Good evening and welcome to Croke Park. The lights are on and, erm, there are a couple of thousand people home as Ireland and Australia prepare for the second and final test in the 2013 International Rules Series.

Ireland lead 57-35 following last week’s opening test in Kingspan Breffni Park and 22 points to the good, Paul Earley’s side are in a strong position as they bid to become the fifth team to win the series on home soil.

Here’s a quick reminder of the two squads:

Ireland: Paddy O’Rourke, Colm Begley, Colm Boyle, Ciaran Byrne, Sean Cavanagh, Paul Conroy, John Doyle, Paul Flynn, Lee Keegan, Ciaran Kilkenny, Paddy McBrearty, Jack McCaffrey, Neil McGee, Chrissy McKaigue, Ciaran McKeever, Kevin McLoughlin, Conor McManus, Ross Munnelly, Michael Murphy, Ciaran Sheehan, Michael Shields, Zach Tuohy, Aidan Walsh.

Australia: Steven Motlop, Jarrod Harbrow, Leroy Jetta, Daniel Wells, Ashley McGrath, Lindsay Thomas, Christopher Yarran, Tony Armstrong, Lewis Jetta, Eddie Betts, Sharrod Wellingham, Shaun Edwards, Mathew Stokes, Cameron Ellis-Yolmen, Alwyn Davey, Jake Neade, Joshua Hill, Dominic Barry, Aaron Davey, Nathan Lovett-Murray.

While we’re waiting, a quick refresher on the scoring. A goal is worth six points, an over is worth three and a behind is one point.

So — without wanting to confuse matters — Ireland lead by nearly four clear goals at the start of play tonight.

Shane McDonnell: Hopefully they puck the head off each other, give us something worthwhile to look at :)

We wouldn’t be encouraging anything like that… but here’s hoping for excitement of some form tonight.

Before the national anthems, there was a moment’s silence for Galway hurler Niall Donoghue who died suddenly this week at the age of 22.

Five minutes to throw-in.

The bottom tier of Croke Park is filling up a little now although it still looks unlikely that there will be more than 20,000 here this evening.

Does this series have a future?

HANDBAGS! The game hasn’t even started and we’ve already had our first bit of a scuffle. Sean Cavanagh and Michael Shields get up close and personal with Aaron Davey.

THROW IN: We’re off and running.

Ireland 3-0 Australia (60-35) — 1 min: Lee Keegan has an easy free in front of the Aussie posts and slots it over to get Ireland off the mark.

Ireland 3-3 Australia (60-38) — 3 mins: Sharrod Wellingham bounces one over Paddy O’Rourke’s bar.

Ireland 9-3 Australia (66-38) — 5 mins: Chrissy McKaigue comes up the field to kick a great over and that’s followed quickly by Ciaran Sheehan. Strong start from Ireland who are taking their chances from distance.

Ireland 9-4 Australia (66-39) — 6 mins: Harbrow behind for Australia. Aidan Walsh has a chance to stretch Ireland’s lead but skews an easy free badly wide.

Ireland 10-4 Australia (67-39) — 8 mins: Paul Flynn with the behind for Ireland. The game hasn’t really come to life yet but Ireland still well on top.

The first real bit of action as Ross Munnelly shows off his soccer skills out on the Cusack Stand side and chips a beautiful ball in towards Paul Flynn. He’s bundled off it by Ellis-Yolmen before he can get his shot off. Great late intervention by the Australian.

Ireland 16-5 Australia (73-40) — 11 mins: GOAL FOR IRELAND! Hill gets the behind for Australia but Ireland come straight back down the pitch for the game’s opening goal. Conor McManus is the scorer.

Ireland 17-5 Australia (74-40) — 13 mins: Lee Keegan takes his chance from 35 yards and it’s ruled a behind. Looked over from here.

Ireland 26-8 Australia (83-43) — 15 mins: GOAL FOR IRELAND! A flurry of scores as Betts and Munnelly trade overs at either end before Jack McCaffrey thumps home Ireland’s second goal. Paul Earley’s men look to be home and dry already and it’s not even the end of the first quarter.

END OF FIRST QUARTER: IRELAND 27-8 AUSTRALIA (84-43)

Ross Munnelly kicks another behind and that’s that as far as this first quarter is concerned. Ireland’s goals came through Conor McManus and Jack McCaffrey; it’s so far, so unimpressive for the Aussies.

Ireland 27-9 Australia (84-44) — 19 mins: Seven different Irish scorers in that first quarter. Matthew Stokes becomes Australia’s fifth of the evening, getting on the board with a behind.

Ireland 36-9 Australia (93-44): 22 mins – A little bit of confusion here in Croke Park as the official scoreboard tacks on an extra three points for Ireland that were somehow overlooked in the first half.

On the pitch, Ciaran Sheehan and Michael Murphy add an over each to take Ireland up to 36 points for the evening.

Ireland 39-16 Australia (96-51) — 27 mins: Another flurry of scores with Munnelly kicking an over for Ireland and Alwyn Davey doing likewise for the visitors.

Ireland 45-16 Australia (102-51) — 30 mins: GOAL FOR IRELAND! The best move of the match so far as Munnelly takes a mark and dishes it off quickly to Sean Cavanagh. He pulls it back perfectly into the arms of Ciaran Kilkenny and the young Dub rattles in Ireland’s third goal.

Ireland 48-16 Australia (105-51) — 32 mins: Conor McManus stretches Ireland’s lead with another over as we near half-time.

Ireland 52-16 Australia (109-51) — 34 mins: Ross Munnelly kicks his third over of the half and that’s followd by a behind for Johnny Doyle. Ireland lead by more than double scores on aggregate now.

HALF-TIME: IRELAND 53-16 AUSTRALIA (110-51)

Paddy McBrearty kicks a behind and the horn sounds for half-time. Job done, lads. Time to head home.

Ireland’s scorers so far:

Ross Munnelly 0-3-1 (10); Conor McManus 1-1-0 (9); Jack McCaffrey 1-0-0 (6); Ciaran Kilkenny 1-0-0 (6); Ciaran Sheehan 0-2-0 (6); Lee Keegan 0-2-0 (6); Michael Murphy 0-1-0 (3); Chrissy McKaigue 0-1-0 (3); Paul Flynn 0-0-2 (2) Johnny Doyle 0-0-1 (1); Paddy McBrearty 0-0-1 (1)

And Australia’s:

Eddie Betts 0-2-0 (6); Sharrod Wellingham 0-1-0 (3); Alwyn Davey 0-1-0 (3); Jarrod Harbrow 0-0-1 (1); Mathew Stokes 0-0-1 (1); Jake Neade 0-0-1 (1); Joshua Hill 0-0-1 (1).

The attendance at Croke Park tonight is confirmed is 28,525. *raises eyebrow*

SECOND HALF: We’re up and running again.

Ireland 55-16 Australia (111-51) — 38 mins: Aidan Walsh and Ciaran Sheehan get the second half underway with a behind apiece.

Ireland 59-16 Australia (115-51) — 42 mins: Ireland skipper Michael Murphy kicks his second over of the evening.

Ireland 65-16 Australia (122-51) — 45 mins: Conor McManus and Ciaran Sheehan kick two quick overs as Ireland continue to rack up the scores.

Ireland 71-19 Australia (128-54) — 47 mins: GOAL FOR IRELAND! This is turning into a complete walloping as Conor McManus palms home Ireland’s fourth goal. Lewis Jetta with the Australian over just beforehand.

Ireland 74-19 Australia (131-54) — 48 mins: Michael Murphy kicks another beautiful over and if the Australians aren’t careful, Ireland could have a 100-point aggregate win by the time we leave here tonight.

Ireland 74-22 Australia (131-57) — 50 mins: A Lindsay Thomas over for Australia.

Ireland 78-22 Australia (134-57) — 53 mins: Conor McManus takes a lovely mark out under the Hogan Stand and kicks the over. Johnny Doyle adds a behind.

END OF THIRD QUARTER: IRELAND 78-25 AUSTRALIA (135-60)

Joshua Hill kicks an over as the buzzer sounds. If you’re Australia, this is pretty grim.

Ireland 81-25 Australia (138-60) — 55 mins: Paddy McBrearty gets the final quarter off to a flyer with a fine mark and over.

Ireland 90-25 Australia (147-60): GOAL FOR IRELAND! This stopped being fun a long, long time ago but Ireland continue to pour salt in the wound. Flynn kicks a beautiful over and then McBrearty hammers in a fifth goal.

Ireland 91-31 Australia (148-66): 61 mins — GOAL FOR AUSTRALIA! It’s as scrappy as you like but they all count when you’re 80+ points down. Eddie Betts punches the ball into the ground and Australia have a goal on the board.

Ireland 95-37 Australia (152-72) — 62 mins: GOAL FOR AUSTRALIA! Another one! Another one! Lewis Jetta fires past Paddy O’Rourke. Ireland have an over from Munnelly and a behind from Cavanagh on either side to limit the “damage.”

Ireland 98-37 Australia (155-72): 62 mins — Greedy from Ciaran Kilkenny who drills in an over when he could just have easily passed to Cavanagh for a tap-in goal. Cavanagh gets in on the act anyway with a beautiful over of his own seconds later.

Ireland 108-37 Australia (165-72) — 67 mins: It looks like Ireland are angry now. Murphy and McManus kick overs, Keegan adds a behind and Ireland now lead by a whopping 93 points on aggregate!

WE WANT 100, WE WANT 100…

Ireland 109-37 Australia (166-72) — 69 mins: Michael Shields adds a behind. Three to play.

Ireland 115-37 Australia (172-72) — 70 mins: GOAL FOR IRELAND! Paul Conroy fizzes in a free and as Murphy gets in the way of the Australian keeper, the ball bounces past both and into the net.

Surely there’s a 100-point mercy rule, no?

FULL TIME: IRELAND 116-37 AUSTRALIA

IRELAND WIN 173-72 ON AGGREGATE

Paul Conroy kicks a behind and this slaughter is mercifully over. Ireland win by a record 79 points tonight (the previous record for a single test was 44) and a record aggregate of 101 (previous record was 65).

Now, are we all happy?

Ireland scorers: Conor McManus 2-4-0 (24); Ross Munnelly 0-4-1 (13); Michael Murphy 0-4-0 (12); Paddy McBrearty 1-1-1 (10); Ciaran Sheehan 0-3-1 (10); Ciaran Kilkenny 1-1-0 (9); Lee Keegan 0-2-2 (8); Paul Conroy 1-0-1 (7); Jack McCaffrey 1-0-0 (6); Paul Flynn 0-1-2 (5); Sean Cavanagh 0-1-1 (4); Chrissy McKaigue 0-1-0 (3); Johnny Doyle 0-0-2 (2); Aidan Walsh 0-0-1 (1); Colm Begley 0-0-1 (1); Michael Shields 0-0-1 (1).

That’s all from us. Thanks for joining us.