‘Twas a grand day for the Warriors, but a sad one for the Irish as the Malaysian Warriors extracted some retribution for the Australian AFL failure in the recent International Rules series by comfortably defeating the Malaysia GAA Orang Eire in the first International Rules contest held in Malaysia at the Alice Smith School on November 22nd.

Playing for the Finnegan’s Cup, the trophy donated by the well known Irish hostelry in Kuala Lumpur, a generous sponsor of both teams, the Warriors triumphed 109-61 in what was a highly entertaining game, played in great spirit before an enthusiastic crowd.

It was interesting to note that both sides had little difficulty adapting to the rules, and specifically the Warriors managed to handle the spheroid ball particularly well. This is probably due to the fact that unlike Australian-based AFL players many of the competitors on both sides have played numerous codes, the Australian game, the Gaelic game, soccer and the various rugby codes and hence can easily adapt. The simple fact that the Warriors were able score 6 unders and 19 overs is testimony to their accuracy in dispatching the round ball.

The inaugural Finnegan's Cup match, the first International Rules game to be played in Malaysia will take place between the Malaysian Warriors Australian Football Club and the Malaysian Orang Eire, the Malaysian Gaelic Athletic Association on November 22nd at 2.30pm at Alice Smith School in Kuala Lumpur.

This should be a real fun day, both teams know each other well with numerous of the Irish lads having played Australian Football with the Warriors and vice versa, some Warriors having played the Gaelic game with the Orang Eire.

Wihilst there is bound to be plenty of banter and craic, with national pride at stake, one can be assured no quarter will be asked or given.

To the winner, be the spoils

A full report will appear on www.worldfootynews.com in due course.

Details of the game can be found on www.warriorsmalaysia.com

The following article is by Irishman Ian McCourt. "Wicklow to be exact - where they play bad GAA but in beautiful surroundings". He came to Melbourne in the hope of sunshine and gold, of which he has only found one. He was delighted to see Ireland beat the Aussies in the International Rules series.

Despite the fears of the GAA, the first match of the 2008 International Rules series went off without a hitch in Perth, with Ireland winning by the slimmest of margins. With the series being judged on aggregate scores, Australia's fight back in the final quarter and Ireland's one point lead ensured that the next game would be a closely fought affair. For the second match, the series moved to Melbourne and the International Rules road show rolled into town leaving me with two stark choices. Either swing it with the real fans. Feel the passion; hear the noise; join forces with the fan on my left; swill beer with the fan on my right; and scream in unison with indignation as the umpire gets another decision wrong. Or, get tickets that would allow me to hob-nob it with the bigwigs in the members’ section of the ground. I thought about it for a second and jumped aboard the Good Ship Prawn Sandwich.

Final Scores: Ireland 4.8.9 (57) d Australia 3.8.11 (53)

Ireland defeated Australia comfortably, although finally on the scoreboard by 4 points, in the second Test at the MCG, taking home the Cormac McAnallen Cup, after winning the Perth Test by one point a week earlier.

The historic record of international matches played is now 15 wins Ireland, 14 Australia and two draws.

Kade Simpson won the Jim Stynes Medal as Australia's player of the tournament, while Graham Canty was the winner of the best Irish player in the series.

Two last quarter overs by the strong marking Drew Petrie brought Australia close to the Irish with only minutes to play.

The game was a success on the field, despite the media critics and despite the showers which have greeted both games.

A day before the match, the AFL and the GAA hope for a crowded house at the MCG for the second International Rules series contest between Australia and Ireland even given predicted showers.

At the same time, the game exists in another crowded environment.

October is the time of Australia-India Test cricket from India, V8 Super Car racing, this year a Wallabies’ Bledisloe Cup match against New Zealand in Hong Kong, the soccer and basketball seasons, the Rugby League World Cup in Sydney and, via pay TV and news reports, the MLB World Series and the English Premier League.

Above all, in Melbourne, is the spring racing carnival.

While International Rules has to compete for media attention, in a sense the crowding problem demonstrates the need for Australian Football to have an international dimension.

Illustrating once again that the hybrid code fills a bigger niche than just at elite AFL v GAA level, in the first half of October, an under-23 representative squad from the 4 "traditional" Australian football states (members of the Australian Amateur Football Council), toured Ireland to play 4 International Rules matches against some prominent local Irish GAA clubs. This tour follows on from a similar tour in 2005 as reported on WFN. Also planned was a match against an All-star side from the Irish Aussie Rules leagues, but sadly that did not go ahead. The following is a summary of the AAFC tour.

Australian Squad

South Australia
Shane Jordan, Toby Haseldine (Salisbury North) Fraser Pinkney (Pembroke Old Scholars) Martin Wilson (Plympton High Old Scholars Camden) Ryan Richter (Broadview)

Tasmania
Allan O’Sign (North Launceston) Daniel Ellis (Launceston) Nicholas Buller (South Launceston) Nick McKenna, Jesse Wells (Burnie Dockers)

Victoria
Jack Watts (University Blues) Ben Dowd (St Kevin’s Old Boys) Brendan Iezzi (Old Trinity Grammarians) Andrew McGuinness (Old Brighton Grammarians) Peter McGettigan (St Bedes Mentone)

Western Australia
Steven Wood, Simon Jones (University) Brad Wedgwood (North Fremantle) Scott Horsburgh (Wesley Curtin) Jarrad Heller (Collegians)

Once again, due in part due to the involvement of a second country with a large diaspora, and perhaps the recent history of violence, the International Rules Series seems to have a growing international audience, perhaps rivalling the AFL Grand Final in terms of overall interest, not just on television but also internet coverage, YouTube and media interest.

Here are the Australian and international television broadcast details for the 2nd IR test which will be held between Australia vs Ireland in Melbourne on Friday 31st October at MCG 7:45pm AEDT.

International Rules continues to be the focus of the Australian foobtall off-season.

Masters (over 35) level International Rules has been played between Ireland and Australia for 6 years, more recently named the Paddy Gaffney Cup in memory of an Irish footballer who died during a junior club match.

Australia has never won the series, but this year have pulled out the big guns. Former AFL players Gavin Wanganeen, Richard Champion, Adrian Fletcher, Paul Dimattina, Shaun Smith, Brad Sholl and Paul Hudson took on Ireland's over 35s in the first of a two game series.

Following the domestic NSW Thrilling match in Sydney and the international senior match also being decided by a point, the contest should no doubt be close.

This year the series came to the Gold Coast for the first time with a match played at Len Peak Oval, Kirra on the 26th October. The decider will be played on November 1 in Melbourne.

Sporting chess reached another high last night as the Irish held back a fast advancing Australian side to win by one point the first International Rules match, 45-44, before a crowd of 35,000 at an occasionally wet Subiaco.

As expected, with superior understanding of the floating round ball, the Irish went out to a big lead early, particularly finding the net for 6 points which the Australians had trouble doing. However, by half time, aided by superior fitness, the Australians had brought the score back to a one point deficit of 18-19.

Australia has named its placed squad for the International Rules Test against Ireland in Perth tonight.

Adelaide's Nathan Bock gets the crucial and unfamiliar role of goal-keeper. The final team is based on player availability and those deemed suited to the hybrid game, and sees remarkably few (just one) Geelong players, despite their AFL dominance up until the 2008 Grand Final.

Australia

GK: Nathan Bock (Adelaide)
B: Michael Firrito (North Melbourne), Brad Sewell (Hawthorn), Campbell Brown (Hawthorn)
HB: Ryan Crowley (Fremantle), Drew Petrie (North Melbourne), Adam Selwood (West Coast)
M: Brent Harvey (North Melbourne), Scott Thompson (Adelaide)
HF: Scott Pendlebury (Collingwood), Daniel Motlop (Port Adelaide), David Rodan (Port Adelaide)
F: Michael Osborne (Hawthorn), Shaun Burgoyne (Port Adelaide), Matt Campbell (North Melbourne)

I/C (one to be omitted): Matthew Boyd (Western Bulldogs), Jared Brennan (Brisbane Lions), Nathan Foley (Richmond), Roger Hayden (Fremantle), Leigh Montagna (St Kilda), Marc Murphy (Carlton), Max Rooke (Geelong), Kade Simpson (Carlton), Dale Thomas (Collingwood), Daniel Wells (North Melbourne)

Ireland's unplaced full squad is listed below.