Ireland have loosened their grip on the Cormac McAnallen trophy, losing the series by 13 points after a 53-50 defeat to Australia in the second series in Perth. The Aussies' superior fitness and aggression ultimately told in the end, with the speed of their tackling the most notable difference between both sides in a final half in which Ireland were outscored 46 points to 30.
As the Aussies' upped the intensity, Ireland's basic skills deserted them, with errant foot passing and poor wides peppering the final quarter. Poor-decision making also reigned, with Niall Murphy kicking four points where simple passes inside could have yielded a series-swinging 12 points. Australia adapted to the round ball exceptionally well, kicking more overs than the Irish.
In spite of these failings, there were positive aspects of Ireland's game, too. They started superbly, rattling in two goals within a single first-quarter minute, the second from Chris Barrett:
Team Ireland are not mucking around! That's two quick goals for the boys in green. #AUSvIRE #VirginIRS pic.twitter.com/mWcXRiMptC
— AFL (@AFL) November 18, 2017
Ireland did a better job of spreading their scores about this time around. Last week, Conor McManus and Michael Murphy scored 45 of Ireland's 53 points. In Perth, Shane Walsh, Chris Barrett, and Gary Brennan all provided scoring impetus, although it was once again Conor McManus who dazzled in green, kicking five overs.
Is there a better present-day footballer than Conor McManus? There is not. #GAA
— Ewan MacKenna (@EwanMacKenna) November 18, 2017
Enjoyable first half in the International Rules - @ConorMcManus_15 must be the best natural striker of a ball in the country!
— Patrick Lynn (@LynnyQQ) November 18, 2017
One of life’s pleasures - watching @ConorMcManus_15 strike a ball. Always immaculate.
— Peter Woods (@MacCoillte) November 18, 2017
Ultimately, however, the understandable failure to match the Aussies' levels of intensity as the clock dwindled cost Ireland.
As impressive as McManus was, the star of the show was undoubtedly Nat Fyfe. He ruled the skies in the second half, becoming a kind of vaulting platform for the Aussies' second-half comeback.
Air Fyfe ? #AUSvIRE #VirginIRS pic.twitter.com/Ls1ThcExsW
— AFL (@AFL) November 18, 2017
Their physicality boiled over somewhat toward the end of the first half, with Joel Selwood given a black card for this hideous late hit on Chris Barrett.
The subsequent schemozzle was given the "no place for this" treatment by Marty Morrissey on commentary for RTE, although perhaps not all of the viewers at home would agree. Selwood was only given a black card upon review of the footage by the video referee, and the efficacy of the decision may lead to louder calls for the inclusion of a similar system at Croke Park. (There was one other, minor aspect of the coverage of this game which should be adopted in Gaelic football broadcasts is the reserving of a corner of the screen for live footage during replays, meaning viewers could actually see swift kick outs as they happen).
These test series usually end with meditations on whether the series has a future, and based on today's test, it certainly does. That said, today's crowd of 30,116 represents an 8,000 dip on the attendance three years ago.
Next year's series is being mooted for the United States, and if today's game is anything to go by, it will be a success.
