Stand-in skipper Jamie Heaslip shrugged off a disallowed try to claim the score that broke Scotland’s resistance in Dublin.
Leinster No8 Heaslip assumed the captaincy after talismanic lock Paul O’Connell was felled by a chest infection on Saturday night.
Tries from wing Andrew Trimble and full-back Rob Kearney cemented victory in head coach Joe Schmidt’s first Six Nations clash.
“To get off to a winning start is something that every team wants to do, so we’re really happy with that,” Kearney said. Unruffled Ireland refused to let Munster lock O’Connell’s absence shake them off their stride, dispatching Scotland in what ultimately became a routine victory.
Ireland coped admirably without bullish ball-carriers O’Connell and flanker Sean O’Brien, with Chris Henry and Peter O’Mahony impressing. But Kiwi boss Schmidt will be at pains to warn Ireland just how much of a step up the visit of Wales will prove in round two on Saturday.
After the gut-wrenching 24-22 last-gasp loss to New Zealand in November, Ireland were desperate to hit back to winning ways.
Objective one complete, Schmidt will demand more when Warren Gatland and Wales roll into town next week. “It’s a massive challenge for us. We are under no illusions,” Kearney added, looking ahead to that clash.
"We have to recover really well now. There’s only six days, they’ve had an extra day to recover, so we certainly know it’s a massive, massive challenge coming.”
Scotland dominated territory and possession in a gritty first-half, only for Ireland to break that strangle-hold in the final exchanges.
Scott Johnson has been at pains to build an extra attacking dimension to his Scotland side. The visitors were prepared to whip the ball wide at every turn, but in doing so failed to find sufficient midfield incision.
Impressive No8 David Denton powered close after a scrum deep in the Ireland 22, that followed the hosts failing to clear their lines on a number of occasions. After that Scotland were unable to threaten seriously again in the half, with Duncan Weir’s drop-goal fake not leading to any gain.
Laidlaw struck the post with a penalty after five minutes, and later he punted to the corner when he should have shot at goal.
Crucially the hosts kept defensive shape and discipline, and as time ticked down on the half, Sexton slinked through two Scotland tackles to race from one danger zone to the other. The Racing Metro fly-half fired out a pass to captain Heaslip, who cantered down the left wing heading for the corner.
The Leinster loose-forward touched down as he rolled a tackle, only for TMO Carlo Damasco to rule him in touch.
Ireland sustained the pressure from two driven line-outs in the Scotland 22 though, claiming just reward for persistence when Trimble sneaked home in the corner.
Devin Toner hit a ruck from the side to gift Scotland a penalty after the break, and Laidlaw delivered the points from the tee. Ireland then built tight phases for the first time in the match, and skipper Heaslip delivered a second try after a fine driven line-out, to make up for the score ruled out in the first half.
Converted by Sexton, the try put Ireland in control and the hosts added their third try when Kearney capped a neat break from Henry, for a score on his 50th cap.
