In the wake of Ireland’s International Rules Series first Test defeat to Australia, the mood was one of relief for Ireland, as the pundits agreed Ireland had escaped a hammering.
Ireland player Graham Canty was in buoyant mood despite the defeat. Interviewed by Siobhan Madigan on RTÉ Radio directly after his team’s defeat he stated: ‘We finished very strong there in the fourth quarter and we lost our way maybe in the third; but we finished strong and battled hard and got a couple late scores on the board.’
Asked what went wrong at the start of the match, Canty replied: ‘I thought we started alright; I thought we had a decent first quarter. I thought we lost our way in the third quarter a bit. We started okay – both teams, it took them a bit of time to get used to the rules, but once we got going we finished very well.
When pressed on what the Australian weaknesses were, Canty was keen to point out the strength of Ireland’s opponents from Down Under, saying: ‘To be honest I didn’t see too many weaknesses in their team. I think we just started stringing a few passes together, playing more Gaelic football towards the last seven or eight minutes and that’s what got us the scores.’
Noel Roche commented to Marty Morrissey on RTÉ Radio after the tie: ‘I think we [Ireland] have been very fortunate here this evening. We got the six-pointer at the right time. Bernard Brogan scored it and it came from a great break through the middle.
‘If we hadn’t got that six-pointer we were in deep trouble next week, but now we’re only seven points behind and we’re in with a great shout next Saturday evening.’
RTÉ Radio analyst Bernard Flynn, who during his radio analysis was very scathing of Ireland’s display, said: ‘There’s a serious ray of hope and when they [Ireland] sit down and analyse how poor they were for long periods, and the simple skills of the game they couldn’t perform: kicking the ball over the bar; kicking two many wides; silly kicks over the sideline; and basically not working hard enough; but listen we’ll take the bit of luck when it’s going.
‘We’re only seven points down, all to play for next week. Noel [Roche] said it right, we’re in a game we really shouldn’t be in, but we’ll take it, because we’ve the most improving to do at this stage.
‘I think the Aussies will be big disappointed people tomorrow when they reflect on whole occasion.’
Mícheál Ó Muircheartaigh, who was the main radio commentator for the clash, also gave his view to Morrissey afterwards: ‘All that separates the sides now is a goal and a good point – and they’ll be level.
‘I think Graham Canty said something very, very vital there in that short interview. He said we began to play Gaelic football towards the end of the match. I think from the beginning they should have concentrated on playing the game that they are used to: getting the ball; seeking a colleague; supporting the colleague. They played that in the end; that’s what gave Bernard Brogan the run and the goal.
‘They’ll need to raise the tempo from the start the next day, because this will sting the Australians. They are behind, but it’s only really half-time.
‘The final quarter was good. A lot of very, very bad football, I thought, in the second and third quarters.’
Ireland and Australia meet in the International Rules Series second Test in Croke Park, Dublin, on Saturday 30 October.
