Ireland U20 39-12 Italy U20
Three tries in a 15-minute spell midway through the second half did the damage, as the Irish U20s continued their impressive start to this year's Six Nations.
It wasn't always comfortable in their 39-12 bonus-point win against Italy though.
Having been 13-0 in front and seemingly in complete control late in the first half, Ireland shipped a try right on half time as Italian loosehead Luca Rizzoli powered his way through.
And having stewed on the score for a quarter of an hour, Ireland looked tense in the early exchanges of the second half, turning over possession multiple times to the visitors, who failed to land the right shots.
The relief around Musgrave Park was clear when Connacht scrum-half Matthew Devine burrowed over for the second try which knocked the life out of Italy's challenge, as Loran McLoughlin, Reuben Crothers and Chay Mullins followed up with further scores.
Richie Murphy's side picked up a third win from three games, remaining on course for a second Grand Slam in three seasons.
Italy came into the game off the back of a historic win against England in Round Two, and they started brightly with a powerful scrum and some strong carries from their larger forward pack.
They almost had the opening points of the day, but Nicolo Teneggi's penalty on 12 minutes was pulled left and wide.
Ireland grew into the game though and forced Italy to concede penalties, before landing a double-whammy on 18 minutes; Leinster wing Fionn Gibbons finished off some quick, sharp handling to score in the corner, with Italy flanker David Odiase sent to the sin-bin before play even restarted, having grappled an Irish plyer around the head.
The try settled Ireland, who kept their lead ticking over with a pair of Charlie Tector penalties, while Italy's discipline was disintegrating, captain Giacomo Ferrari picking up their second yellow card on 35 minutes after further dangerous play.
It looked like they were on the verge of crumbling, but after winning a penalty they kicked to the corner, and a powerful run from Rizzoli brought them over the line, cutting the score to 13-6 at the break.
The early stages of the second half were nervy from an Irish point of view, but when they finally gained territory and went through some phases, they started to regain composure, Devine picking and diving for the line at close range, which released any tension that had been in the air in Cork.
It didn't help Italy's cause that the second try coincided with their third yellow card, as Lapo Frangini was binned for dragging a maul to ground.
With a man advantage, Ireland kept their foot on the pedal, and quickly got their third try when Ulster's Lorcan McLoughlin ran a superb line five metres out to crash over for the score, and their bonus point arrived with 10 minutes to go, as Crothers caught the defence napping by quickly reaching for the line when the Italians were expecting him to pick and go.
There was still time for Mullins to grab his third of the tournament, dancing in off the left wing to round out the night, while Italy had the final say as they drove a maul straight through the Irish defence, grabbing a consolation score in a game that deserved to be closer.
The win maintains Ireland's place at the top of the table, three points clear of both England and France, with an away to England in Round Four next up.
Ireland U20: Patrick Campbell (Young Munster RFC/Munster); Chay Mullins (Bristol Bears/IQ Rugby), Jude Postlethwaite (Banbridge RFC/Ulster), Ben Brownlee (UCD RFC/Leinster), Fionn Gibbons (UCD RFC/Leinster); Charlie Tector (Lansdowne FC/Leinster), Matthew Devine (Galway Corinthians RFC/Connacht); Jack Boyle (UCD RFC/Leinster), James McCormick (Ballymena RFC/Ulster), Rory McGuire (UCD RFC/Leinster); Conor O'Tighearnaigh (UCD RFC/Leinster), Mark Morrissey (UCD RFC/Leinster); James McNabney (Ballymena RFC/Ulster), Reuben Crothers (Ballynahinch RFC/Ulster)(capt), James Culhane (UCD RFC/Leinster).
Replacements: Josh Hanlon (Ballynahinch RFC/Ulster), Oisin Michel (Lansdowne FC/Leinster), Darragh McSweeney (Shannon RFC/Munster), Adam McNamee (Malone RFC/Ulster), Lorcan McLoughlin (Queen's University Belfast/Ulster), Ethan Coughlan (Shannon RFC/Munster), Tony Butler (Garryowen FC/Munster), Dylan O'Grady (UCD RFC/Leinster).
Italy U20: Lorenzo Pani; Federico Cuminetti, Francois Carlo Mey, Dewi Passarella, Filippo Lazzarin; Nicolò Teneggi, Alessandro Garbisi; Luca Rizzoli, Lapo Frangini, Riccardo Genovese; Alessandro Ortombina; Riccardo Andreoli; David Odiase, Ross Vincent, Giacomo Ferrari (capt)
Replacements: Tommaso Scramoncin, Valerio Bizzotto, Riccardo Bartolini, Lizardo Rodriguez, Carlos Berlese, Giovanni Cenedese, Gianluca Tomaselli, Giovanni Sante, Arturo Fusari
