Kevin McLaughlin began strongly on his first international appearance and it was Ronan O'Gara who kicked Ireland into a 10th minute 3-0 lead when Italy were adjudged to have collapsed a scrum.

It was the kick-start the hosts needed and less than five minutes later Jamie Heaslip cantered in for his fourth international try when he capitalised on some wonderful play from Gordon D'Arcy and then Brian O'Driscoll. The Ireland skipper found David Wallace who then unleashed Heaslip who had the easiest of finishes into the Hill 16 end.

O'Gara added the points to give Ireland a 10-0 lead.

O'Driscoll was at his mercurial best with ball in hand and a superb kick and chase through the Italian midfield bounced sweetly, but the ensuing kick was slightly off for the onrushing Wallace. Though the ball bounced into touch, the warning signs were clear.

But the visitors eventually got on the scoresheet through their out-half Craig Gower in the 27th minute to reduce the deficit to seven points. An O'Gara penalty, his third successful kick of the afternoon on 28 minutes, regained the 10-point lead.

In the 33rd minute Italy centre Gonzalo Garcia was yellow-carded for a spear tackle on O'Driscoll and O'Gara punished the infringement with a straight-forward penalty to extend Ireland's lead to 16-3. Tommy Bowe's quick ruck ball propelled an Irish attack with McLaughlin first and then D'Arcy and Rob Kearney involved in a dangerous move which spilled into touch.

But Leo Cullen stole the ensuing Italian lineout in the 36th minute and Tomas O'Leary raced in for his first international try, with O'Gara adding the points, to give Ireland a 23-3 lead.

Just when it looked as though the hosts were coasting, a lapse in concentration by Andrew Trimble and Kearney with the latter's clearance kick having been blocked down, led to Italy's first try.

Ireland held on to their 15-point advantage at the interval and led 23-8.

Mirco Bergamasco and O'Gara traded penalties within the first six minutes of the second half as the intensity increased in a packed Croke Park.

Replacement out-half Paddy Wallace slotted home a 67th minute penalty for Ireland as the second half continued with neither side asserting themselves. A wonderful break from D'Arcy almost yielded Ireland's third try moments later, but his attack was snuffed out and Ireland on to seal a deserved win.

IRELAND SCORERS: Jamie Heaslip, Tomas O'Leary (1 try each), Ronan O'Gara (4 penalties, 2 conversions), Paddy Wallace (1 penalty)

ITALY SCORERS: Kaine Robertson (1 try), Craig Gower, Mirco Bergamasco (1 penalty each)

IRELAND:

15: Rob Kearney (UCD/Leinster)
14: Tommy Bowe (Ospreys)
13: Brian O'Driscoll (UCD/Leinster) CAPTAIN
12: Gordon D'Arcy (Lansdowne/Leinster)
11: Andrew Trimble (Ballymena/Ulster) / Keith Earls (Young Munster/Munster) 56
10: Ronan O'Gara (Cork Constitution/Munster) / Paddy Wallace (Ballymena/Ulster) 65
9: Tomas O'Leary (Dolphin/Munster) / Eoin Reddan (Lansdowne/Leinster) 74

1: Cian Healy (Clontarf/Leinster)
2: Jerry Flannery (Shannon/Munster) / Rory Best (Banbridge/Ulster) 56
3: John Hayes (Bruff/Munster) / Tom Court (Malone/Ulster) 73
4: Leo Cullen (Blackrock College/Leinster)
5: Paul O'Connell (Young Munster/Munster) / Donnacha Ryan (Shannon/Munster) 60
6: Kevin McLaughlin (St. Mary's College/Leinster)
7: David Wallace (Garryowen/Munster) / Sean O'Brien (Clontarf/Leinster) 73
8: Jamie Heaslip (Naas/Leinster)

ITALY: Luke McLean; Kaine Robertson, Gonzalo Canale, Gonzalo Garcia, Mirco Bergamasco; Craig Gower, Tito Tebaldi; Alessandro Zanni, Mauro Bergamasco, Josh Sole; Quintin Geldenhuys, Carlo Antonio Del Fava; Martin Castrogiovanni, Leonardo Ghiraldini CAPTAIN, Salvatore Perugini

REPLACEMENTS: Fabio Ongaro, Matias Aguero, Marco Bortolami, Paul Derbyshire, Simon Piccone, Riccardo Bocchino, Andrea Masi

RBS 6 NATIONS MAN OF THE MATCH: David Wallace

REFEREE: R. Poite (FFR)