Irishmen Zach Tuohy and Mark O’Connor will feature in this season’s AFL final after helping the Geelong Cats storm past the Brisbane Lions in the preliminary final 120-49.
Tuohy, who recently signed a contract extension with the Cats, contributed 20 disposals and seven marks to guide his side to victory in front of a 77,677 crowd at the Melbourne Cricket Ground.
He has been a crucial part of their side as they attempt to win their first Premiership title since 2011.
The 32-year-old has been a critical part of Geelong’s defence through the season, and put in another solid display overcome Brisbane, who had Dublin’s James Madden and Kerry’s Devidas Uosis in their squad, but neither player featured in the game. Brisbane knocked out last years champions Melbourne in the Quarter finals.
They were a big part of the Queensland outfit’s run to the VFL (reserve) preliminary final, however.
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The Laois man will make his 250th AFL appearance in the final and is well on his way to closing the record of Irish appearances in the AFL, currently held by Jim Stynes 264 appearances.
Scrappy? Sure, but the Cats do whatever it takes to surge forward and kick this goal!@cryptocom | #AFLFinals pic.twitter.com/zaLbHPk8rs
— AFL (@AFL) September 16, 2022
O’Connor, who came on in the third quarter for his injured teammate Max Holmes who sustained a hamstring injury, could start in the final should Holmes be ruled out.
They will face the winners of the second Preliminary final between the Sydney Swans and Collingwood.
It was an outstanding performance by Geelong, who had fallen at this hurdle four out of the last six years. They finished top of the league table, eight points ahead of their nearest challengers.
The Irish duo will be looking for avenge their 2020 Grand Final defeat 81-50 to Richmond. There has only been one Irish player before who has won an AFL title, when Kerry’s Tadhg Kennelly was part of the victorious Sydney Swans squad in 2005.
The AFL Grand Final will take place next Saturday at the Melbourne Cricket Ground.
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