Australia v Ireland
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International Rules
Australia wins the series 107 to 100

Australia has hung on to win the International Rules series with a thrilling draw in the second Test at a Siberian and inclement Croke Park in Dublin on Sunday afternoon (October 20). After Australia won the first Test 65-58, Ireland had to win by eight points to clinch the series or by seven to draw it and retain the trophy they won last year.

The GAA website reports: A record crowd of 71,532 for the series between the two countries attended. It emerged after the whistle that almost 78,000 tickets were pre-sold for this game, so only the weather stopped the attendance from almost reaching capacity. Roll on 2003, when hopefully the Aussies will embrace the tests in similar numbers.

It was edge of the seat stuff as the visitors reeled off 24 points to Ireland’s five in the last quarter to snatch a draw, and there was some controversy as Australian Brad Scott was sent off for punching Graham Geraghty in the second quarter. But it’s the Aussie’s series, so Ireland will be looking to restore lost pride in 2003.

Ireland 42 (1-8-12) Australia 42 (1-11-3)

After plenty of thrills and spills at a colourful Croke Park, the visiting team has once again carried off the laurels in the International Rules series between Ireland and Australia.

The Irish went into the game trailing by seven points from the first test, and they trailed by the same margin, on aggregate, at the end of this decider, 107-100.

As was the case last week, a stirring late comeback by the Aussies was enough to scrub a big lead that the Irish had worked so hard to eke out. Playing with the gale behind them in the third quarter, normally the period when the Australians cut loose, Ireland pinned back the opposition and outscored them 20-0, with a goal coming when Cormac McAnallen pulled on a loose ball in the square to finally get one past Andrew Kellaway. At 37-18 going into the last, it looked good for Ireland, but still, the record 71,552 crowd in the stadium was prepared for a big push from the Aussies, and they got it.

Defending stoutly in the opening minutes of the final quarter, all was still going to plan for the home side, but then a hopeful punt into the square was met by the towering Luke Darcy, who palmed to the net to ignite a comeback. Irish ‘keeper Stephen Cluxton will have to shoulder some of the blame for his indecision in coming off the line, and it is one of the ironies of the 2002 series that the Australians, who play their game without a goalie, had the more accomplished performer between the posts over the two tests.

Buoyed by the goal and making good use of the wind to keep Ireland hemmed into defence, the Aussies then began kicking scores for fun. Nathan Brown with two, Josh Francou and Christopher Judd all kicked overs to close the gap to just a point with only nine minutes gone, and with the traffic all one way, it seemed to be just a matter of time before Australia took the lead and closed out the contest. But credit to Ireland, they knuckled down and dominated the rest of the game - only missed chances denied them.

Eamon O’Hara stemmed the tide when he kicked a three-pointer, and then two behinds from Ciaran McManus and Graham Geraghty (a close-range free that really should have been sent over for three) put a six-point lead in place for the home side, with five minutes to go, meaning that just one more point would have secured the series on aggregate. High drama followed as the Irish came forward in waves, playing their best stuff of a patchy overall performance, and Evan Kelly’s intuitive flick under a high centre could well have nestled in the onion bag on another day. That was the last real effort Ireland had, and it was left to Australia to close out the scoring and level matters with two overs from Chris Johnson, ensuring they ended this series unbeaten.

Prior to the last quarter, matters were largely dictated by which end either team was attacking. Both countries harnessed the wind to make it very difficult for their opponent to get out of their own half and this was borne out in the scoring. Ireland exploited the elements to lead 12-4 at the end of the first quarter, but were second best in the next as they trailed 18-17. Then, McAnallen’s goal helped Ireland to that 37-18 lead going into the final period, but as before, the wind was the crucial factor.

Overall, Ireland could look on this as an opportunity lost to buck the trend of home sides not winning the series. Australia really only had one top class attacker in Nathan Brown, yet kicked more overs than the Irish and less behinds. Also, like last week, Ireland let their opponents off the hook by displaying a lack of composure in front of goal. Westmeath’s Dessie Dolan failed to learn a lesson from the first test by shooting high for a goal just after start of the match, to leave it easier for Kellaway to make the save, and on another occasion in the second quarter, Eamon O’Hara shot for goal from 25 metres when a team-mate was unmarked in the square. Indeed, poor option-taking and failure to spot opponents in space, as well as a degree of fumbling and poor handling with the greasy ball, undermined the home challenge all afternoon.

However, the results will show that the 2002 series belongs to Australia, and they deserve credit for their spirited fightback in the last quarter, when all seemed lost. Ireland too deserve praise for their gutsy showing which fell just short in the end and whatever about the result, the magnificent drama of the closing stages, and the closeness of the contests overall, have ensured that this hybrid has earned a place in the hearts of Irish fans.

International Rules
Rules of the game

In general terms for the Australian football supporter, International Rules is Australian Football with a round ball. All the key features are basically the same – kicking, handpassing, tackling and marking. Tactics are also similar – centre clearances, forward line set ups, zone defences and man on man strategies are used. The key differences (other than the round ball!) can be summarised as follows:

Scoring: A cross bar and net are added to traditional AFL goals. A ball kicked or knocked (not handpassed) into the net scores 6 points, a ball going above the cross bar is called an "over" and earns 3 points, and a behind earns 1 point. A goal keeper protects the goal area. Note: Should the ball hit the post and return into play, it is play on.

Teams: Fifteen a side on the ground – 6 defenders, 6 forwards, 2 midfielders and the goalkeeper with 8 interchange players.

Out of bounds: There are no boundary throw ins – a free kick is awarded against the team which last touches the ball.

Field of play: The ground shape is a rectangle for International Rules rather than an oval as in AFL. It is approximately 145 metres in length and 90 metres in width. Only two players per team are allowed in the centre for the start of play.

Ball on ground: A player on the ground or on his knees may not pick the ball up – he can knock on only.

Solo run: A player must bounce or touch the ball on the ground at least once every 10 metres and is allowed a maximum of 2 bounces. However, he may solo run (play the ball from hand to foot to hand) as many times as he likes.

Tackling: The modified arm tackles (below shoulders and above thighs) is allowed in International Rules, however tackling by one arm or swinging an opponent to the ground, is now allowed.

Bumping: Side to side (shoulder) bumps are allowed provided neither player is airbourne. However players cannot shirt-front or shepherd no matter where the ball is.

2003

Saturday, October 25, 2003

International Rules
Slick Aussies give harsh lesson to Irish

It was no surprise to see Ireland fail in the opening Test at Subiaco Oval on Friday night, according to the Dublin newspaper The Examiner which noted the absence of several key players with a proven track in this code.

The combination of poor passing and sloppy finishing by Ireland, compared to the consistency of Australia over three of the four quarters, was highly influenced by the powerful forward 194cm and 99kg BARRY HALL, and meant the outcome was inevitable.

Craig O'Donohue reported in The West Australian: Down 14 points at quarter time, incidents in the second quarter sparked Australia and with an unstoppable attack led by Hall went on to kick three goals (Chris Johnson, Brad Johnson and Shane Crawford) and gain a 10 point win in front of 41,228 excited fans.

Lenny Hayes, Brett Kirk and Brent Harvey were on fire in the midfield while Glen Jakovich overcame a poor start and was superb as goalkeeper when the pressure was applied.

Mark Bickley and Matthew Scarlett were later reported and will face the Tribunal on Wednesday. The panel will consist of former Hawthorn footballer and solictor Richard Loveridge, the AFL's legal advisor Andrew Dillon, and Pat Daly, the Gaelic Athletic Association's major games manager.

Ireland and Australia will face each other again in the Second Test to be played at the MCG on Friday night.

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Saturday, November 1, 2003

International Rules
Ireland wins 2nd Test, but Aussies take the series

Of the many anomalies in the collage of Australian and Gaelic football, one of the more curious is how a team can lose a match yet immediately celebrate.

CHIP LE GRAND reported in The Australian today such was Australia's fate at the MCG last night after they lost by three points but finished up winning the series by a combined margin of seven points over the two Tests.

In a pattern that has become the norm in International Rules, the Irish amateurs adapted their game best to the wintry conditions and took an early stranglehold on the match before Australia's full-time professionals, with superior fitness produced a barnstorming finish.

By the time the final siren sounded, an exhausted Ireland had watched a 17-point lead at three-quarter time whittled down to a single kick.

Australia's Barry Hall while benched in the second term, when Ireland raced to a 22-1 lead, he could not be kept quiet all night and was a central figure in the final quarter comeback, kicking the first over for the term and running roughshod over the tiring Irish defence.

Newly signed Richmond forward Nathan Brown also produced a brilliant final term cameo, scoring three overs in as many minutes.

Subject to approval by both boards, the series has been extended through until 2012, during which time the series is expected to become a three-Test format.

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The full panel is :
Stephen Cluxton, Brian Cullen, Alan Brogan (Dublin)
Stephen McDonnell, Philip Loughran (Armagh)
Tomás O'Sé, Eoin Brosnan, Paul Galvin (Kerry)
Tadhg Kennelly (Kerry-Sydney Swans)
Setanta O'hAilpín (Cork-Carlton)
Sean Óg O'hAilpín, Graham Canty (Cork)
Brendan Coulter (Down)
Ciaran McDonald, James Nallen, David Heaney (Mayo)
Sean Martin Lockhart (Derry)
Ciaran McManus (Offaly)
Declan Browne (Tipperary)
Mattie Forde (Wexford)
Tom Kelly (Laois)
Padraig Joyce, Joe Bergin (Galway)
Brian McGuigan Sean Cavanagh (Tyrone)
Dessie Dolan (Westmeath)

On stand:
Mickey McVeigh (Down)
Denis Glennon, Rory O'Connell (Westmeath)
Martin McGrath (Fermanagh)

Thursday, October 14, 2004

International Rules
AUSSIES WIN WARM-UP GAME
The Australians had a 10-point win against a combined team from Dublin clubs on Wednesday afternoon at Parnell Park.

St Kilda's Nick Riewoldt was a standout, playing with flair and scoring three overs, each worth three points.

Among those to impress in the warm-up to the first Test were Andrew Embley, Adam McPhee, Nathan Brown and Robert Haddrill.

Australia: 19, 30, 40 – 1.12.9– 51
Dublin: 11, 20, 26, 41

Goal (6 points): Matthew Lappin. Overs (3 points): Nick Riewoldt 3, Brad Green 3, Joel Bowden 2, Luke Ball, Matthew Lappin, Adam McPhee, Nathan Brown, James Hird, Nick Dal Santo.

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Australia will lose its first series to the Irish since 2001 unless it can win by an even more comprehensive margin next Sunday after a performance that at times bordered on embarrassing, the touring side not only shown up for skill, but pace and teamwork as well. Even Australia's renowned aggression could make little difference, the visitors not getting close enough to their opponents to make their edge in tackling a factor.

Ireland set up its 77-41 win with a blistering opening term, in which it slammed on 25 points before Australia managed its first "over", worth three points. From then on, the visitors were chasing their tails, several times rallying briefly only for the Irish to inevitably hit back with a succession of scores, including three six-point goals, the Aussie defence all at sea against the impressive local forward set-up.

Ireland had won the first quarter in the previous seven clashes between the countries. But as much as Australian coach Garry Lyon stressed to his players the importance of a good start pre-game, it made little difference.

The Irish were on fire right from the start, kicking six overs within the first 10 minutes, while Australia could manage only one paltry behind. Ireland's superior skill with the round ball was obvious, the visitors continually turning the ball over, while the Irish ran and passed it brilliantly.

Key forward Dessie Dolan was unstoppable early with three of those six three-pointers, the wind taken out of his sails only after a heavy collision with Sydney's Jared Crouch. And when fellow forward Stephen McDonald received a nice cross and ran into an open goal to blast the ball past Australian goalkeeper Mal Michael to make the score 25-2, the visitors looking set to be on the wrong end of a hiding.

It took Australia 15 minutes for its first over, through vice-captain Nathan Brown, and while the titleholders began the second quarter with a little more composure, Luke Ball kicking another three-pointer on five minutes, Ireland showed impressive resistance. The visitors began to generate more run through midfield, but poor kicking proved costly, even skipper James Hird blasting one shot well wide of even the point posts.

Irish forward Mattie Forde began to impose himself on the action, booting a three-pointer, and then only minutes later beating a tackle and thumping the ball past a helpless Michael from 15 metres for the second goal of the game. Adam McPhee managed a mark and over right on the half-time siren, but Australia, even with its superior fitness and strength, was already in need of a minor miracle, still trailing by 30 points.

And it will need an even bigger one now to have any hope of winning its third international rules series in a row.

President Sean Kelly is seeking support to switch the structure of the Coca-Cola International Rules Series from a two-test to a three-test competition.

With Ireland's resounding 77-41 victory over the Aussies on Sunday, it seems that this year's series is now over with just one test played. However, a three-match series decided on test wins and not aggregate scoring, would keep the series alive - at least until the second test.

"I still believe it's worth exploring. I know there are time difficulties in both countries, but we could look at the possibility of playing a third test under lights in mid-week," he said.

"We’ll be moving towards more floodlit GAA venues over the coming years, so we could play one of the tests outside Dublin while obviously there’s no problem with night games in Australia because they have so many floodlit grounds.

"People will argue if one side won the first two tests, the third would be irrelevant, but I still think it's a fairer test than adding the scores from two games together. This is an excellent series, so it makes sense to have three games when teams travel so far."

The International Rules Series has been played on an aggregate basis since its revival in 1998. The series of 1984, 1986, 1987 and 1990, were three-test competitions.

from GAA website

Monday, October 25, 2004

International Rules – Second Test
Ireland claim the series

Ireland wrapped up the International Rules series against Australia in a physical Second Test played on Sunday afternoon at Croke Park in Dublin before a crowd of 60,515.

ROHAN CONNOLLY reported from Dublin in The Age: The Irish were jumped at the start by the fired-up visitors, stung by a barrage of criticism both here and at home after last week's dismal performance. But after looking rattled for a while, the home team's superior skills again shone through, while Australia, despite a far more aggressive attack on the football this time, once more struggled to use the unfamiliar round ball.

It was a far more switched-on Australia than last Sunday, the visitors' tackling intense, and Nathan Brown again on fire. The clever small forward scored three overs in the first quarter after Luke Ball had opened the scoring. Australia quickly established a six-point lead, but the Irish eventually found their feet.

While Australia played its best football last week in the third term, it was the home side that did so this week, its decisive burst ensuring that it not only won the battle, but the war as well.

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But the start of this game was not only like a major pyrotechnics display, but the most gripping of dramatic plots, with a touch of Benny Hill thrown in before Ireland went on to win 55-41.

The fireworks came not just on cue, but before it, a tangle between Australian hard man Dean Solomon and the ponytailed blond Irish equivalent of Dermott Brereton, Ciaran McDonald, before the game had even started sparking an all-in stoush involving most of the players on the ground.

Barely had proceedings got underway before the drama began to unfold, Australian captain James Hird was sent from the field after a minute as the fired-up visitors attempted to overhaul a 36-point leeway and briefly looked a chance to do so after scoring three three-point overs in the first 10 minutes, setting up an early six-point lead.

The comic farce just topped it off, a small dog invading the pitch and, for some reason, allowed to remain there for at least the next five minutes, twice interfering with play, before one Irish ground official finally pounced on the mutt and removed it from the arena.

The first quarter was also, more importantly, filled with the sort of fast and flowing football which can make the international rules brand so entertaining to watch. For 20-odd minutes, there was so much going on it was difficult to know exactly where to look.

In past years, the physical pressure applied to the Irish by the Australians would have sent the home side into an anxious spin.

But this year Ireland was made of far sterner stuff. It absorbed the punishment, then counterpunched with aplomb. Come the start of the second half, it was the home team delivering the knockout blow.

That was courtesy mainly of its captain Padraig Joyce, whose brilliance with the round ball shone through with two overs and the game's only goal in the third quarter.

Ireland slammed on four overs in the first six minutes of the term, and when Joyce ran into goal and slotted the ball to the right of goalkeeper Mal Michael, Ireland suddenly led by 12 points, and its aggregate lead had ballooned to nearly 50.

This was a much better performance by the Australians, but their lack of skill with the round ball was again the fatal flaw.

Perhaps the visitors should take lessons from vice-captain Nathan Brown, a deserving Jim Stynes Medal winner as his team's best player of the series. He looks as at home and dangerous as in his native game and was consistently the only Australian forward scoring when it mattered, his seven overs out of his side's 13 a magnificent effort.

The locals have always had the talent; now they have the resilience to go with it. As the pesky canine who overstayed his welcome proved, even their pets can match it with us these days.

2004 TOUR IN REVIEW

THE BEST
No question about Nathan Brown winning the Jim Stynes Medal as Australia's best player. The team vice-captain was a cut above nearly all his teammates with the unfamiliar ball, his accuracy in front of goals unerring, his seven overs on Sunday accounting for half his team's score.

THE DISAPPOINTMENTS
Australia's defence struggled, Craig Bolton and Robert Haddrill at times all at sea against quicker and more skillful Irish opponents. The touring team's seeming inability to improve its disposal after two weeks on the track also proved frustrating.

THE UNFORTUNATE
Two standouts. Matthew Lappin's smartness near goal was never allowed an opportunity after he was injured in the first warm-up game and missed both Tests. Sydney's Jared Crouch broke a collarbone in the first Test, returning home the next day.

THE IMPROVEMENTS?
See disappointments. It was lack of touch with the round ball that killed Australia in 2004, some players perhaps underestimating the difficulty of the transition.

HIGHLIGHT
Sunday's opening quarter was an absolute ripper - a pre-match fight, some send-offs, a couple of near goals which hit the post, the comic farce of a dog's appearance on the pitch and most importantly, some fast, flowing and fantastic football.

LOWLIGHT
The headlong rush to brand the Australians as disinterested party-goers because of their first-Test thrashing. Those who actually watched the group train and play can vouch for their commitment.

International Rules
IRELAND LOSES TADHG KENNELLY
Ireland is coming to grips with the loss from its squad of Sydney's Tadhg Kennelly who will miss with an ankle injury.

Mark Stevens reports in the Herald Sun that Kennelly's scratching came as a shock to Irish manager Pete McGrath, who had been planning to unleash the 24-year-old against the Australians in Ireland's bid to win the two-game series, scheduled for Subiaco Oval on October 21 and at Docklands on October 28.

The team will be captained by Padraig Joyce, of Galway, who has represented Ireland nine times in the hybrid game.

Irish squad: Sean Cavanagh (Tyrone), Brian Dooher (Tyrone), Philip Jordan (Tyrone), Brian McGuigan (Tyrone), Ryan McMenamin (Tyrone), Eoin Mulligan (Tyrone), Stephen O'Neill (Tyrone), Eoin Brosnan (Kerry), Colm Cooper (Kerry), Tomas O Se (Kerry), Graham Canty (Cork), Anthony Lynch (Cork), Sean Og O'hAilpin (Cork), Michael McVeigh (Down), Brendan Coulter (Down), David Heaney (Mayo), Ciaran McDonald (Mayo), Padraig Joyce (Galway, captain), Michael Meehan (Galway), Tom Kelly (Laois), Ross Munnelly (Laois), Ronan Clarke (Armagh), Bryan Cullen (Dublin), Dessie Dolan (Westmeath), Mattie Forde (Wexford), Ciaran McManus (Offaly), Sean Martin Lockhart (Derry).

Australia is expected to name its squad next week before it enters its training camp at Busselton. Coach Kevin Sheedy with selectors Gerard Healy and Rod Austin are considering their options.

THE value of International Rules has long been in the eye of the beholder.

While some see the annual series as little more than a curiosity, others consider it a genuine and worthy form of national representation. But one thing beyond argument is the influence hybrid rules has had on the indigenous football codes of both countries.

When the first Australian team arrived in Dublin in 1967, tour organiser Harry Beitzel warned Irish reporters: "We will change the way you play your game."

As Australia and Ireland prepare for tonight's latest rematch at Subiaco Oval, it is doubtful that even Beitzel would have envisaged the way both codes have been shaped by this unlikely sporting exchange.

If you visited Ireland and watched a Gaelic county match 20 years ago, you would have seen players taking free-kicks off the ground, a general fitness and conditioning level no better than amateur, suburban football and an antiquated system of referees keeping time, coaches being unable to bring substituted players back on and almost no examples of the overhead mark or "high fielding" as it is known locally.

Go to an Irish county match in another five years and you could see Gaelic players flying for marks and taking set shots for goal out of their hands. The players will be highly conditioned endurance and power athletes; faster and stronger than ever before. A runner will relay messages from the coach and a time clock will trigger the final siren. If a player is reported, he will be referred to a disciplinary tribunal.

Sound familiar? Some of it has already happened and some of it is being considered by the GAA, the governing body for Gaelic football and hurling. They are radical changes and the GAA is conservative by nature. But as Irish coach Pete McGrath said yesterday, sporting codes must evolve or stagnate.

"When people ask me what could Gaelic football take out of the International Rules, what I would say and what most people would say is the mark," McGrath said. "Even if it was just in the middle third of the field, it would encourage high catching and reward the man who has made the clear catch."

Pat Daly, the head of games for the GAA, said the 1990 rule change allowing free-kicks to be taken from the hands rather than off the ground is the most significant change of the past 20 years.

Having worked closely with the AFL's Kevin Sheehan to revise the hybrid rules, Daly confirmed that other AFL-influenced reforms were being considered. These include the introduction of team runners, an interchange bench and a time clock, and further changes to the tribunal system, which was modelled on the old AFL system two years ago.

At the same time, International Rules has influenced the rule-makers of Australian football, though more by interpretation than reform. Sheehan believes reduced tolerance towards players diving on the ball can be traced to Gaelic football, in which players are prohibited from picking the ball up once they have lost their feet. Such a rule was trialled in last year's pre-season competition, along with a continuation in play after the ball hits the post.

In the past five years, the charging rule has led to the virtual eradication of the traditional "shirt-front" and greater limits on the use of the hip and shoulder bump generally. In Gaelic football, only "shoulder-to-shoulder" side-on contact is prohibited.

The contemporary style of both games is also converging, with a shared emphasis on retaining possession, running the lines and finding smaller, mobile forwards in space rather than hulking key forwards in a crowd of players.

"Some of our coaches have looked at basketball and how they put numbers back and now that we have got respect for the Gaelic Athletic Association and their coaches, people like Sheedy and others will be moved to look at some of their strategies in terms of ball movement and deep defence," Sheehan said.

McGrath said the most direct influence of International Rules on Ireland's players and coaches was the recent improvements in conditioning, weight training and use of sports science. When the International Rules concept was reintroduced in 1998 after an eight-year hiatus, the relative size, strength and speed of the Australian players made a lasting impact on the Irish amateurs.

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Australia seem assured to regain the Corman McAnnallen trophy following their domination of Ireland in the First Test played on Friday night at Subiaco Oval in Perth before a crowd of 39,098.

Paul Gough for Sportal reported Kevin Sheedy pulled off one of the greatest coaching triumphs in his long career after his hand-picked "speed team" destroyed Ireland to record the biggest score in the history of the competition since the hybrid concept started between the two countries in 1984.

Fleet-footed players such as Aaron Davey, Andrew Lovett, Nathan Eagleton and Luke Hodge were in their element, proving far too quick for their Irish opponents, who went into the match as favourites after humbling Australia in two Tests last year.

After being rattled by Australia's pace, the Aussies allowed the Irish lads to score frequently in the fourth quarter but still cruised to a massive 36 point victory.

Mark Stevens noted in the Herald Sun: The decision to pick a team suited to the hybrid game rather than giving All-Australian players first option to play was vindicated spectacularly.

The victory was so emphatic, the concept itself could be under threat. If this Australian team was so hot after a week of training, how good will it be by the time it tours Ireland next year?

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u In the overall head-to-head since 1984 – Australia trail Ireland
by one Test (12 to 13)
by one series (5 to 6)
by 33 points (1515 to 1548)

u Only one of the first nine series up to 2002 was won by the home side, Ireland in 1998.

u Australia trail Ireland in Australia by 46 points
Ireland trail Australia in Ireland by 13 points

u Ireland have generally scored more 'goals' (unders, 6 points) than Australia. The 2002 and 2003 series are the exceptions.

u Australia's 27 'overs' (3 points) in the 2005 First Test in Perth smashed the previous record of 18 in a match set in 1984.

u Australia have not scored more than 27 'overs' in a series since 2000.
The most 'overs' in a two Test series is 30 by Ireland in 2001 and 2004.

International Rules summary

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Paul Gough reporting for Sportal for afl.com.au notes the AFL and the Gaelic Athletic Association (GAA) on Thursday dismissed any concerns over biased decisions from Australian umpire Mathew James during last Friday's first Foster's International Rules Test in Perth.

After Ireland suffered a record 36 point loss, the Irish press accused James of unfairly favouring the Australian team during the match in which the home side became the first to ever score 100 points in a Test – leaving the Irish a huge task to win the series in Friday night's second Test in Melbourne.

However a review of the first Test by the AFL-GAA control committee led by the AFL's Kevin Sheehan and the GAA's Pat Daly has praised the performances of the two umpires, James and Ireland's David Coldrick.

Their review of the match revealed that just seven incorrect frees were paid in the match, compared to a total of 51 correct decisions, while only two free-kicks were incorrectly missed during the match.

Australia 0.18.9 – 63
Ireland 0.11.9 – 42

Ireland refused to be intimidated by Australia in the Second Test played at Docklands Stadium on Friday night in front of 45,428 fans. The Aussies made a clean sweep of the series with an aggregate margin of 57 points.

Paul Gough noted for Sportal that the home side's victory was overshadowed by a series of running battles between the teams which was in complete contrast to the first Test when the Irish were crushed in Perth.

Right from the outset the Irish showed they weren't going to be intimated and the niggly affair exploded halfway through the second term.

Chip Le Grand for The Australian reported the night, and to some extent the series, will again be remembered for a single, savage act by an Australian player, justified neither by the context of the match nor the series.

This time it was Chris Johnson, a decorated and wonderfully combative player for Brisbane for the best part of a decade, who took out Philip Jordan with a right swinging arm as the Tyrone defender was turning upfield. The force of the blow, delivered in true "coat hanger" style, lifted Jordan off his feet and slammed his head into the turf.

Irish referee Michael Collins was already reaching for a red card when Johnson, Australia's captain for the night, swung at Irish forward Mattie Forde, who had come in to remonstrate. From there, Johnson turned his attention to Anthony Lynch and other, as a fierce melee ensured.

The ramification for Johnson, apart from having to sit out the rest of last night's game is a match review panel sitting to decide an appropriate penalty. At the very least, it should cost him a trip to Ireland.

The broader impact is the damage that Johnson and his Australian team-mates have done to this annual series of inter-code exhibition matches.

With Johnson looking on, the third quarter degenerated into a series of rolling brawls. It is always hard to know who starts what in these circumstances but, by the end of the match, Luke Hodge had let fly several right hands to the head of Ciaran McManus; Trent Croad had been yellow-carded; Darren Milburn had shoved his own team runner to the ground and Ryan O'Keefe had unintentionally poleaxed referee Collins.

The Irish remained loosely in the match until three-quarter time but, in the final 20 minutes, Australia's greater composure and superior fitness threatened to turn the game into a rout. By the final siren, the Irish were too tired to run and simply tired of fighting.

Martin Windsor-Black
UPDATE: AUSTRALIA v IRELAND
It's taken 6 attempts, but finally Australia have won in Melbourne – in the first match of the hybrid series to be played under a roof.

Since Ireland's win in 1986 at Waverley, the margin has steadily moved in Australia's favour – it was only a matter of time.

Ireland won by 16 points in the 2nd Test of 1986 at Waverley
Ireland won by 9 points in the 1st Test of 1990 at Waverley
Ireland won by 8 points in the 1st Test of 1999 at MCG
Ireland won by 6 points in the 1st Test of 2001 at MCG
Ireland won by 3 points in the 2nd Test of 2003 at MCG

Australia have won by 21 points in the 2nd Test of 2005 at Docklands
Australia's score of 0.18.9-63 is their highest score in Melbourne beating their 0.16.14-62 in the 1st Test of 1999 at MCG
Ireland's score of 0.11.9-42 is their lowest score in Melbourne - beating their 0.12.11-47 in the 1st Test of 1990 at Waverley.
Ireland's score of 0.11.9-42 equals their lowest ever score from the Drawn 2nd Test of 2002 at Croke Park when they scored 1.8.12-42 to Australia's 1.11.3-42.

This was the 3rd goalless game  (no 'unders') between the two countries.

The first was the 1st Test of 1990 at Waverley in which Ireland won 0.12.11-47 to Australia 0.10.8-38.

The second was the 3rd Test of 1990 at the WACA in which Australia won 0.13.11-50 to Ireland's 0.12.8-44.

The Overall Standings are now –
Series: Australia 6, Ireland 6
Tests: Australia 13, Ireland 13, Drawn 2
Scores: Australia 30.370.288-1578, Ireland 61.317.273-1590 

So, Australia have drawn level on Series and Tests won and just 12 points separates the two from 28 Tests.

WHITEWASHES
Australia have now won two series 2-0, 2000 in Ireland (aggregate margin: 25pts) and 2005 in Australia (agg mgn: 57pts).

Ireland have also won two series 2-0, 2001 in Australia (agg mgn: 25pts) and 2004 in Ireland (agg mgn: 50pts).

THE roof was closed in the Telstra Dome yesterday, but it didn't stop the sky falling in on Ireland's bid to salvage something from the second International Rules test.

The series was already lost when Ireland took a 36-point deficit to Melbourne, but the plan was to rescue something from the adventure by beating the Australians.

For a time, it looked as if might actually happen as Ireland led through much of the first quarter, but once the Australians accelerated in the second quarter, they quickly opened up a lead which they never surrendered.

Ireland played better than in the first test, but were still comprehensively beaten in a game where Australia's return to physical intimidation sickened the Irish team and their large band of supporters in the crowd of 45,488.

Philip Jordan was almost decapitated by a straight-arm tackle from Chris Johnson which earned the Aussie co-captain a red card. Anthony Lynch and Mattie Forde were among other Irish players who took nasty knocks as Australia set about bullying their way to victory. It left Irish manager Peter McGrath seething angrily, describing the Australians' behaviour as "utterly unacceptable".

"Some of the tackling that went on out there had nothing to do with sport," he said. "The truth is that we had amateur players in a high-risk situation. It's simply not good enough when a player's life and limb are put at serious risk," said McGrath.

However, it's important to separate the Australians' ghastly behaviour from their football skills. While Ireland have every right to be furious over the dangerous approach adopted by the Australians, it had absolutely nothing to do with their victories in either Perth or Melbourne.

The return of gratuitous violence is a matter for the GAA at boardroom level, but it shouldn't be allowed to totally overshadow the harsh reality that Ireland lost the series by a record margin of 57 points (163-106), having been given a lesson in the art of kicking the ball, an area where Gaelic footballers are supposed to have an advantage.

Over the two tests, Australia beat Ireland 45-22 in three-

pointers (points in Gaelic football), a truly staggering statistic. And their foot-passing, ball retention and general movement were also light years ahead of the Irish.

Quite simply, Ireland travelled to Australia with the same game plan that proved so successful last year ... and you aren't going to fool the Aussies with the same trick twice.

But if McGrath has to take the blame for re-heating last year's dish while the Australians were going for a completely new recipe, many of the Irish players must take responsibility too, having came nowhere near their peak.

Pádraic Joyce, Ciaran McDonald, Graham Canty, Sean Marty Lockhart, Ciaran McManus, Mattie Forde, Brian McGuigan and Seán Óg Ó hÁilpín were way down on 2004, while it really didn't work out for newcomers Mickey McVeigh, Michael Meehan, Owen Mulligan, Stephen O'Neill and Colm Cooper. There was huge interest in the 'Gooch' in Australia on the basis of his reputation as a Gaelic footballer but, frankly, he looked totally unsuited to the mixed game.

It was left to Tom Kelly, Seán Cavanagh, Anthony Lynch, Benny Coulter, Brian Dooher and Ronan Clarke to provide most inspiration. Kelly, who was outstanding at full-back yesterday, was named as Ireland's best player, a richly deserved honour, while his Laois colleague Ross Munnelly also turned into a fine performance yesterday after being omitted from the squad for the first test.

Ireland worked hard at sorting out the problems which afflicted them in Perth and they duly led 13-11 at the end of the first quarter. They really should have been much further ahead, but, once again, they were betrayed by poor finishing.

Australia's best period was the second quarter which they won 20-5, which left them leading 31-18 at half-time. Ireland rallied in the third quarter and cut the lead to six points to trail 40-32 after an hour, but they had missed some good goal chances and also had one ruled out for reasons best known to an inconsistent Australian referee. Their poor scoring rate proved costly as Australia powered up again in the final quarter which they won 23-10.

McGrath – who insisted that he was delighted by the pride shown by the Irish team – will definitely be replaced as manager for next year, if there is a next year. It's also likely that at least half the squad have played their final game for Ireland. The 57-point series defeat has seen to that.

"GAA has little option ..."
DAN OAKES, The Age, October 31, 2005

Pictures of Australian hard man Chris Johnson standing over two prone Irishmen at Telstra Dome have sparked loud calls in Ireland for the Gaelic Athletic Association to pull the pin on the hybrid game.

"On the evidence of what appeared to me to be a cleverly premeditated plan by the Australians to smash up the Irish team in the third quarter of the game, I believe the GAA has little option but to cancel next year's proposed series," former coach Eugene McGee wrote in the Irish Independent.

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In the Letters page of The Age, October 31, one said –

Aussie thuggery was just not footy
I WAS appalled at the carry on of what could hardly be described as a football game between Australia and Ireland in the international rules series on Friday night. This fighting would have been broken up by police if it had occurred anywhere else in Melbourne on the same evening.

The first match a week earlier was fine, Ireland lost on footballing terms. Friday night's second match was different: it was unfriendly and was an absolute disgrace, mainly for Australians as your players lost the plot completely, starting fights, fouling late all over the field. The "sport" was reduced to just fighting at times, and as the Irish players were outsized because they were picked for their footballing skills, the Aussies, being poorly reffed and controlled, were allowed to run riot.

Do we – Australia and Ireland – want a football match, do we want to see skills, or do we want to see fighting? If all we want is a fight, Ireland can send over our kick-boxing and boxing teams and let's just have a fight. No one will say this series will be remembered for any of the footy, or for creating links. How can we show this to the kids of today and expect them to benefit?

I think all those involved in the Gaelic Athletic Association should now halt this series for the moment and review it seriously. This was not a celebration of football; this was a complete and utter disgrace. Shame.
Martin Kelly, Dublin, Ireland

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Three letters which appeared in The Irish Times on November 2 –

Madam, – I'm an Aussie with dual Irish/Oz citizenship. I am ashamed and disgusted at the thuggish criminal behaviour of a couple of the Australian International Rules players recently. This sort of violence has crept into Australian Rules football and is not checked. In fact, it is highlighted and encouraged by the Aussie media. It is alienating a whole generation of parents who will now not let their children play the sport, a very sad outcome.

The majority of Australians are appalled by this violence in sport. Yours, etc,
MIKE FENTON, Bunbury, West Australia

Madam, – I am embarrassed and ashamed about the disgraceful display of violence against your country's football players last Friday night. I could not believe what I was watching and I urge the Irish to cancel all further matches against Australia immediately.

In our media today there has been an outcry against the dreadful behaviour in the game, and I want your readers to know that many Australians abhor what took place.

I hope that the stupidity of a few does not lessen your regard for the rest of us.
Sincere apologies, Yours, etc,
ELIZABETH JAMES, Clarinda, Victoria

Madam, – ... You have to ask the question: what was the Irish football association thinking of, to put their courageous amateur boys up against professionals like this? Of course it was going to expose them to injury. Every Australian watching the game was wincing, seeing within two minutes what was going to happen.

The Irish boys didn't deserve this treatment: it was just good luck that no one was seriously injured. As it was, they earned the admiration of Australian sports fans (not easy to come by) for their courage in standing up, whatever the personal cost. No one would have blamed them if they'd have walked away; but they didn't.
Yours, etc,
GEOFF WELLS, Adelaide, South Australia

The disappointment from Australian fans – who admittedly took an encouraging interest in the series, which led to big crowds and fabulous ratings – at what took place at Telstra Dome continued even yesterday, according to this newspaper's reader feedback services. And, while the AFL has tried to push aside the controversy and the Gaelic footballers themselves remain more than keen to take on Australia again next year, the disgust at the home team's tactics has cast a dark cloud over a concept already regularly drenched with debate.

The Gaelic Athletic Association has maintained its rage since the series was completed, with the dismay more strongly felt among older and more conservative officials, along with the Irish media, which has continued to convey its disgust.

Each day in The Irish Times over the past week, angry local letters have been published along with the sort of abject apologies from Australians such as those published above.

The series will survive because the Irish players want it to, Kevin Sheedy has thrown his considerable clout behind it and champions from both sides will continue to believe in it enough to fight for it, despite the continuing lack of interest from more than the odd AFL coach.

But there will be changes next time around. Violent incidents such as Chris Johnson's ugly loss of control in future will have footballers sent from the ground for the entire game and not replaced. A penalty shot is likely to be implemented as part of the punishment in the hope that a certain six-point goal will deter players from resorting to vicious tactics because those who play this game truly want to win.

The AFL and the GAA, though, will stop short of suspending players from their own national competition in the belief that, certainly from the Australian point of view, the threat of such a punishment would put off even more players here from taking part. This is unfortunate but then so much of the international rules series, by definition, reeks of compromise.

Last year, the tour of Ireland had the unfortunate imprint of junket all over it and this time we have the shadow of violence.

Equally disappointing has been the subtle lack of accountability on the part of the Australian team, which has continued to point the finger at the Irish. On the one hand, Johnson is said to be dreadfully remorseful and yet on the other, the Irish are being accused of shin-kicking, squirrel-gripping and of intimidating Johnson's young Aboriginal teammate Aaron Davey. These are professional footballers, for heaven's sake.

The AFL has endeavoured time and time again over decades now to spread the word internationally and take our great game overseas. And yet a regular reading of the Irish newspapers over the past week would indicate the game right now is known for one thing and one thing only, while our players, for all their brilliance, are simply regarded as bullies.

In the cable, sent last week to the Foreign Affairs department in Canberra, the embassy said it had been besieged with angry calls – as well as threats of violence – from Irish fans incensed about Australia's heavy-handed tactics in the series.

As the acrimonious fallout from the series extended to diplomatic level, the cable said the phone calls, which ranged from "moderate to abusive and threatening", were unanimous in condemning the physical punishment meted out by the Australians.

Of concern to the AFL, the cable also referred to some callers "threatening violence" against the Australian team the next time it toured Ireland, scheduled for late next year.

It also noted that no other issue in Ireland in recent years had "generated this level of negative feeling" towards Australia, mentioning in particular the level of anger on talkback radio.

The chief culprit in the second-quarter melee, Brisbane Lion Chris Johnson, will face the tribunal via videolink tonight.

It is the severe way in which Johnson dealt with Philip Jordan, then Mattie Forde, that has sparked much of the outrage, not just in Ireland but in Australia.

Other Australian players, including Darren Milburn, Luke Hodge and Trent Croad, have also been criticised for their overly physical approach in the second Test. Letters to newspaper editors, and talkback calls to radio, have almost unanimously decried the tactics.

But it is only Johnson, the Australian co-captain, who will face the tribunal after being reported by Irish referee Michael Collins for striking Jordan and Forde at Telstra Dome last Friday week.

Tribunal member Richard Loveridge will chair the panel, while Kevin Sheehan will represent the AFL and Pat Daly the Gaelic Athletic Association.

The AFL has downplayed the significance of the violence but the league has changed the competition's rules so that players sent off in future will not be allowed back on the ground, nor will they be replaced. A penalty shot from close range is likely to be implemented in the hope that a certain six-point goal will act as a deterrent.

While not discounting the threat of retribution on Australia's next tour, it is believed the Foreign Affairs department is not overly concerned by the threats of violence .

AFL football operations manager Adrian Anderson said last night he was unaware of any increased security risk in Ireland. "I had hoped the government would let us know if they think there's an issue there," he said.

Locally, the treasurer of the Gaelic Athletic Association in Melbourne, Dermott Lamb, said his club was disappointed by the actions of some of the Australian players and called for a review of the competition's rules.

"I think they need to sit down and work out the rules again," he said. "The roughness needs to be taken out of the game, the tackling needs to be refined and players need to be penalised with suspensions in their own code."

Australia's co-captain CHRIS JOHNSON was suspended for five international games for his actions during the Second Test against Ireland on October 28.

The severe penalty was handed down by the joint sitting of AFL and GAA members of the tribunal on Thursday night in a telephone link-up between Dublin and Melbourne.

Johnson pleaded guilty to striking Philip Jordan and Mattie Forde in the second quarter, when both Irish players in statements said they were lucky to have escaped serious injury.

The AFL-GAA jointly issued a change of rules for future International Rules matches.

“When a player receives a red card the player concerned takes no further part in the game and a penalty kick (on the 13 metre line) regardless of where the offence occurred – will be awarded to the opposition and a replacement player can only be introduced after 20 minutes has elapsed from the time the penalty is awarded.”

Should the International Rules series be scrapped?

Yes  38%

No  62%

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Boylan's fellow Meathman Graham Geraghty was stretchered off the pitch after a dozen minutes, after pre-match warnings that Geraghty would be targeted today.

Australia won 69-31, and claimed the series on aggregate by 30 points. The first Test in Galway last weekend ended 48-40 in favour of the home side.

Boylan was bitterly upset and branded the Australian behaviour as ‘unacceptable’: “I’ve been involved in team management for 23 year, and played inter-county for 20, and as far as I’m concern what happened out there today in the first quarter was unacceptable in any code or spirit. It’s not acceptable on the street.

“All week Graham has been targeted. We were told what was going to happen to him and the people got their way,” he said.

Australia manager Kevin Sheedy however, leapt to the defence of his players saying that they had themselves received overly rough treatment from their opponents in the opening quarter.

The Age this morning reports Australia triumphed 3.15.6 (69) to Ireland's 0.7.10 (31) to win the series by 30 points on aggregate and retain the Cormac McAnallen Cup in front of a sellout crowd of more than 82,000.

Several fights broke out in a spiteful first quarter, the first before the starting siren sounded.

Play was stopped for several minutes in the opening term while Graham Geraghty – Ireland's danger man – was stretchered off after he was tackled by Australia's Danyle Pearce and hit his head on the ground as he was brought down.

The incident, which left Geraghty in hospital, was sure to infuriate Irish team officials after the Australians had said during the week he would be targeted.

That had followed a strong first-game performance from Geraghty, who was cleared of rough play by the tribunal in the lead-up to this match following a clash with Lindsay Gilbee in the series opener.
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