It feels just a little bit like 'too little, too late.'
Ireland dominated Italy last week, and were imperious in the very opening exchanges against Scotland this week - holding on to the ball for 89% of the first ten minutes. At one point in the half, CJ Stander alone had racked up four more carries than the entire Scotland team.
Even with a rare missed penalty, Sexton's kicks had Ireland six points up after 13 minutes and the boys in green looked imperious... But it wasn't to last.
Stuart Hogg burned pass the Irish from almost the halfway line and went over the line for a far-too-easy try which was converted by Greig Laidlaw.
The 9-10 scoreline in favour of Scotland was a misleading one, and this was proved on the 27 minute when CJ Stander went over the line to score Ireland's first try of the half after some momentous pressure. Sexton nailed the difficult conversion to give Ireland a 16-10 lead.
Keith Earls went on to extend Ireland's lead minutes later after Sexton caused chaos with a kick towards the Scottish tryline. Sexton missed the conversion in the end, but Ireland went in looking comfortable enough with a 21-13 lead, thanks to a Laidlaw penalty late in the half.
Here are some of the tweets that sum up the half:
https://twitter.com/PatByrned/status/711239016264425472
https://twitter.com/EllvenaGraham/status/711239751056105473
https://twitter.com/J_scissors/status/711243887222906882
https://twitter.com/AlexL_05/status/711243247822184449
https://twitter.com/alonatroy/status/711244380162678785
https://twitter.com/TheMarkDalton/status/711244348747358208
https://twitter.com/terdoyle/status/711245550050549762
https://twitter.com/kevdaly1984/status/711245136039124993
https://twitter.com/MCopues/status/711246554426974208
