the night belonged to Ireland and their exciting young crop of new caps – Baloucoune, Timoney, Tom O’Toole, who put in a big shift at tighthead, James Hume, Fineen Wycherley, Paul Boyle, Caolin Blade and Harry Byrne, who landed three conversions.

The USA turned down three kickable penalties in the opening minutes, only for the impressive Caelan Doris to steal a lineout and then Ireland’s maul defence stood up to the task on two occasions.

Sandwiched in between was an Andrew Conway break, set up by a slick Joey Carbery offload, and the latter, who finished with 13 points, gave Ireland the lead with a seventh-minute penalty.

As good as a Doris turnover penalty was, Ireland had lineout issues to iron out. Nonetheless, with the aid of a Mika Kruse error, they turned the resulting possession into a grass-scorching 16th-minute try.

Baloucoune was the beneficiary of a neat wraparound move between Carbery and McCloskey – with Hume running as a decoy – and he glided through from halfway, weaving at full tilt out to the right where he cruised away from two defenders to score.

Carbery’s sweetly-struck conversion was quickly cancelled out by a Luke Carty penalty, but the home fans were on the feet again after Kelleher piled over from a well-executed lineout drive in the 23rd minute. Carbery took the lead out to 17-3.

Ireland were finding joy down the left hand side, Conway increasing his threat and Keenan’s clever kick forced Mike Te’o to concede a lineout.

Playing the captain’s role to a tee, James Ryan was central to Timoney getting hauled over the line for try number three, which Carbery converted.

The hosts soon made it three tries in six minutes, again Conway making the initial incision by regathering his own deftly-dribbled kick. Keenan flew up in support and drew in the final defender to send Kelleher over untouched beside the posts.

Carbery continued his unerring form with the boot, making it 31-3, and another swashbuckling surge – full of sharp offloading and smart running – had Doris honing in on the try-line before Hattingh and Te’o dislodged the ball with a terrific double hit.

O’Toole showed his handling skills in the build-up, and the young Ulster prop popped up in support once more as Ireland pressed just before the interval.

The Eagles avoided a further concession, although a Timoney turnover and a sidestepping break by Hume were ominous signs heading into the second period.

There was no let-up from Ireland on the restart, Doris charging down a Ruben de Haas kick but the American scrum half redeemed himself with a try-saving tackle.

Nonetheless, Ireland’s well-oiled maul profited from a high challenge by Joe Taufete’e, whose opposite number Kelleher splintered off the drive to power over and Carbery converted – 38-3.

Addison, who came on out wide for Conway (HIA), marked his first international appearance in two years with some bright attacking involvements.

In addition, the counter-rucking of Coombes, who caught the eye at number 8, and Kelleher ensured Ireland kept the Eagles pinned back in their own 22.

Kelleher was the victim of a high tackle a few minutes later, with Hattingh making ‘direct contact to the head’ with his shoulder.

His dismissal was immediately felt by the US as a well-timed spin off a maul gave Kelleher his fourth try, converted by newly-introduced out-half Byrne.

The Ulster connection was stamped all over Ireland’s next score, Hume’s quick feet seeing him skip past a challenge and offload for Addison whose delivery out wide was juggled by Baloucoune before he freed up McCloskey to storm over in the right corner.

That took Farrell’s side up to 50 points – Byrne hit the left hand post with the conversion – and McCloskey turned provider on the hour mark, using a Coombes-won turnover to kick long and Keenan hared onto it to notch his fifth international try.

Byrne made it a seven-pointer and as the 14-man Eagles battled to find a response, Addison gobbled up an overthrown lineout and Baloucoune exploited some more space out wide, gunning for his second score.

A long TMO deliberation ended up going against Coombes, with referee Mathieu Raynal sticking up his original decision that he was held up, but the west Cork youngster soon opened his international account following some crafty handling by Hume and Byrne off a scrum.

Byrne was bang on target with the tricky conversion. Blade, his half-back partner, ensured Ireland maintained a high tempo right to the end, although Baska flopped over from a ruck to give the US some late consolation.

Ireland were able to get into double figures on the try count, though, as the busy Blade, Doris and Addison were prominent in the build-up to Bealham’s effort.

Making it two tries in the space of a week, the Connacht prop reached over with a low drive from a ruck, supported by Wycherley. Addison crisply converted from five metres in from the touchline.