Compromise Rules First Test: Ireland 61 Australia 62
Aussies rule the Irish - but only just
THE Australians rolled into Dublin town putting out the vibe that they were barely more than ambivalent about the latest attempt to get the International Compromise Rules series off the ground.
They suckered some into thinking that this was nothing more than a benefit series for Jim Stynes and all he has done for cross-hemisphere relations.
The truth had more of an edge to it.
There was nothing compromising about their fourth quarter comeback which would have had Lazarus spinning in his grave.
In fact the Aussies’ elated reaction to the final hooter told the real story.
Overall, the truth was that Ireland lost the game, just as much as Australia won it.
The men in green, had control all the way through to the end of the third quarter at which stage they led 54-41.
Then, without previous provocation, a huge bout of wrestling, fighting and downright nastiness erupted around the middle.
The Irish still had seven points to spare with less than five minutes left but A Neitz behind was soon followed by a goal from the same player when he beat the Irish goalie Finbarr McConnell to a ball launched from out the field.
Suddenly, the sides were level and with the momentum in Australia’s favour Scott Camporeale’s awful attempt at an over was good enough to be a behind and that in turn was good enough to sink Ireland.
Ireland: F McConnell (Tyrone), J Nallen (Mayo), D Fay (Meath), S M Lockhart (Derry), F Cullen (Offaly), J Kenny (Offaly), K McGeeney (Armagh), J McDermott (Meath), A Tohill (Derry), J Fallen (Galway 1 over); C McManimin (Mayo), B Stynes (Dublin, 4 overs 2 behinds), B Devanney (Donegal), D McCabe (Cavan, 1 goal, 2 overs, 2 behinds), P Canavan (Tyrone, 3 overs).
Replacements: P Brewster (Fermanagh, 2 behinds), S Og de Paor (Galway), G Ryan (Kildare), D Foley (Tipperary, 2 overs, 1 behind), S Moynihan (Kerry), M Donnellan (Galway, 1 goal, 1 over, 1 behind), K O’Brien (Wicklow), D Marsden (Armagh). Australia: S Silvagni, B Hart, D Neitz (1 goal, 1 over, 1 behind), S Crawford (1 over), R Smith, S Wellman, N Smartt, M Ricciuto, N Buckley (2 behinds), R Harvey, W Carey (4 overs, 1 behind), B Johnston, N Eagleton (1 goal, 3 behinds), J Farmer (1 over, 1 behind), A Stevens.
Replacements: M Lloyd (4 overs), P Everitt (1 over, 1 behind), J Stynes, S Camoreale (1 over, 1 behind), S Rehn, W Campbell.
Referees: Michael Curley & Andrew Coates
Attendance: 20,000
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AIB Ulster Club Football Championship quarter-final replay St John’s 2-8 Ardboe 1-5
Two-goal blast books Johnnies last four place
A FRANTIC finish in the opening part of yesterday’s Corrigan Park double-bill left Ardboe looking bedraggled and ecstatic St John’s looking forward to an Ulster Club semi-final tussle with Crossmaglen.
With three minutes of play left, despite being on the backfoot for most of the second half, Ardboe were clinging to a one-point lead and seemingly set to benefit from another bout of profligacy from an Antrim-based football team.
But a St John’s attack which had stuttered all afternoon then suddenly and improbably delivered two goals in a minute to leave Ardboe in something of a daze at the finish.
The crucial first goal came after full-forward Brendan Mackin evaded the tight marking of Brendan Hurl for the first time during the afternoon to squeeze a shot past Raymond McElroy.
The reporters in the ground were still recording Mackin’s goal in their damp notebooks when referee Brian Crowe blew for a St John’s penalty seconds later after Ciaran Devlin hauled down Collie McKnight in the parallelogram.
Enda McAtamney could have been reasonably expected to settle for a point to put a goal between the team but instead the Ballymena-born corner-forward coolly slotted the penalty low to the goalkeeper’s left amid deafening roars from the home support. St John’s players, officials and fans celebrated heartily at the finish and deservedly so although one had to feel sorry for a Ardboe side that had performed with great sportmanship throughout.
St John’s: B McNulty, L McCurdy, M Bohill, M O’Neill, G Adams, J Kelly, D Swail, J Murphy, G Heaney, P Curran, J Wilson (0-1), D Kenney (0-2), E McKenna, B Mackin (1-0), E McAtamney (1-5).
Subs: P Nolan for P Curran 30 mins, C Anderson for Swail 35, C McKnight for McKenna 41.
Ardboe: R McElroy, S Devlin, B Hurl, M Cummings, C Devlin, F Devlin, E Donnelly, M Coyle, S Coney, G Wylie (1-0), P McElroy (0-1), B McGuigan, J Cummings, F McGuigan (0-3), A Quinn (0-1).
Subs: C Forbes for E Donnelly 17 mins.
Referee: Brian Crowe (Cavan).
