Ireland 56 Australia 52
Ireland defeated Australia at Croke Park on Saturday night to win the Cormac McAnallen Cup. They led for much of the game, but took their foot off the pedal in the final quarter to make for an interesting finale.
Before throw-in those killed on Bloody Sunday, ninety-five years previosuly, were remembered at Croke Park. GAA President Aoghán Ó Fearghail placed a floral wreath on the spot where Micheal Hogan had been shot on that day, before a minute's silence was held, being observed impeccably by the 38,000 strong crowd.
Australia opened the scoring as a long ball from Hayden Ballantyne was caught cleanly by Robbie Gray on the twenty-one yard line. He placed the resulting free-kick straight over the bar.
But Ireland responded strongly to move into the lead. A Conor McManus ball from the right was challenged for by Bernard Brogan. He couldn't claim it cleanly, but Aidan O'Shea was there to smash the loose ball into the back of the net.
McManus and Diarmuid Connolly showed the natural advantage that Ireland players have, by using the round ball regularly, with well taken overs to push Ireland further ahead.
Eddie Betts got one over back for Australia, but O'Shea, and then Brogan twice pushed Ireland twelve ahead. Australia would have their own little purple patch to trail by just four early in the second quarter.
Four minutes into the second quarter Australian keeper Dustin Fletcher took the pressure off Ireland. It should be noted that keeper isn't a position that exists in the AFL, but he came way off his line to block a Brogan effort. Although successful in that regard, the ball spilled to O'Shea who, as he had in the first quarter, blasted the ball to the net. Despite all that Australian effort, Ireland still led by ten points at that stage.
Australia again responded as Betts scored an over and a behind, but poor marking in defence was undoing any good work being done by the visitors up front. Two overs from Brogan had Ireland twelve clear once more.
They followed this up with a penalty by McManus after McBrearty had been pushed against the post by Australian captain Luke Hodge.
A late over by Lee Keegan had Ireland twenty points clear at half-time. Australia needed a big response not to be annihilated at that stage.
Ireland were able to keep Australia very much at arm's length for much of the third quarter. Two overs from Robbie Gray had the gap down to fifteen, but Ireland responded, at what appeared to be their leisure, with overs from McManus, and his Monaghan team-mate Darren Hughes.
Just as it appeared that the game was petering out however, Australia woke up. Overs from Luke Breust, and two from Riewoldt saw them go into the final quarter just eleven points behind.
It took Australia over seven minutes to register the first score of the quarter, an over from Betts, and they followed this up with another over from Gray. With nine minutes to go there were eight points between the sides.
The next score crucially went to Ireland as first Brogan, and then McManus, failed to to score goals from inside the box. McManus's effort hit the crossbar and went over. Ireland followed this up with a Diarmuid Connolly behind, but Australia weren't going to lie down.
Betts punched a goal to the net, and with five minutes to go the gap was just six points; the closest it had been since the second quarter. When Gray scored an over soon afterwards Ireland looked to be in trouble.
Kerrigan put Brogan in with three minutes to go, but Fletcher was quick off the mark to tackle him. Ireland controlled possession for the final two minutes however and a late behind from Brogan meant Australia needed a goal. They never had the chance to get it, as the hosts closed out the game.
And so Ireland won their tenth series, and the Cormac McAnallen Cup was going to be staying in Ireland. The final ten minutes was exciting, but the previous sixty-odd minutes lacked the intensity of previous series. Whether it's enough to save the series remains to be seen. If Joe Kiernan and Brogan's views at the press conference were anything to go by, it has a long future ahead.
Ireland: Niall Morgan, Colm Begley, Gary Brennan, Bernard Brogan (c), Eoin Cadogan, Matthew Donnelly, Eoin Doyle, Peter Harte, Darren Hughes, Lee Keegan, Paul Kerrigan, Jack McCaffrey, Ciarán McDonald, Philly McMahon, Conor McManus, Rory O'Carroll, John O'Loughlin, Aidan O'Shea, Michael Quinn, Donnchadh Walsh, Diarmuid Connolly, Paul Cribbin, Patrick McBrearty
Australia: Hayden Ballantyne, Robert Murphy, Andrew Gaff, Jarryd Roughead, Sam Mitchell, Easton Wood, Harry Taylor, Jake Stringer, Brendon Goddard, Robbie Gray, Leigh Montagna, Nick Riewoldt, Grant Birchall, Luke Hodge (c), David Mundy, Eddie Betts, Dyson Heppell, Luke Breust, Dustin Fletcher (gk), Patrick Dangerfield, Tom Rockliff, Nick Smith
Before throw-in those killed on Bloody Sunday, ninety-five years previosuly, were remembered at Croke Park. GAA President Aoghán Ó Fearghail placed a floral wreath on the spot where Micheal Hogan had been shot on that day, before a minute's silence was held, being observed impeccably by the 38,000 strong crowd.
Australia opened the scoring as a long ball from Hayden Ballantyne was caught cleanly by Robbie Gray on the twenty-one yard line. He placed the resulting free-kick straight over the bar.
But Ireland responded strongly to move into the lead. A Conor McManus ball from the right was challenged for by Bernard Brogan. He couldn't claim it cleanly, but Aidan O'Shea was there to smash the loose ball into the back of the net.
McManus and Diarmuid Connolly showed the natural advantage that Ireland players have, by using the round ball regularly, with well taken overs to push Ireland further ahead.
Eddie Betts got one over back for Australia, but O'Shea, and then Brogan twice pushed Ireland twelve ahead. Australia would have their own little purple patch to trail by just four early in the second quarter.
Four minutes into the second quarter Australian keeper Dustin Fletcher took the pressure off Ireland. It should be noted that keeper isn't a position that exists in the AFL, but he came way off his line to block a Brogan effort. Although successful in that regard, the ball spilled to O'Shea who, as he had in the first quarter, blasted the ball to the net. Despite all that Australian effort, Ireland still led by ten points at that stage.
Australia again responded as Betts scored an over and a behind, but poor marking in defence was undoing any good work being done by the visitors up front. Two overs from Brogan had Ireland twelve clear once more.
They followed this up with a penalty by McManus after McBrearty had been pushed against the post by Australian captain Luke Hodge.
A late over by Lee Keegan had Ireland twenty points clear at half-time. Australia needed a big response not to be annihilated at that stage.
Ireland were able to keep Australia very much at arm's length for much of the third quarter. Two overs from Robbie Gray had the gap down to fifteen, but Ireland responded, at what appeared to be their leisure, with overs from McManus, and his Monaghan team-mate Darren Hughes.
Just as it appeared that the game was petering out however, Australia woke up. Overs from Luke Breust, and two from Riewoldt saw them go into the final quarter just eleven points behind.
It took Australia over seven minutes to register the first score of the quarter, an over from Betts, and they followed this up with another over from Gray. With nine minutes to go there were eight points between the sides.
The next score crucially went to Ireland as first Brogan, and then McManus, failed to to score goals from inside the box. McManus's effort hit the crossbar and went over. Ireland followed this up with a Diarmuid Connolly behind, but Australia weren't going to lie down.
Betts punched a goal to the net, and with five minutes to go the gap was just six points; the closest it had been since the second quarter. When Gray scored an over soon afterwards Ireland looked to be in trouble.
Kerrigan put Brogan in with three minutes to go, but Fletcher was quick off the mark to tackle him. Ireland controlled possession for the final two minutes however and a late behind from Brogan meant Australia needed a goal. They never had the chance to get it, as the hosts closed out the game.
And so Ireland won their tenth series, and the Cormac McAnallen Cup was going to be staying in Ireland. The final ten minutes was exciting, but the previous sixty-odd minutes lacked the intensity of previous series. Whether it's enough to save the series remains to be seen. If Joe Kiernan and Brogan's views at the press conference were anything to go by, it has a long future ahead.
Ireland: Niall Morgan, Colm Begley, Gary Brennan, Bernard Brogan (c), Eoin Cadogan, Matthew Donnelly, Eoin Doyle, Peter Harte, Darren Hughes, Lee Keegan, Paul Kerrigan, Jack McCaffrey, Ciarán McDonald, Philly McMahon, Conor McManus, Rory O'Carroll, John O'Loughlin, Aidan O'Shea, Michael Quinn, Donnchadh Walsh, Diarmuid Connolly, Paul Cribbin, Patrick McBrearty
Australia: Hayden Ballantyne, Robert Murphy, Andrew Gaff, Jarryd Roughead, Sam Mitchell, Easton Wood, Harry Taylor, Jake Stringer, Brendon Goddard, Robbie Gray, Leigh Montagna, Nick Riewoldt, Grant Birchall, Luke Hodge (c), David Mundy, Eddie Betts, Dyson Heppell, Luke Breust, Dustin Fletcher (gk), Patrick Dangerfield, Tom Rockliff, Nick Smith
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