IRELAND BEAT SCOTLAND 35-25 IN 6 NATIONS CHAMPIONSHIP

Ireland finished a difficult RBS 6 Nations on a high with a convincing 35-25 win over Scotland in an entertaining game at the Aviva Stadium.

After opening up a 9-3 lead early on, Ireland conceded a great try, made and finished by Stuart Hogg.

The crucial moment in the first half came when John Barclay was sent to the sin-bin for a succession of Scottish infringements, and in his absence CJ Stander and Keith Earls went over for scores to help Ireland into a 21-13 half-time lead.

Conor Murray crossed early in the second half and though Scotland hit back through Richie Gray, when Alex Dunbar was sin-binned with 13 minutes to go, he took Scotland's hopes with him.

Devin Toner finished acrobatically to put the game beyond the visitors and secure a second straight success for the Men in Green.

Jonathan Sexton was yellow-carded on 76 minutes as the Scots fought back but it was too little too late despite Dunbar's score in the closing stages.

Ireland dominated early on and opened the scoring with a Sexton penalty after just five minutes when the Scots were penalised for not rolling away. The three points pushed Sexton past David Humphreys as Ireland second highest points scorer in Test rugby.

He stretched that lead to six for the same offence, but it was quickly cancelled out by Greig Laidlaw for failing to release in the tackle, as Ireland led 6-3.

On 17 minutes Sexton knocked over his third penalty of the afternoon but within two minutes Scotland were ahead for the first time, and in fine fashion.

Hogg, fresh from an outstanding display last week against France, collected the ball just inside his own half and looked to be running laterally before spotting a gap between Mike Ross and Rory Best and then streaking away. Laidlaw converted to put Scotland 10-9 up.

Ireland needed to respond, and did so with a fine rolling maul, earning a penalty as the Scots pulled it down.

A second penalty in quick succession saw Barclay sent to the bin, and in his absence Ireland moved back in front. A series of charges from their forwards ended with Stander leaping over a ruck and dotting down despite a desperate tackle from Laidlaw.

Sexton converted to make it 16-10 and soon after he created the second Irish try albeit in fortuitous circumstances.

A hopeful chip over the top produced huge confusion between Hogg and Tommy Seymour and after they collided it left Earls to scoop the ball up and stroll over. Sexton missed the conversion, but still Ireland were 21-10 ahead as Barclay returned.

Scotland responded before half-time, with a Laidlaw penalty cutting the deficit back to eight points, but they had paid the price for their ten minutes down to 14, conceded 12 points in all.

Ireland had the first great chance of the second half, with Andrew Trimble breaking away down the right but as he tried to find Jared Payne inside him, Duncan Weir was there to intercept and jump into touch.

Still it was a great chance for the home side, and after one maul had been stopped illegally, Ireland went back to the corner, and Murray sniped over after spotting a gap. Sexton converted to make it a three-score lead.

The game was in danger of getting away from Scotland but they hit straight back with their second try of the afternoon. It came after a long spell of pressure, with Tim Visser and Duncan Taylor both stopped just short.

When the ball came back, Weir's long pass to Gray put the second row through a huge gap and he strolled over. Laidlaw added the conversion to cut the deficit to eight points at 28-20.

There was still time for a comeback, but Scotland seemed intent on running everything out of their own territory, but against an organised Irish team they were struggling to find a way through.

And with 13 minutes to go they lost Dunbar to a yellow card for a dangerous clearout on Sexton and allowed the home side to set up camp back in Scottish territory.

Good hands from Jamie Heaslip led to Toner leaping over for a fourth Irish try, putting the result beyond doubt with just over ten minutes remaining.

Ireland lost Sexton to a yellow card after a maul infringement and a sharp flick pass sent Dunbar over for the try but it was only a consolation.