Ireland signed off from Lansdowne Road with an emotional 61-17 victory over the Pacific Islanders on Sunday, helped by an outstanding 26-point performance from fly-half Paddy Wallace on his full debut.

Wallace had a superb game in place of the talismanic Ronan O'Gara, landing nine of his 11 kicks and scoring one of his team's eight tries in the last game at the stadium, which is to due to pulled down next year and redeveloped.

With a new-look side that included three newcomers in the starting 15, Ireland did not look as assured as they did in their electric first half against Australia last week.

But their greater organisation eventually paid off with tries for Denis Hickie, Shane Horgan, Rory Best, Wallace, Paul O'Connell and two for flanker Simon Easterby. Malcolm O'Kelly, the team's most-capped player, fittingly scored the eighth of the match and last to be scored at the famous old ground.

"I thought Paddy had a super game at 10, controlled the game well," coach Eddie O'Sullivan said of Wallace, who had previously appeared for just the last two minutes of the win over South Africa earlier this month.

"I think we got as much out of the autumn internationals as we could," added O'Sullivan, whose side also convincingly beat Australia last week.

The Islanders, who began poorly in their defeats by Wales and Scotland, got off to a better start against the Irish and at one stage were just three points behind thanks to a superb Kameli Ratuvou chip and pass to Seru Rabeni.

Lome Fa'atau added another for the Islanders but poor kicking from Tusi Pisi and Ireland's dominance in the second half kept the lid on any hoped-for revival and the combined team were only able to manage one more try, from Pisi, in the second half.

The Islanders signalled their intention from the whistle, looking to the run the ball wide but it was Ireland who put the first points on the board with a try from Leinster winger Hickie.

Wallace secured his first international points with the conversion and added a penalty minutes later to put the home side 10-0 up.

The Islanders hit back with a superb try 10 minutes in as winger Ratuvou chipped over newcomer Luke Fitzgerald, and collected the ball for a pass to Leicester centre Rabeni.

Rabeni trotted over the line and Pisi converted.

A stomping run from Tonga's Taufa'ao Felise then set up Fa'atau for a second score.

However, tries from Wallace and then from O'Kelly just before halftime put Ireland comfortably back in front 30-12 at halftime.

Ireland came out firing in the second half and Brian O'Driscoll delivered a neat offload to Easterby who was powered over the line for a try.

Tries from Horgan, another from Easterby, Best and O'Connell followed in a sterling display from the Irish in their last ever match at the current Lansdowne Stadium, the world's oldest rugby union test venue.

As the ground was sprayed with sparkling green confetti, the team did a lap of honour and threw their shirts into the crowd to the applause of the Islanders and a delighted audience.

The victory completes a hugely satisfying November series for Ireland, who also beat South Africa and Australia.

Teams:

Ireland - 15-Girvan Dempsey (22-Gordon D'Arcy, 40); 14-Luke Fitzgerald (21-Ronan O'Gara, 80), 13-Brian O'Driscoll (captain) (20-Isaac Boss, 63), 12-Shane Horgan, 11-Denis Hickie; 10-Paddy Wallace, 9-Peter Stringer; 8-Jamie Heaslip (19-Denis Leamy, 77) 7-Stephen Ferris, 6-Simon Easterby, 5-Paul O'Connell, 4-Malcolm O'Kelly (18-Donncha O'Callaghan, 77), 3-John Hayes (16-Rory Best, 65), 2-Frankie Sheahen (17-Simon Best, 77), 1-Bryan Young.

Pacific Islanders - 15-Norman Ligairi (22-Alesana Tuilagi, 41; 16-Ace Tiatia, 80); 14-Lome Fa'atau, 13-Seru Rabeni, 12-Elvis Seveali'i (21-Seilala Mapasua, 41), 11-Kameli Ratuvou; 10-Tusi Pisi, 9-Moses Rauluni (20-Junior Poluleuligaga, 33); 8-Hale T-Pole (18-Epi Taione, 48), 7-Nili Latu (19-Aca Ratuva, 62), 6-Ma'ama Molitika, 5-Daniel Leo, 4-Simon Raiwalui, 3-Tevita Taumoepeau, 2-Aleki Lutui, 1-Justin Va'a (17-Taufa'ao Felise, 62).

Referee: Chrisophe Berdos (France)