Ireland 55 Canada 0:A landslide followed the flood at Thomond Park as Declan Kidney's first game in charge turned into a one-sided rout that will offer the coach little as he prepares for next Saturday's clash with the All Blacks. Ireland were on another level to the hapless Canucks on a miserable night in Limerick, running in five tries in the first half to stretch away to a 38-0 lead at the break.
Inevitably, Kidney made a raft of changes in the second half and what little momentum there was in the game was washed away.
Many in the crowd had also seen enough and made their way home as the game played out in a Thomond Park shorn of its usual energy.
The locals had seen what they wanted and they didn't have to wait long as Keith Earls went in for a try on his debut after just three minutes.
Ronan O'Gara's high kick was spilt by Justin Mensah-Coker in his own 22, and the ball was spread wide through the hands of O'Driscoll and Fitzgerald.
Earls effortlessly moved into the line and onto Fitzgerald's delivery before bursting through two Canadian tackles to dot down.
Ronan O'Gara added the extras from out wide in what was a fine display with the placed ball, converting all of Ireland's five first-half tries and also kicking a penalty.
Ireland's back three had a field day, with Rob Kearney and Tommy Bowe grabbing two tries apiece to add to Earls' opener.
Kearney can count himself lucky with his first five-pointer in the 13th minute, with the television match official deciding the Leinster player got his left hand to the ball ahead of Canadian winger Ciaran Hearn.
The TMO also awarded Jamie Heaslip a debatable try in the 27th minute, after a fine break off the back of a scrum. Four minutes later some sharp work from Eoin Reddan from a penalty saw Kearney slide in for his second try from an Earls' pass to make it 31-0.
Bowe then joined the party with his opening effort right on half-time, when he came in off his win to take a pass from Reddan on the blindside to waltz over and make it 38-0 at the break.
The visitors fared better in the second period, largely due to Ireland's scrappy performance, but substitute backrowers David Wallace and Alan Quinlan, and Bowe again, made sure the half century was completed in the dying minutes.
John Hayes and Rory Best were introduced to the Ireland frontrow at the interval, for Buckley and Jerry Flannery, respectively.
Clearly stung by their first-half mauling, Canada started the second period more brightly, but wasted a good position in front of the Irish posts when they inexplicably dived over the top at a ruck.
Earls, enjoying a fine first outing, then broke from O'Driscoll's miss pass and ran 30 metres into the Canucks' 22 but was eventually stopped and the visitors cleared their lines.
In an attempt to kick-start Ireland's half, Kidney threw on the five remaining replacements in the 56th minute, with the pack now resembling that likely to start against New Zealand next weekend with David Wallace and Quinlan in the backrow.
Ulster's Stephen Ferris could still have a say it that after picking up the man of the match award in a fine all-round display from the blindside.
A sixth try finally arrived in the 63rd minute when substitute Peter Stringer fed Bowe, who broke through the tackle before popping a pass inside to David Wallace to canter under the posts. Another sub, Paddy Wallace, kicked the extra points.
The best try of the match was scored in the 73rd minute as Ireland spread the ball wide to Kearney, who pulled off a one-two with Bowe before putting Quinlan in for a fine score in the left corner that brought up the half-century.
Paddy Wallace was then guilty of the evening's first missed kick from the resulting conversion.
Bowe thought he was in again but play was brought back for a forward pass — but moments later, in the final minute, he did score after a powerful burst from sub Shane Horgan. Again Paddy Wallace erred with the kick, albeit from the left touchline.
