Gaelic Football and Aussie Rules hybrid test series
Ireland beat Australia by three points in the second International Rules test match, but lost the series overall, after the Aussies had taken a ten point aggregate lead into the match.
Just like the first test, Ireland started the stronger and stormed into an early lead - 7 points to 1. Steven McDonell then extended that lead when he got under a high looping ball in the Aussie box, and beat goalkeeper Glen Jakovich to the ball to punch it to the net.
Things got even better for Ireland when Beano McDonald calmly slotted the ball into the back of the net after being played into space by a sweet soccer style cross from Brendan Coulter.
The home-side then had a goal disallowed when a long ball beat everyone on the bounce and rippled the back of the net, but the referee had spotted a foul on Irish goalkeeper Enda Murphy.
The superior stamina of the Australians told in the first test as they took control of affairs in the second half, and at the start of the third quarter history looked like repeating itself. Brett Harvey found the net from a penalty after Graham Canty fouled in the area at the start of the third quarter and the Aussies were dominant.
However Ireland came storming back and 'overs' from Joyce and McDonnell got them right back in the game. However, in the end fitness did prove to be a factor and as Ireland tired, Nathan Brown was on hand to take full advantage - knocking over three overs and they proved to be enough to give the series to Australia.
Australia 45-47 Ireland
Goals: 1-2
Overs: 10-9
Behinds: 9-6
Ireland beat Australia by three points in the second International Rules test match, but lost the series overall, after the Aussies had taken a ten point aggregate lead into the match.
Just like the first test, Ireland started the stronger and stormed into an early lead - 7 points to 1. Steven McDonell then extended that lead when he got under a high looping ball in the Aussie box, and beat goalkeeper Glen Jakovich to the ball to punch it to the net.
Things got even better for Ireland when Beano McDonald calmly slotted the ball into the back of the net after being played into space by a sweet soccer style cross from Brendan Coulter.
The home-side then had a goal disallowed when a long ball beat everyone on the bounce and rippled the back of the net, but the referee had spotted a foul on Irish goalkeeper Enda Murphy.
The superior stamina of the Australians told in the first test as they took control of affairs in the second half, and at the start of the third quarter history looked like repeating itself. Brett Harvey found the net from a penalty after Graham Canty fouled in the area at the start of the third quarter and the Aussies were dominant.
However Ireland came storming back and 'overs' from Joyce and McDonnell got them right back in the game. However, in the end fitness did prove to be a factor and as Ireland tired, Nathan Brown was on hand to take full advantage - knocking over three overs and they proved to be enough to give the series to Australia.
Australia 45-47 Ireland
Goals: 1-2
Overs: 10-9
Behinds: 9-6