International Rules first test: Australia 63 (2-13-12) Ireland 53 (1-13-8)
THIS was like a window into what Conor McManus would do to opposition defences if Gaelic football was still a man-to-man game.
The Ireland vice-captain kicked seven overs, some of them so sublime they touched the borders of ridiculous, as he and Michael Murphy did enough damage to keep Ireland alive in the series.
And, with three botched goal chances the only black marks on his name on Sunday afternoon, McManus was bullish that they could punish the Australians’ policy of having goalkeeper Brendan Goddard out marking as a full-back.
“He did (play well) but he’s not really playing as a goalkeeper. We had one shot on goal and he didn’t get within an asses roar of it. If we can get chances, if we get more shots on goal he’s not going to save them.
“He’s very quick out and he’s very quick to cover that space as a sweeper but I certainly think if we can get one-on-one with him we can punish him. We left a lot of scores out there.
It had been a tough week for the Irish camp, with a vomiting bug laying low a number of players, and ultimately ruling out Niall Murphy and Enda Smith from the match-day squad.
In the sweltering heat, they lost Pearce Hanley to a broken hand as well and left them with just five interchange players at any one time.
“It was a tough week in our camp. We had up to seven, eight, nine boys struggling with illnesses and viruses and vomiting bugs and things like that and it took away from the panel down to 21.
“Pearce injured his hand so we were down to 20 for most of the game. It was tough but look the heat wasn’t unbearable and that will stand to us now for next week.
“We’ve got through that part, we’ve a lot of improvement to do. Basic skills of our game have let us down and if we can get a wee bit tighter at the back it’s game on.
“Ten points is a big lead in this but if you get three overs you’re right back in the mix. It’s game on. We can improve. I think there is more improvement in us than there is in Australia.
“We went 10 points clear at one stage in the second quarter and we sat back and we invited them onto us and they had two or three (players) over on us and they ran onto us and they kicked the ball into their mark quite easily into our full-back line.
“It’s difficult to compete with the size of some of those boys in there but I definitely think we have more to improve on. You take the sickness into consideration and it’s game on for us.”
