The International Rules series finally got the go-ahead this morning after the AFL confirmed dates for both tests although it appears the actual venues have still to be rubber-stamped.
The first test will take place in Perth on October 24th, with the second moving to Aussie Rules heartland Melbourne the following Friday.
Perth's Subiaco Oval is likely to host the first test with the MCG in Melbourne penciled in to stage the decider.
In a brief statement released this morning, the GAA confirmed
the series will go ahead but added that "details of the stadiums to
be used and other arrangements with regard to the Series will be
confirmed at a later date".
The series, suspended last year due to the proliferation of
ugly incidents in 2006, had been in danger of being abandoned for a
further 12 months after the AFL indicated they would only be
prepared to commit to a one-off test.
However, once the GAA made it clear they would be unwilling to partake in anything less than a two-match series, arrangements for the second test were made.
It had been assumed Sydney and Melbourne would host the matches but Perth, where Ireland were crushed 100-64 by the home side in 2005, will again welcome the tourists to Western Australia.
Meanwhile, reports in Australia claim Dublin teenager Carl Dias could become the latest Irish recruit to the Australian code. Nine other Irish players are currently plying their trade in the AFL.
The highly-rated Kilmacud Crokes youngster is set for a trial with the Adelaide Crows later this summer. Dias will have a four-week trial with the side in August after being spotted by an Adelaide scout.
"He's a young bloke that really impresses us, so we're going to bring him out and have a look and have some discussions with him," said John Reid, Adelaide's general manager of football operations.
"Then we'll see what happens from there. It's not like he's being put on our list, he's coming out for a trial.
"His mental application as to what it was about (impressed us), you can't just have anyone coming out to do that. Obviously we also think he's got the natural ability to pick up our game reasonably well so it was a combination of those things."