[Source: BBC]
Ireland began their three-match World Cup warm-up programme with a solid 33-17 victory over Italy in Dublin.
After a slow start, Andy Farrell’s men impressed in the first half and led 21-3 at the break through tries from Dave Kilcoyne, man-of-the-match Caelan Doris and Stuart McCloskey.
The hosts’ tempo dropped in the second half but they stayed ahead through a Cian Healy try and another from Doris.
Italy’s second-half tries came from Lorenzo Pani and Tommaso Menoncello.
There was one injury worry for Ireland and Farrell, with number eight Jack Conan going off with a foot injury after 35 minutes and being seen with a protective boot on his foot after the match, with Farrell saying afterwards that it would need to be assessed.
With Ireland head coach Farrell examining his 42-man squad before he reduces it to 33 for September’s tournament, Ulster hooker Tom Stewart made his debut from the bench along with Leinster’s Ciaran Frawley and Munster’s Calvin Nash.
Ulster captain Iain Henderson wore the Ireland armband for the second time in his career and produced a strong performance before going off in the 56th minute.
His club team-mate Jacob Stockdale won his first cap for two years and looked good in flashes in the first half, particularly when making a great aerial take that almost helped create a try, but will perhaps feel he should have released wide to Stewart late on when he chose to go for the try himself and was tackled.
Doris put in a man-of-the-match performance in the number seven jersey, Joe McCarthy impressed in the second row and Jack Crowley did nothing to dent his chances of deputising at fly-half if Jonny Sexton is unavailable at any stage.
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