If this turns out to be the game that broke Wales's recent hold on the Six Nations, could it also be the one heralding an era, or at least just a spell, of consistency from Ireland? The great underachievers of the era – if winning only one grand slam, along with numerous triple crowns and second places, can be deemed an underachievement – have a certain air about them now. Too many heartbreaks, too many last-minute defeats – enough is enough.
"It feels nice to put in a good shift in an Irish jersey," said Peter O'Mahony, the pick of the performers in an alarming defeat for Wales. "We've talked about consistency and that's two consistent performances back to back."
The unspoken but fairly tangible, implication was that they mean it to mark the beginning of a pattern. Two tries to nil cannot quite qualify as a rout, even if it seemed like one when Wales beat England by a similar margin in the climax to last year's championship, but this was mercilessly one-sided. The 23-point margin of victory did not flatter the home side.
Ireland have been here before, of course. In last season's opening game, for example, they put three tries past Wales in the first 43 minutes in Cardiff only to let Wales back into the match over the final half-hour – and then capitulate in the next round to a young England team in Dublin, in the rain.
That defeat precipitated the collapse of their championship hopes and another year had passed them by.
This time, after a promising opening win, they once again faced the tournament favourites in Dublin in the second round – and the forecast was for rain. The determination to avoid a similar flop was palpable from the start. Wales just did not have – or could not find – any comparable demons for motivation.
Ireland's game plan was minimalist and mightily effective – none of the ambition that threatened to blow away the All Blacks in the autumn (before the latest heartbreaking capitulation) but a ferocity at close quarters and a precision in execution proved more than enough to see off the Welsh.
Just as cathartically, Ireland maintained the intensity throughout. One sensed the determination to match the first half's intensity in the second was as clearly defined a priority as to secure the win itself. They scored 13 points before half-time and they scored 13 points after it. The symmetry was poignant.
"We knew we were starting well but not finishing," said Rory Best, who must have caught the eye of the man-of-the-match judges. If much was made beforehand of the Lions tour and the treatment of Brian O'Driscoll, it is easy to forget how many other Irishmen had issues to work through.
"But it is when it's put down in black and white in front of you, as it has been by Joe [Schmidt, Ireland's coach since the summer], that it hurts a wee bit. To have it highlighted is one thing, though; to do something about it is another.
"It has been a big focus for us. So far so good in that regard but we have to make sure it's not just two games. It's a championship of five games and none bigger than in two weeks' time."
Two weeks' time for Ireland means England at Twickenham. It will be a meeting between two teams on a mission. There was a lot of hype last week about what it means for the Irish and Welsh to beat each other these days but, sure enough, the next game is already being talked up as bigger yet. And when the next game is England the frisson tingles the spine just a little bit more.
"Going to Twickenham is massive," said Paul O'Connell, "no matter how many times you've played there. When we saw the fixture list we saw we had the champions up second but always in the back of the mind we were thinking we'd be in a very good place if we could be two from two at home, because the competition is going to get a whole lot harder going to Twickenham."
O'Connell was another man possessed on Saturday. Ireland's captain missed last week's opener against Scotland but he announced his return with a monstrous early hit on Gethin Jenkins, which set the tone. Such was his intensity he was withdrawn after 50 minutes, admitting that he was still feeling the effects of the illness that did for him the weekend before.
The job was done by the time he left. More tellingly still, Wales could not summon the sort of revival that had earned them a realistic chance of winning last year's game against Ireland. Perhaps Ireland did not allow them that opportunity this time but there was a subdued air about them during and after the match.
"Today we weren't at the races," said Alex Cuthbert, the Wales wing. "And Ireland were from minute one. It is very frustrating. We couldn't find our mojo but we'll learn more from a defeat like this than we would a normal one." Sam Warburton, the Wales captain, said: "We knew we couldn't keep giving away penalties. It was something we knew we had to correct but we just couldn't do it."
Too many of the key Wales players look short of match fitness, a situation that should at least be improved after this. They host France the weekend after next in a revival of the unpopular Friday night fixture (there will be another next season). A reaction should be expected and is nothing less than essential if Wales are to retain a realistic hope of winning that third consecutive title.
"I would say Wales didn't quite get into the game," said Schmidt, who is looking increasingly like the man Ireland's supporters have been looking for all their lives. "There are such small margins. We probably benefited from a lack of match fitness from some of the Welsh boys. We certainly won't be getting carried away."
In other words, consistency is all they hanker after these days, after years of near misses and outright underachievements. A win at Twickenham would represent quite a statement on that front.
Ireland R Kearney; Trimble (McFadden, 61), O'Driscoll, D'Arcy, D Kearney; Sexton (Jackson, 75), Murray (Boss, 80); Healy (McGrath, 68), Best (Cronin, 73), Ross (Moore, 55), Toner, O'Connell (capt; Tuohy, 55; O'Donnell 64), O'Mahony, Henry, Heaslip.
Tries Henry, Jackson. Cons Sexton, Jackson. Pens Sexton 4.
Wales Halfpenny; Cuthbert, S Williams (L Williams, 17), Roberts, North; Priestland, Phillips (Webb, 80); Jenkins (James, 71), Hibbard (Owens, 61), A Jones (R Jones, 61), Coombs (Ball, 71), AW Jones, Lydiate (Tipuric, 71), Warburton (capt), Faletau.
Pen Halfpenny.
Referee W Barnes (Eng). Attendance 51,700.
