Injuries to Robbie Henshaw and Tadhg Furlong took the shine off Ireland's comprehensive 56-19 victory over Italy in the Six Nations.
Furlong left the field inside four minutes and Henshaw followed him after half-time, leaving the field with his arm in a sling and in discomfort having suffered an injury in scoring his second try.
In a very one-sided first-half, Ireland created a huge number of chances, converting four, while not letting their opponents within a sniff of their line as Conor O'Shea had a nightmare return in his first game in charge of Italy in Ireland.
Tadhg Furlong, who limped off inside four minutes with a suspected hamstring injury, but there was no stopping the march of the Irish.
After Conor Murray was held short 10 minutes in, he created the space to send Robbie Henshaw over for the first try, and before the end of the first quarter one became three.
Brilliant link up play saw Murray stroll over four minutes later, with Jacob Stockdale and Jack Conan combining to set up the Munster scrum-half to score in the left corner.
There was no let up, as Furlong's replacement Andrew Porter surged forward before sending Bundee Aki clear for the third.
And just before the break, Keith Earls had stolen in for the bonus point. Aki became provider, scything through Luca Bigi and Tommaso Boni and Earls waltzed in for a 28-0 half-time lead.
If the first-half was a clinical display from Joe Schmidt's men the second was less so. Having seen Henshaw intercept a pass and run in for a fifth try, Schmidt looked on in dismay as his centre got back up off the ground with what looked like a serious injury to his arm.
Captain Rory Best added the seventh, but then Ireland's defence seemed to go to sleep. Tammaso Allan got Italy on the scoresheet with 25 minutes remaining after a break from centre Tommaso Castello.
Stockdale replied when Ireland's pack got the shove on and Joey Carbery -- on for Johnny Sexton -- pass put the youngster in for his first. It was he who was on the charge again after Italy struck back with captain Sergio Parisse sending Edoardo Gori in down the left flank.
In a superb individual effort, Stockdale ran in from halfway, to score his sixth try in as many international appearances. Schmidt was left frustrated when Matteo Minozzi got in for a third try of the game for Italy.
