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 Slick Ireland finish with a flourish as Aussies collapse

By The Irish Examiner

But, they did benefit hugely from the goalkeeping skills of Cormac Sullivan when the pressure was greatest and did exploit their kicking advantage in playing a more orthodox style. It resulted in the Australian challenge collapsing before the end of the third quarter.

Cormac McAnallen, who helped Tyrone win the All-Ireland Under-21 title the day the rest of the official party flew out from Heathrow, agreed with manager Brian McEniff that a greater concentration on their own game had been a significant factor in their 20 points win on the night.

“Instead of trying to make 20 or 30 yard kick-passes, we started putting ball into the danger men up front and that did the job,’’ he said. One of them was Tadhg Kennelly, a Rules player with Sydney Swans, who returned an impressive 15 points which proved to be the highest individual score of the series.

A goal after just eight minutes, set up for team captain Anthony Tohill with a soccer-type pass from Brendan Devenney, did boost Ireland’s challenge from an early stage, as did a vital save by Cormac Sullivan six minutes later. Seamus Moynihan was quick to make an impression, while Darren Fay was dominant at fullback, where he was never really bothered by 6-8 forward Brad Ottens. At the end of the quarter Ireland led 16-15 and with Graham Geraghty adding a second goal in the 26th minute and Kennelly getting the first of five three-pointers, they enjoyed a seven point lead.

However, Australia dominated for the greater part of this quarter, playing well in defence and patiently building attacking moves. Boosted by a goal from their top player Matthew Lloyd in the 30th minute, they led 33-32 at half-time.

Cormac Sullivan was unbeatable under pressure.

Kieran McGeeney did some great work at half-back, while Sean Og de Paor and Padraig Joyce showed a significant improvement on the first test. Apart from Joyce and Geraghty, Kennelly was to be hugely influential, along with Brendan Devenney (top scorer, overall, with 22 points).

Still, it was the excellence of the team’s play at the heart of the defence which was proving most decisive as they finished the third quarter 12 points clear, 56-44.

Psychologically, McEniff’s men had the most positive approach in the final quarter, when they benefited from the strong play of Dermot Earley. Darragh O Se did some valuable work while Moynihan’s strength on the ball meant a lot. Most vital, perhaps, was the excellent work-rate of the players and much improved tackling.

Scorers: Ireland: T. Kennelly 15, G. Geraghty 11, P. Joyce 10, B. Devenney 8, B.J. O’Sullivan 7, A. Tohill and J. Crowley 6 each, D. Earley and M. Donnellan 3 each, F. Grehan and C. McAnallen 1 each.

Australia: M. Lloyd 13, M. Lappin and B. Harvey 9 each; S. Maxfield and C. Bradley 4 each, B. Ottens, J. Smith and A. Goodes 3 each, J. Bowden 2, N. Stevens and S. Black 1 each.

IRELAND: C. Sullivan (Meath); G. Canty (Cork), D. Fay (Meath), S.M. Lockhart (Derry); A. Rainbow (Kildare), K. McGeeney (Armagh), S. Og de Paor (Galway); D. O Se (Kerry), S. Moynihan (Kerry); D. Earley (Kildare), M. Donnellan (Galway), T. Kennelly (Kerry); G. Geraghty (Meath), A. Tohill (Derry, capt.), B. Devenny (Donegal).

Inter-change: C. McManus (Offaly), P. Joyce (Galway), B.J. O’Sullivan (Cork), E. O’Hara (Sligo), J. Crowley (Kerry), F. Grehan (Roscommon), C. McAnallen (Tyrone), C. Goggins (Dublin),

AUSTRALIA: S. Goodwin; D. Hardwick, D. Gaspar, D. King; J. Smith, B. Sanderson, C. Bradley (capt.); A. Goodes, A. McLeod; J. Francou, B. Caracella, B. Harvey; B. Ottens, M. Lloyd, M. Lappin.

Inter-change players: S. Maxfield, A. Ramanauskas, J. Bowden, S. Black, N. Stevens, M. Lappin, D. King, C. Scott.

Referees: B. Allen (Australia) and P. McEnaney (Ireland).

Simple strategy, best revenge

Victory was sweeter still, because he achieved his objective with the simplest of strategies.

McEniff’s superbly prepared Irish team won the Foster’s International Series yesterday, in Football Park in Adelaide, because they concentrated on playing their own game, and, after a tentative start, excelled at it.

“In the first half, we were apprehensive and shaky,’’ he said. “Different words had to be used to motivate the players, because I felt there was an anxiety among themselves to win the series. They seemed to touch the right chords, because we went back playing our own traditional game of Gaelic football. We played the ball quick into the corners. I thought about the increased width of the pitch, and I decided we would ‘feed’ the ball into the corners,’’ McEniff said.

True to character, he was quick to acknowledge the contribution of his extensive backroom staff - just as Seamus Moynihan did later. At a personal level, he said it was “very, very close” to leading Donegal to their 1992 All-Ireland win.

Darren Fay, deservedly chosen as the Irish player of the series, said their “phenomenal” fitness was a major factor: “The Australians were taken aback by it. It mightn’t have looked that way, but there was more pressure out there than in the MCG. However, we coped very well with it.’’

Trainer, John O’Keeffe, said: “Their ability to last the pace was very satisfying, but there were other factors. The spirit in the team was tremendous, the skill levels were very high’’.

The coach, Paddy Clarke, didn’t let his separation from the team (through a ban) spoil the celebrations in the dressing-room. “I kicked every ball, but it was just fabulous, especially after waiting a year to clear our reputation. I’m delighted for Brian - a player’s man and a great human being - and for the players. They showed courage beyond the call of duty,’’ he said.

The Irish cause received unlikely assistance from the Tipperary hurling captain, Thomas Dunne, who was given a role on the sideline, along with fellow Eircell award winner, Declan Meehan, running in with water bottles.

Seamus Moynihan enjoyed the same success more than two years ago, when he was named player of the series. “It was closer then. This time, we were in control all the way. When we got a good lead, they dropped their heads. They never looked like coming back,’’ he said. For Graham Geraghty, it was all about “coming out to prove a point” after last year, while, for young Cork player, Brendan Jer O’Sullivan, there was the delight of playing a part after suffering the disappointment of being left out for the first test.

Meanwhile, the Kerry footballer, John Crowley, was thrilled that he was going home (this morning) a happy man. “We got good scores, that was the difference,’’ he said.

Some of those ‘good’ scores came from his fellow countyman, Tadhg Kennelly, credited by Tohill as having a massive game. “We knew the third quarter would be the big one for us. It has been a great year for me, the best year of my life,’’ the twenty-year-old said.

Padraig Joyce, too, was very prominent. “Last week was disappointing for me, but I knew I could do better.

“Darren Fay was an absolute colossus — outstanding as a full-back and as an individual. After what happened last year, we were delighted to give them a bit of a hiding out here,’’ he said.

Australian manager, Gary Lyonwas complimentary towards the victors. “I thought we did all right. We hit them pretty hard and just loosened them up a bit. There were signs there that, perhaps, the pressure was telling.

“But, to their credit, they regrouped at half-time, and the way they played in the second-half was pretty impressive,” he said.

Lyon said the past two weeks will have positive implications for the series overall. “I think the bar has been raised. I watched all the games from last year on more than one occasion. The difference from the Irish team last year, and this, is poles apart. That’s the challenge for us. We have got to lift our game and come up a notch. In the meantime, we’ll go away and lick our wounds,’’ he said.