Ireland 106
Portugal 7
Waterford’s Tom Ahern played a key role as Ireland recorded their biggest ever test victory in Lisbon this evening – scoring a century for the first time.
The Ardmore man played the full game in the second row as it finished Ireland 106-7 Portugal.
Ireland ran in a whopping 16 tries on the day, their biggest haul ever – surpassing their previous best of 13 an 83-3 win against USA in June 2000.
Ireland lead 54-0 at the break, and consolidated their dominance in the second period to run in another 8 tries.
Hugh Gavin, Tommy O’Brien, Shayne Bolton and Cian Prendergast scored two tries apiece, while Stuart McCloskey, Thomas Clarkson, Craig Casey, Calvin Nash, Ciaran Frawley Alex Kendellen and Ben Murphy also crossed over alongside a late penalty try.
Jack Crowley also kicked 12 conversions – one of many new Irish records set on the evening.
Ahern played a key role in two tries, winning a crucial turnover before Bolton crossed for his second, before winning a maul and offloading to Kendellen to touch down.
The Ardmore man will hope to have played his way into plans for Ireland’s next test match, a historic clash against the All Blacks – New Zealand – at Soldier Field, Chicago on November 1st.
