Keenan's Hat-Trick Powers Ireland to Thumping 42-12 Win Over Argentina in Dublin

For nine minutes on Friday night, the Aviva Stadium held its breath. Mateo Carreras had just sliced through the Irish defence to give Argentina an early lead, and the old doubts about this fixture — the Pumas have always been Ireland's bogey team, the side that ruins autumns — flickered back into life. Then Hugo Keenan took over, and the rest of the evening belonged to Ireland.

Keenan's first try came in the 14th minute, a sweeping Irish attack finally putting the full-back over after Argentina had spent the opening exchanges looking the sharper side. His second, on 29 minutes, was the pick of the night: a mazy inside line that beat two defenders before he wrestled his way to the ground. And his third, four minutes into the second half, completed a hat-trick that sealed a 42-12 win and sent the Dublin crowd home happy. Keenan missed last year's November Tests entirely, and Ireland look a different side with him back.

The scoreline barely flattered them. Ireland led 21-5 at half-time and never looked like losing it. Dan Sheehan, the captain, had crossed in the 24th minute, and Sam Prendergast — flawless off the tee all night, five conversions from five — added the extras to all three first-half tries. Ireland had 63 percent of the ball and 61 percent of the territory in the first forty, with 80 carries to Argentina's 42, while the Pumas gave away eight penalties to Ireland's three and lost centre Justo Piccardo to the sin bin in the 34th minute.

There were setbacks, and they were serious ones. Sheehan left the field for a head injury assessment in the 35th minute and failed it, spending the second half on the sideline while Tadhg Beirne took the captaincy. Argentina's captain, Julian Montoya, had gone through the same process in the 28th minute. Bundee Aki had not even made it to kick-off, ruled out through illness, with Jamie Osborne drafted in as a late replacement. Marcos Kremer left for a head injury assessment of his own in the 54th minute, and Efrain Elias was yellow-carded as Ireland's forwards started to take control.

Prendergast opened the second half with a breakaway try, his own conversion making it 28-5 and securing the try bonus point. Carreras answered with his second try of the night, converted by Tomas Albornoz, and for a few minutes at 28-12 the Pumas looked as though they might make a game of it. Then Keenan completed his hat-trick, Ronan Kelleher — on for the stricken Sheehan — crossed for the sixth try in the 55th minute, and Ciaran Frawley, on for Prendergast, added the conversion to make it 42-12.

The result keeps Ireland's autumn on track. They came into the game fourth in the Northern Hemisphere standings with ten points from a two-win, one-loss start, their only defeat a 40-21 loss to New Zealand at Eden Park in Round 3. Argentina, fourth in the Southern table with seven points, came to Dublin chasing history — they have never won on Irish soil, and that record now stands at twelve home defeats in a row. The Pumas head to Paris next Friday to face France; Ireland host Fiji next.

For Andy Farrell, the night delivered a bonus-point win, a hat-trick for his returning full-back, a perfect night from the tee, and a statement that the New Zealand defeat has not lingered. The only shadow is over his captain. Sheehan is Ireland's all-time leading try-scorer among forwards, and his failed head injury assessment will be the first item on the medical report on Saturday morning.