Australia 56 (0-17-5)
Ireland 46 (2-9-7)
AUSTRALIA WON THE one-off International Rules Test in Perth and regained the Cormac McAnallen Cup for the first time since 2010.
The hosts held off a determined second-half comeback by Ireland to win by 10 points.
More than 38,000 were in Patersons Stadium for an entertaining contest which will strengthen the arguments in favour of continuing the compromise game.
After last year’s record defeat, Australia were out to make amends and their All-Australian panel took advantage of Ireland’s slow start to lead by 33 points early in the third quarter.
A goal from Darren Hughes and a spectacular own goal by Nick Smith fuelled a comeback in the second half but Paul Earley’s men couldn’t reel in the deficit.
Monaghan’s Conor McManus was named Ireland’s Player of the Series as he finished with 12 points (four overs) while Luke Hodge was awarded the Jim Stynes medal by the Australians.
Ireland were expected to have the upper hand playing with the round ball but it was Australia who started strongest and outscored their opponents by 11 overs to one in a lopsided first half.
Steve Johnson was outstanding with four overs early on while Ireland kicked away cheap possession and failed to find any real rhythm.
Australia led 35-7 at the break and stretched even further ahead before Hughes’s scored the game’s opening goal with a soccer finish that beat keeper Dustin Fletcher.
It sparked Ireland into life and they reeled off four unanswered overs — two from McManus and two from Tyrone’s Mattie Donnelly — to cut the gap to 16.
Kevin McKernan and Robbie Gray traded overs to leave the score at 46-30 at the end of the third and although the final margin was closer, it didn’t reflect the balance of play in a final quarter that Australia dominated.
Smith’s calamitous OG gave Ireland faint hope of a miracle but it ended in disappointment and a first series win on home soil for the Aussies since 2005.
Scorers for Ireland: Conor McManus 12 (0-4-0), Darren Hughes 6 (1-0-0), Colm Begley, Mattie Donnelly 6 (0-2-0) each, Michael Murphy, Kevin McKernan 3 (0-1-0) each, Sean Cavanagh 2 (0-0-2), Colm O’Neill, Pearce Hanley, R Munnelly, David Moran, Lee Keegan 1 (0-0-1) each.
Scorers for Australia: Nick Riewoldt 13 (0-3-1), Steve Johnson 12 (0-4-0), Chad Wingard 9 (0-3-0), Jarrad McVeigh 6 (0-2-0), Robbie Gray 5 (0-1-2), Luke Breust 4 (0-1-1), Joel Selwood, Brent Harvey, Kieran Jack 3 (0-1-0) each, Brodie Smith 1 (0-0-1).
AUSTRALIA
31. Dustin Fletcher
40. Nick Smith
7. Harry Taylor
5. Sam Mitchell
3. Jarrad McVeigh
15. Luke Hodge
16. Kieran Jack
4. Jobe Watson
14. Joel Selwood (c)
10. Robbie Gray
20. Steve Johnson
29. Brent Harvey
22. Luke Breust
8. Nic Naitanui
21. Wingard
Interchange: Nick Riewoldt, Patrick Dangerfield, Travis Boak, Tom Rockliff, Leigh Montagna, Brodie Smith, Grant Birchall, Brendan Goddard.
IRELAND
23. Paddy O’Rourke
12. Neil McGee
6. Finian Hanley
11. Ciaran McDonald
13. Chrissy McKaigue
10. James McCarthy
9. Lee Keegan
17. David Moran
7. Pearce Hanley
3. Sean Cavanagh
20. Michael Murphy
1. Colm Begley
21. Colm O’Neill
24. Aidan O’Shea
16. Conor McManus
Interchange: Aidan Walsh, Darren Hughes, Ross Munnelly, Mattie Donnelly, Colm Boyle, Kevin McKernan, Kevin McLoughlin, Cathal Cregg.
