Australia 4-22-15 (105) UCC/CIT 0-3-3 (12):AUSTRALIA GEARED up for the International Rules series with Ireland with this rout at Páirc Uí Rinn in Cork last night.
While a victory for the visitors was always a certainty, the “home” team did not disgrace themselves, coming more into the game as it went on and providing some cheer for the attendance of 2,867.
Despite the Cork combination making a burst from the initial throw-in, it did not usher in anything resembling a residence in Australian territory as the tourists ruthlessly set about fine-tuning their machinery ahead of Saturday night’s first Test in Limerick.
Cork was the venue for the first compromise rules in Test in 1984, in a game infamous for a large row between the sides, but in the opening two quarters any aggression seemed to be coming from the Australians.
With Jack Riewoldt very dangerous in the full-forward line, they raced into an early lead that only increased as the quarter wore on; there were 19 points (0-5-5 to 0-0-1) between the sides after the first 18-minute hooter.
Mark Collins got Cork’s solitary behind after he intercepted an intended pass across the Australian goal.
Riewoldt continued to wreak havoc in the second quarter, and Eddie Betts, Sam Gilbert and Travis Varcoe were also dangerous. Riewoldt scored the first goal in the 29th minute after a good Jarrad McVeigh pass.
By half-time it was 54-1, the greater sharpness of the Aussies clearly showing as they also got to grips with the physical side of the game. The students struggled to make, and break, tackles, and only good goalkeeping from Brian Walsh prevented Australia from more six-pointers.
Despite Bryce Gibbs getting Australia’s second goal early in the third quarter after a nice Adam Goodes reverse pass, there was something for the home side to cheer as two overs in a row, from Paul Honohan and Ciarán Sheehan, cut the gap, however slightly.
Hugh Curran scored another for Cork, after Colm O’Neill had slipped when played in by Curran for a goal opportunity.
But Australia continued to have more fire-power, leading 76-12 as the fourth quarter dawned.
The tempo dropped considerably in the last quarter, but there was still time for Brad Greene to snaffle two late goals, breaking the 100-point barrier with his second just before the final hooter.
SCORERS
b: B Greene 22; J Riewoldt 16; A Goodes 14; E Betts 11; T Varcoe, B Gibbs, S Gilbert, T Banfield 6 each; K Jack, P Dangerfield 4 each; K Simpson, L Picken 3 each; L Montagna 2; D Swan, M Boyd 1 each.
CORK/CIT:P Honohan, C Sheehan, H Curran 3 each; C O'Neill, M Collins, A O'Brien 1 each.
AUSTRALIA: D Fletcher (goalkeeper), T Banfield, E Betts, M Boyd, D Cross, P Dangerfield, P Duffield, J Frawley, B Gibbs, S Gilbert, T Goldsack, A Goodes, L Montagna, J Riewoldt, K Simpson, D Swan, T Varcoe, D Wojcinski, J McVeigh, G Ibbotson, K Jack, B Greene, L Picken.
UCC/CIT:K O'Halloran, B Walsh (goalkeepers), D Óg O'Donovan, J O'Sullivan, P Crowley, A Greaney, S O'Donoghue, C O'Driscoll, R Power, K O'Driscoll, A Walsh, P O'Flynn, S O'Hare, A O'Sullivan, BJ Walsh, C O'Neill, M Collins, P Honohan, L Jennings, J Buckley, D Casey, S Kiely, J Fitzpatrick, C Sheehan, H Curran, A O'Brien, JB Spillane, R Carey, E Cotter.
Referees: D Coldrick, P McEnaney (Ireland), B Rosebury (Australia).
