http://www.rte.ie/sport/2004/1024/rules.html
Ireland win second Test and series
Pádhraic Joyce lifts the Cormac McAnallen trophy at Croke Park
Sunday, October 24 2004 6:55
Ireland won an entertaining second Test at Croke Park today to clinch this year's International Rules series on a 132-82 aggregate scoreline.
Despite losing the game 55-41, a battling Australian side, spurred on by the magnificent Nathan Brown, restored their pride and the credibility of the competition following last Sunday's one-sided clash.
A crowd of just over 60,000 were treated to a match packed full of all the ingredients - skill, speed and aggression - that have made previous series so successful.
Captain Pádhraic Joyce was the star of the show for Ireland, notching a great goal as Pete McGrath's men asserted their superiority in the crucial third quarter.
Ciarán McManus, Seán Cavanagh, Benny Coulter and Tadhg Kennelly also shone for the Irish who matched Australia's aggression and bettered them in the shooting and passing stakes.
A mass brawl at the start of the game signalled that the Australians would not relinquish their title without a fight.
Referees Mick Collins and Stephen Burney eventually restored calm and the match got underway at a typically frantic pace.
Luke Ball gave the visitors the lead in the first minute, scoring an over from a free-kick. But soon chaos was reigning again as James Hird and Joe Bergin were both sent off for 15 minutes after an over-zealous off-the-ball tussle.
Then, in an almost surreal development, a stray dog made it onto the pitch and proceeded to become involved in the action. Even more bizarrely, the animal managed to evade its captors and stay on the pitch until the seventh minute.
Cavanagh opened Ireland's account in the fifth minute with a trademark break from midifled before blasting the ball over for a three-pointer. Brown responded by winning a mark and accurately picking out his over, something he would do seven times in all by the end of the 80 minutes.
A sublime Joyce pass picked out Paul Galvin for a mark. The Kerryman's over attempt failed but Down star Coulter got a touch on the dropping ball to direct the ball for a behind.
Max Hudghton and McDonald got their marching orders in the 12th minute as tempers frayed once more. Brown kicked another over but a minute later Cavanagh had scored, what was to prove, one of the overs of the match from wide on the right.
Nick Riewoldt, one of Australia's more lively attackers today, saw his over attempt hit the post in the 14th minute. Alan Didak pounced on the rebound but Dublin net minder Stephen Cluxton saved his shot on goal.
Ireland struggled with Australia's tough tackling early on, with Mattie Forde and Kennelly both getting badly caught in possession.
Tom Kelly scored from play in the 15th minute before Brown converted another free into an over. A clever short pass from Forde set Kelly up for another over chance, however, Kelly could only muster one point with two minutes of the quarter remaining and Ireland trailing by a point.
There was still time for a Kennelly behind, though, as the sides ended the first quarter on level terms - 12-12.
A Nick Dal Santo mark in midfield yielded a behind as Australia once again started brightly.
A sublime pick-up from Sydney Swans star Kennelly allowed him to catch the Australian defence napping as he burst through for a brilliant over in the 22nd minute.
A similar burst from McManus, following a smart pass from Brian McGuigan, ended with a behind for the Offaly player when he looked certain to notch an over.
Austin Jones matched Kennelly's stunning over with an almost identical score in the 27th minute. Australia had found their stride now, and Riewoldt got another over in the 28th minute after expertly winning a mark despite the close attentions of Graham Canty.
Galvin gifted the Australians possession when indecision saw him robbed of the ball in the tackle. The resulting Aussie breakaway saw Brown shoot for goal, however, Cluxton produced the save of the match to deny the Richmond star.
Jude Bolton, who missed the first Test through injury, scored his first over of the game as Australia began to look increasingly fluent.
The reintroduction of McDonald on the half-hour, however, immediately restored Ireland's edge, the Mayo maestro relishing the chance to aim his pinpoint passes at the intelligent off the ball running of Joyce.
Forde's 32nd minute over almost dipped in for a goal, as goalkeeper Mal Michael was caught out by the ball's sudden descent.
Brown hit another over a minute later, before Michael again misjudged the flight of a high ball. Joyce seized on the breaking ball, deceiving the Aussie defence with his ground skills and eventually setting up Galvin for three more points.
Andrew Embley's over attempt dropped short of its target in the 34th minute but Joel Corey salvaged a point from the move.
Galvin's fisted over was correctly disallowed (fisted points aren't permitted in International Rules), before David Heaney was dismissed for a hefty challenge on Luke Ball - the Mayo man totally mistiming his jump, flattening Ball and incensing the rest of the Australian team.
The Australians were even more outraged when McManus failed to release the ball in the tackle after collecting on the goal-line. Referee Collins, however, waved away frantic appeals for a penalty.
Breathing a sigh of relief, Ireland again finished the quarter on level terms with their opponents - 26-26.
Two minutes into the third quarter, a flowing fist pass movement involving Kelly, McManus and, finally, Coulter carved open the Australian defence. But the Mourne man only managed an over with the goal at his mercy.
Joyce found himself in acres of space to casually pick out another over before Kennelly bundled a high ball from Des Dolan into the Aussie net. The goal, however, was disallowed as the Kerryman was inside the area.
Ireland's dominance was beginning to tell on the scoresheet now as Dolan and Joyce both registered overs - the Galway man's score resulting from more impressive link play with Coulter.
Australia were dealt a real hammer blow in the 49th minute when Joyce evaded multiple tackles to shoot to the back of the net from close range and put Ireland into a commanding 41-29 lead.
Brown kept his team in touch with yet another over but Ireland were in control as Kennelly used all his AFL experience to win a mark and get the over, putting Ireland 44-32 in front.
More AFL mastery was on display when Brown collected a mark under pressure and made no mistake with his over chance.
Cavanagh, in his own inimitable languid style, delivered a fine pass to Joyce who won the mark. However, this time his accuracy was found wanting - only just, his shot coming off the post as Ireland ended the quarter with a nine-point lead.
By the final quarter, Joyce could have been accused of showboating, selling Robbie Keane-esque dummies to his flat-footed opponents.
Australia's chances of winning the series had now completely vanished but Brown's finishing meant they always had a chance of winning the Test. In the 62nd minute he earned a free just inside the Irish half which he turned into three more points, executing the straight kick with frightening accuracy.
Eoin Brosnan managed a behind before more scuffles erupted around the pitch. McDonald, Mark McVeigh, Graham Canty and Riewoldt were all involved in separate incidents, however, only Essendon's McVeigh was dismissed.
Cluxton was again called up to save a prematurely dipping ball, but this effort was symptomatic of the Aussies' inability to find space.
Brosnan could have scored Ireland's second goal in the 73rd minute after another intelligent passing movement instigated by Coulter, but the Kingdom star only managed a behind. Just a minute later Coulter again linked with Brosnan but again a behind was the result.
Alan Brogan stretched Ireland's lead with an over from just inside the Aussie half and a Riewoldt over followed a minute later.
Cavanagh could have capped a superb performance with a goal two minutes from the end, however, Michael saved well before Dubliner Brogan picked up the pieces for his second three-pointer. Coulter, too, spurned a goal chance which trickled out for a behind - the Down man's stride broken by a late challenge.
Joyce, fittingly, wrapped up the victory with a behind in the final minute.
Afterwards, an elated McManus described the win as "the sweetest victory of my life," - evidence, if more was needed, of how highly the players rate the series.
IRELAND SCORERS: Goals: Joyce. Overs: Cavanagh (2), Kelly, Kennelly (2) Forde, Galvin, Coulter, Joyce (2), Dolan, Brogan (2). Behinds: Coulter (2), Kelly, Kennelly, McManus, Heaney, Brosnan (3), Joyce.
AUSTRALIA SCORERS: Overs: Ball, Brown (7), Jones (2), Riewoldt (2), Bolton. Behinds: Dal Santo, Corey
IRELAND TEAM: Stephen Cluxton; Sean Martin Lockhart, Graham Canty, Sean Óg Ó hÁilpin, Ciarán McManus, Tom Kelly, Joe Bergin, Ciarán McDonald, Seán Cavanagh, Pádhraic Joyce, Benny Coulter, Tadhg Kennelly, Paul Galvin, Brian Cullen, Dessie Dolan. Interchange players: Brian McGuigan, Mattie Forde, Eoin Brosnan, David Heaney, James Nallen, Declan Browne, Martin McGrath, Alan Brogan.
