Hugo Keenan treble leads Ireland to rout of Argentina

Hugo Keenan scored a hat-trick as Ireland maintained their perfect home record against Argentina by easing to a 42-12 bonus-point win in the Nations Championship.

The Pumas stunned Andy Farrell’s 2025 British and Irish Lions squad on their last visit to the Aviva Stadium but had lost all 11 previous meetings with Ireland in Dublin.

Mateo Carreras’ try gave Felipe Contepomi’s side an early advantage before full-back Keenan crossed either side of a score from captain Dan Sheehan to help the hosts lead 21-5 at the break.

Sam Prendergast registered his maiden international try to add to five successful conversions, with Keenan’s third and Ronan Kelleher’s powerful finish sealing an emphatic victory.

Ireland’s win was a third from four matches in the Nations Championship after summer successes against Australia and Japan were followed by defeat against New Zealand.

Argentina claimed a consolation through Carreras’ second of the evening but their bid to spring a surprise was hindered by yellow cards for Justo Piccardo and Efrain Elias, plus an early head injury for skipper Julian Montoya.

Ireland head coach Farrell has acknowledged his side must improve if they are to be contenders at next year’s World Cup and used the opening match of the autumn to run the rule over several squad options.

Diminutive scrum-half Craig Casey – one of those handed an opportunity – was powerless to prevent Carreras catching Tomas Albornoz’s cross-field kick to touch down in the left corner.

Argentina’s 10th-minute score further subdued a flat crowd which was significantly below capacity.

However, Ireland swiftly hit back. Casey initially won a turnover penalty and then started a flowing team move from right to left which culminated with Mack Hansen sending Keenan racing across the try line.

Hooker Sheehan – captaining his country in the absence of the injured Caelan Doris – crashed over 10 minutes later after Nick Timoney was held up following a lineout maul.

Argentina lost hooker Montoya before falling further behind when Keenan collected another Hansen pass to dance past three defenders and powerfully pirouette over.

While the Pumas have a wretched record away to Ireland, they have won three of four World Cup meetings between the nations.

Their hopes of securing a landmark success on Irish soil were hampered further by centre Piccardo being sent to the sin bin in the 35th minute for not retreating following a penalty.

Sheehan was then denied his second try when he was forced into touch just before grounding in an incident which led to him and Montoya’s replacement Leonel Oviedo each departing for head injury assessments.

Fly-half Prendergast secured Ireland’s bonus point within two minutes of the restart, spotting a gap between Marcos Kremer and Juan Martin Gonzalez to superbly race away and dot down.

Keenan was unable to prevent Pumas wing Carreras scoring his second before completing his treble following quick hands from forwards Tadhg Furlong, Joe McCarthy and Ryan Baird.

Replacement hooker Kelleher then bulldozed over in the aftermath of Elias being sent to the bin for a high tackle on Keenan, with Ciaran Frawley converting.

Ireland prop Sam Illo – on for his home debut – became the third player shown a yellow card before Farrell’s men cruised through the closing stages ahead of upcoming appointments with Fiji and world champions South Africa.