PAUL O’CONNELL admitted he felt sorry for Portugal as Ireland ran in a record-breaking 16 tries in Lisbon to register their biggest Test win in the first encounter between the two nations.
Connacht pair Hugh Gavin and Shayne Bolton went over twice on their debuts and there was also a brace each for club-mate Cian Prendergast and Leinster wing Tommy O’Brien.
With Munster fly-half Jack Crowley landing 12 of his 15 conversion attempts — Ireland were also awarded a penalty try — the margin of victory eclipsed their previous biggest win when they scored 13 tries in an 83-3 defeat of the USA in 2000.
Interim boss POC told Virgin Media: “I feel sorry for Portugal but we were very clinical and took our chances.
“It is a unique summer tour given the Lions tour is on at the same time but I am very happy with how our squad applied themselves.”
O’Connell was without 17 players — who are all on tour with the Lions — but his new-look side ruthlessly exposed the chasm between them and their hosts.
The former lock made six changes following last week’s 34-5 win against Georgia in Tbilisi and his men went over for FOUR converted tries in the opening 14 minutes.
Centre Stuart McCloskey touched down in the corner after full-back Jimmy O’Brien’s break straight from the kick-off and fellow centre Gavin stormed over for his first debut try in the ninth minute.
Tommy O’Brien finished off another scything break in the corner and opposite wing Bolton sprinted in after breaking clear for a try on his bow, with Crowley adding his fourth conversion.
Portugal full-back Nuno Guedes had a try disallowed for a forward pass before the Wolves were dealt another blow when captain Tomas Appleton was carried off on a stretcher due to an ankle injury.
Crowley sent Tommy O’Brien in for his second try and prop Tom Clarkson bulldozed through a tired tackle for Ireland’s sixth touchdown in the 33rd minute.
Bolton out-sprinted Portugal’s defence to touch down Craig Casey’s kick ahead and the latter’s pass after hooker Gus McCarthy’s break sent Gavin over for his second score.
Crowley landed his seventh conversion to put Ireland 54-0 ahead at the interval.
Scrum-half Casey followed up Bolton’s break to go in under the posts 90 seconds after the restart and Prendergast barged over for an unconverted score to extend Ireland’s lead to 66-0 in the 51st minute.
The struggling Portuguese were given some respite when centre Vincent Pinto’s offload set up flanker Nicolas Martins for a converted try but the green giants hit straight back.
Replacements Calvin Nash and Ciarán Frawley touched down soon after stepping off the bench and Prendergast then notched his second try.
And when debutant flanker Alex Kendellen went over for another converted score in the 73rd minute, Ireland moved 92-7 ahead.
Replacement scrum-half Ben Murphy’s try nudged Ireland nearer to triple figures.
And Portugal’s misery was complete when they conceded a penalty try in the final play of the game for bringing down a maul.
O’Connell added: “It is great to get some guys capped and scoring tries and training in an international environment.”
SCORERS — Portugal: Tries, Martins; con, Aubry.
Ireland: Tries, McCloskey, Gavin 2, T O’Brien 2, Bolton 2, Clarkson, Casey, Prendergast 2, Nash, Frawley, Kendellen, Murphy, penalty; cons, Crowley 12.
