Ireland 42-12 Argentina: Hat-trick man Hugo Keenan has Andy Farrell’s side motoring

Ireland …………………………………… 42pts

Tries: Keenan 15, 29, 50; Sheehan 24; S Prendergast 41; Kelleher 55

Conversions: Prendergast 16, 25, 30, 43, 52; Frawley 56

Argentina …………………………………… 12pts

Tries: Carreras 11, 46

Conversions: Albornoz 46

Ireland were efficient and clinical when needed to comfortably beat an often-downright ordinary Pumas side and get the autumn phase of their Nations Championship under way in style.

Andy Farrell’s side, while mindful of the need to beat Fiji next up, will know the acid test this month will be against World Champions South Africa in a fortnight.

That game will tell us where this Ireland team are – even their supporters aren’t quite sure – and will also determine which play-off game they will contest during that finals weekend at Twickenham.

For the time being though, there was much to enjoy.

Missing fire

An enterprising hat-trick for the returning Hugo Keenan; a definite step forward from Craig Casey who was given a rare start ahead of Jameson Gibson-Park at scrum-half and relished the responsibility; trouble free returns to elite action from Andrew Porter and Mack Hansen and another powerful display from abrasive Ulsterman Nick Timoney in the back row.

It might be strange to sound cautious about a 30-point win over an Argentina team that have run South Africa close this year and who included 12 of the squad that beat the Lions at the Aviva last spring but, after a deceptively bright start, they disappeared for large segments of the game.

Argentina can occasionally do that at the start of a block when they get back together after months apart, and many of their players were in action last week.

Preparation was poor but they have overcome worse and performed infinitely better than this.

The fire was missing.

Cruise: Ireland’s Hugo Keenan races through to score his first try

PICTURE: Alamy

Well-taken tries

It all went badly pear-shaped after a sparkling opening try from the leaping Mateo Carreras – who rose above the mediocrity – following an impressive block of patient continuity rugby.

Ireland it seemed, were in for a difficult night.

The moment passed instantly as the home side hit back in style with a brace of well-taken tries by Keenan and a third by skipper Dan Sheehan, taking charge of a home Test for the first time.

With a half-time lead of 21-5 the game seemed safe, although the glass-half-full brigade recalled a similar lead when they last met at the Aviva two years ago and the Pumas nearly nicked it with a stirring comeback.

Not this time.

Crash: Mateo Carreras breaks past Hugo Keenan to go over for Argentina’s second try.

Dominate

Sam Prendergast, enjoying a reassuring, mainly no thrills game at 10, stole in for the bonus-point try a minute after the restart and, although the indomitable Carreras barged over for a second try, Ireland continued to dominate.

Keenan zipped in for his hat-trick – which led inevitably to his MOM award – and Ronan Kelleher finished the evening’s scoring as early as the 55th minute with a trademark lineout rumble.

The final quarter lacked incident or alarm.

It was already a job done for Ireland who emptied the bench while Argentina dug in a little to prevent it getting embarrassing.

Their game with Italy on Saturday is a must-win if anything is to be salvaged from a pretty miserable 2026 which thus far has included just one win, at home to Wales.