World Footy News

The nine Irish players involved in the Australian Football League have enjoyed mixed fortunes this season with some players making huge strides forward while others appear to have slipped down the pecking order at their clubs. Pictured is Essendon's 2009 debutant Michael Quinn.

Surprisingly Setanta O’hAlpin, and not the much praised Martin Clarke, has proved the high point with a series of excellent displays, hopefully putting the now infamous pre-season assault on team mate Cameron Cloke behind him. Following a four game ban he returned to the senior team for rounds 5 and 6 before being dropped to the reserves. His reintroduction to the side as a half forward saw his best ever form in a Carlton shirt which included his 50th game for the club in a vital win away to Brisbane. He backed this up by putting in good displays against the unbeaten St. Kilda and Essendon before he kicked a career high 4 goals against Fremantle in what was widely hailed as his best ever game of Footy. His momentum was halted however by injury but he was back in the side last week. Setanta was very useful in the Blues' big win over Geelong and should play an important role in his first finals campaign in September.

Martin Clarke burst onto the scene in 2007 with some superb displays for Collingwood. He started in similar vein this year playing the first 12 games in his accustomed role at half back. Following a quiet game against Sydney he was dropped, then returned to Ireland briefly for a family wedding, and due to Collingwood’s excellent form he has been unable to force his way back into the team.

Another casualty of a successful team is Colm Begley. He was traded to St. Kilda in the close season after being released by the Brisbane Lions but the Saints have been magnificent all year and are sitting top of the ladder with a 100% record after 18 games. Begley has been playing regularly for the Saints’ VFL affiliate side Sandringham and was probably going to have to wait until next season to make his Saints debut, but a host of injuries saw him a late call up for last weekend's win over Hawthorn in Tasmania.

Brendan Murphy is the sole Irishman on the list of the Sydney Swans now that Tadhg Kennelly has returned to Ireland (though technically Tadhg is still listed and there's a small chance he will return in 2010). Still only 20 he had targeted making his senior debut as his main goal for this year but a serious shoulder injury has delayed his development. Since his return he has impressed reserve team coach Brett Allison, who explained “We’ve used him mainly as a defender but the last two weeks we’ve thrown him forward just to try and give him something a little different, give him a bit of spark and played that role really well.” With the Swans possibly out of finals contention coach Paul Roos is planning for next year and this this gives Murphy a good chance of getting a run out with the seniors. Allison continues “I think he’s a chance to still break in and get his first game provided he stays in good form. Obviously he needs to keep that form going now and hopefully the cards fall his way.”

Pearce Hanley played his first game of the season for the Brisbane Lions against North Melbourne in round 17. This follows his only other two appearances in the final two games of 2008, the difference being that last year the Lions were well out of finals contention while this year they are pushing for a place in the top four. The Lions coach Michael Voss spoke recently of Hanley’s push for a senior game. “He is very high in the pecking order but I think his timing hasn’t been that flash. I spoke to him a number of weeks ago about our role for him. An opportunity has presented itself and we just have to view the balance of our side to determine who might be the right person to fill that role.” This opportunity duly came and his impressive game from half back bodes well but he was forced to sit out the next game due to a stiff hamstring. However Hanley will remain hopeful of playing in the Lions first finals series in five years.

Brian Donnelly became the Adelaide Crows first ever Irish recruit last year and he has been playing regularly for Glenelg's Reserves in the SANFL. A tall hard marking player he has been playing solidly in the forward line and would be looking to moving up to League level in 2010, but an AFL debut looks a fair way off.

One of North Melbourne's VFL affiliates is Werribee, and that's where Conor Meredith has been playing in 2009. He has played 2 games with Werribee's league side, and 11 with their reserves (as of when this article was first published). From player manager Ricky Nixon's stable, Meredith will be looking to step up to regular senior VFL in 2010.

Kevin Dyas was recruited by Collingwood from Armagh last year but has yet to feature for the first team. He was expected to push for a senior debut this year but a hamstring strain has kept him out at the start of the campaign. He returned to VFL and the Collingwood reserves where he has played 14 games.

Michael Quinn (pictured) broke Martin Clarke's record for making the quickest transition from recruitment to senior debut when he played for Essendon in round two this year. Despite excelling in that game he has only played one subsequent match for the Bombers. He has been playing regularly for Bendigo in the VFL and last week was named as an emergency against the West Coast Eagles. This week he returned to the Essendon line-up, accumulating 18 possessions and kicking a crucial late goal in their drawn match with Brisbane.

Two Irishmen left Australia last year and have both returned to their roots to play for their home counties. Aisake O’hAlpin has been playing for the Cork hurling team at full forward, scoring two goals in a victory over Offaly. However they were beaten at the quarter final stage by Galway. Tadhg Kennelly’s dream of emulating his father in winning the All Ireland Football championship is very much alive after his Kerry side destroyed Dublin on Monday to reach the semi-finals. Kennelly didn’t start the match but came off the bench after 18 minutes to great effect. Kerry were being written off as a team past their prime but the comprehensive nature of this victory has seen them placed as joint favourites to lift the title.

All in all the Irish invasion hasn't quite yet come to dominate the AFL with many of the players developing in the state leagues or suffering injuries, but 2010 may see a number of these young guns take the next step to consistent senior AFL footy.