by Séamus Leonard
'From one extreme to the other.’
That was the view of former Meath and Ireland star Graham Geraghty to last week’s damp squib of a First Test.
Many commentators and pundits were of the same opinion, but Geraghty’s words have more weight seeing as he was the man knocked unconscious by a Danyle Pearce clothes-line tackle at Croke Park in 2006.
While no-one wanted a return to the violence of four years ago, there was never a clamour for the physicality to be taken out of the hybrid game altogether.
Both Gaelic football and Australian Rules are contact sports in their own right, and to rid the compromise version of its manliness would be as harmful to its continued existence as the über roughness that transpired in the 2006 Series.
Last Saturday’s game at the Gaelic Grounds in Limerick, which saw the Aussies finish 47-40 ahead, was about as hard-hitting as a tiddlywinks encounter, but it is difficult to know where to lay the blame.
The players are walking on eggshells, afraid to put in a decent tackle for fear of incurring suspensions. The respective management teams do not want to be remembered for striking the final nail into the coffin of International Rules.
And the GAA and AFL are still trying to restore a relationship fractured by events both on and off the field in recent years.
While it may sound overly simplistic, a way forward can be found if players stick to a ‘hard but fair’ policy.
But whatever about the tameness of last week’s affair, the teams themselves, and Ireland in particular, must accept responsibility for the lack of basic skills such as catching, kicking and handpassing.
Ireland’s Kevin Reilly pointed to the ball being lighter and of a different shape than the normal Gaelic football. However that cannot excuse how the Australians, for whom a round ball is completely alien, seemed more comfortable in possession and in shooting.
Adam Goodes looks like an inspired choice as Australia captain after his four overs (12 points) on Shannonside. Jarrad McVeigh was another who impressed for the visitors.
The only negative to come out of last weekend for Mick Malthouse and his charges is the fact they only hold a seven-point advantage when they were far superior to the Irish on the night.
From a native point of view, manager Anthony Tohill will have been relieved by the late Bernard Brogan goal that dragged his charges back into the tie. In truth, it was the only they time ever troubled Dustin Fletcher in the Australian goal.
Tohill must realise that six-pointers are the key to winning the Series, but the problem he faces is getting the ball to danger men like Brogan, Steven McDonnell and Benny Coulter in the right areas.
It must be taken into account that the Irish side have naturally not spent as much time together as the Aussies and the home crowd can only hope that they will show a marked improvement in the Second Test.
However the southern hemisphere side are a well-drilled outfit and it is difficult to see how they will be prevented from claiming the Cormac McAnallen Cup.
Verdict: Ireland 45-53 Australia (Agg: 85-100)
