Ireland V Austrailia International Rules Official Thread 2008

[Fear ón Srath Bán]

Anyway, we both know each other's views by now, and this is a thread for the IR after all, so I'm happy to agree to disagree!

Thrilled, I'm sure 

[cavanmaniac]

  No bothers.

[peterquaife]

t'was a great game of football. fast, exciting and a treat to watch ireland's best match the australian's pro's for speed and fitness...a few ozzies on their knees at the end...some feat

congrats to the entire squad...for I've never been on a 'holiday' were ye build yer level of fitness to that of a professional athlete.

PQ

[Fear ón Srath Bán]

MCG was barely 40% full for this event, i.e, less than half-empty -- viable commercially?

[magpie seanie]

Didn't see the game but like last week will watch the highlights. Even though I'm essentially an opponent of this game I'm thoroughly delighted that the Cormac McAnallen Trophy is coming back to Ireland this year. I congratulate the players who put in a tremendous effort and the management and the tour organisers including long serving GAA official from my own county Tom Kilcoyne. Everything seems to have gone as well as possible and credit to all involved. Credit to the Australians too for playing the game in a sporting manner.

Lots of doubts still remain but today is a day to be positive and be thankful that we didn't have the same shambles as in 2006. Perhaps there is a future but one swallow etc...

[Rossfan]

MCG was barely 40% full for this event, i.e, less than half-empty -- viable commercially?

Still over 40,000 plus 35,000 last week paying say equivalent of €20 a head = €1.5m.
Throw in Coca Cola and other Sponsorship and presumably some TV money as well I'd say there'd be a tidy few € for the GAA/AFL atthe end of it.

Certainly more commercially viable than he international Gaelic Football events being touted by some of the usual begrudgers here.

[Doogie Browser]

All debate aside about the merits or otherwise of this competition, I am sure Sean Cavanagh as a proud Tyrone and Irish man was delighted to be lifting the Cormac McAnallen trophy, a massive honour for him as Captain to be lifting a trophy named after his late great team mate.

[Fear ón Srath Bán]

Certainly more commercially viable than he international Gaelic Football events being touted by some of the usual begrudgers here.

At least we'd be talking about Gaelic Football, not some mange-ridden mongrel of a yoke 

[Hardy]

Likewise, I'm agin it, but I couldn't help but enjoy this morning's game. I parked my reservations about the point of the whole thing and all its shortcomings and dangers and my overall reservations about engaging with a "sporting" culture that's entirely alien to ours, however well behaved on this occasion. So I enjoyed it for the quality of football and the outstanding Irish performance.

This is the best prepared Irish side I've seen in this "code". There were very few of the mistakes we used to see year after year - carrying the ball into the tackle, refusing to retreat from the mark on our own ball, bad decision making in possession, forgetting to man the mark for opposition kicks, forgetting to tackle the man in possession and so on. In addition, the tactics were spot on and the execution excellent. And the Irish tackle count was higher than the Aussies! That was due in large part to denying them the opportunity to tackle by keeping the ball on the ground when at close quarters.

An excellent coaching performance by Seán and his team and proof if needed that he still has all that it takes to manage teams to compete and win at the highest level. An inspired selection performance, too, with the right men chosen in practically every position - despite the rash stuff said here about him beforehand. Now, can we convince him to take the Meath job back for life? And live to be a hundred.

[cavanmaniac]

Cavanagh had an outstanding series and maybe even Mickey Harte forget himself momentarily a few times and clapped politely before regaining his composure.

I think a few shanked kicks at the posts cost him the player of the series award today although in fairness Canty was a very worthy recipient and it's nice to see a stopper get the recognition for once.

Was very impressed with Finian Hanley and our entire defence when it came to the aerial stuff, very few marks claimed by the Aussies but then again, did they select a recognised target man like the Leppitsch or Barry Hall guys of yore? A moot point I suppose, well done to all regardless. Keane was very impressive as well, some of the flood defending was very effective. The soccer-balling flummoxed the Aussies too, that was quite funny to watch.

McKeever brought some muscle to the occasion too, did fairly well overall as did McGinley and Joe McMahon, Donaghy had a mixed series but was very influential in broken play and assists, Coulter likewise even if he did get in on the goals act in test 2, they were largely tap-ins and he never looks good to score a few points but fair play all the same. Leighton Glynn was very impressive across the two tests, Begley did a quietly effective job but sadly, Stevie McDonnell managed to edge Paddy Bradley and Michael Meehan (assist for today's goal aside) for least effective player of the series.

[Fear ón Srath Bán]

No denying Boylan's pride, and passion (from the Irish Times):

Boylan hails a proud moment

After leading Ireland to a series win on Australian soil, manager Seán Boylan was quick to praise his side and their opponents for contributing to the resurrection of a spectacle that almost went under.

Ireland's five point aggregate win came after two Tests that may have appeared 'watered down' to some, but were ultimately a step in the right direction for the future of the relationship between the AFL and GAA.

Speaking afterwards, the Meathman said: "If someone said to me that I would have the honour of managing an Irish team I wouldn't believe that. I would have loved to be a great player and was I not that fortunate, but I was lucky to have a lot of great people around me.

"Some of us have been very fortunate to be associated with many great events and none more so for me on a personal level than tonight. To play some small part in helping these lads represent their country and representing it in a wonderful way," he added.

There was a special mention too for captain Seán Cavanagh who lifted the cup named after former Tyrone skipper and team-mate Cormac McAnnallen, who played in the series in 2001, 2002 and 2003 before passing away in 2004.

"The last time Ireland won the series out here, Cormac McAnallen was playing," Boylan said. "For Seán as his neighbour and friend to lift the Cormac McAnallen Cup has to stand right up there with anything that I've ever been fortunate to be associated with before."

Boylan went on to praise the renewed appreciation between the two codes and Australian backroom staff.

"The one thing they will recognise is that we've learnt a lot from their sport and they've learnt a good bit from ours as well," he said. "You go into shops on the street and people stop to shake your hand and wish you well. We know they are probably the most competitive nation in the world, yet we know that off the field of play it is friendship.

"The friendship the lads have made with the Australian team has been fantastic and we have to thank (Australian coaches) Mick Malthouse and Nathan Buckley so much for creating that environment."

Matlhouse praised his players for adapting to the less physical approach and for playing "within the rules", but lamented the headstart they gave Ireland in both games.

"We were bitterly disappointed that we gave them too much of a start on both occasions and just couldn't get over the line," said the Australian.

"But on the other side I'm very proud of a group of men who by instinct in our game would shepherd, would be more than vigorous in some tackles ... and they held back that instinct for the betterment of this game. I commend them on their ability to play within the rules.

"The game replicated the series quite frankly. It was close, tight, played with vigour within the rules and played in a fashion to want to win and played, thankfully, within the spirit of what sport should be when you have two international sides who are playing in what we would call a strange competition.

"You only have to look at the way the Irish celebrated to know what it meant."

[Top of the hill]

Certainly more commercially viable than he international Gaelic Football events being touted by some of the usual begrudgers here.

At least we'd be talking about Gaelic Football, not some mange-ridden mongrel of a yoke 

Sure aren't all pedigrees breeds created by crossing with other breeds to capture the best traits of the parent animals.  

[Zapatista]

Now, can we convince him to take the Meath job back for life? And live to be a hundred.

Leprechauns live much longer than that

[Fear ón Srath Bán]

Certainly more commercially viable than he international Gaelic Football events being touted by some of the usual begrudgers here.

At least we'd be talking about Gaelic Football, not some mange-ridden mongrel of a yoke 

Sure aren't all pedigrees breeds created by crossing with other breeds to capture the best traits of the parent animals.  

Yep, but pedigrees are never inferior to the donor breeds! 

[peterquaife]

Stevie McDonnell managed to edge Paddy Bradley and Michael Meehan (assist for today's goal aside) for least effective player of the series.

zzz zzz zzz

the entire squad trained like madmen to win the series, all of them

PQ