IF YESTERDAY'S first Test in the Toyota International Rules series could be enshrined in the rule book it would meet all of the future requirements of the nervous but ultimately relieved officials from the AFL and GAA.
Well behaved (with just one sinbinning), well contested (with just one point separating the sides going into next week's Test in Melbourne) and well attended (a crowd of 35,153 eventually materialised after a sparse early arrival), it ticked most boxes.
The more resolutely anxious will remember that two years ago the first Test in Galway ended in a welter of excitement and a home win of eight points, before the ensuing schlockfest a week later, so it's probably wise not to celebrate anything beyond an interesting and competitive match that picked up considerably in the second half.
The new rules worked reasonably well and the attitude from both sides was brisk but sporting.
Restrictions on hand-passing didn't appear to interfere too much with the play, but the number of hand-passes hit 300 during the 72 minutes, so the clear primacy of the kick isn't guaranteed by the new regulations.
Ireland took particular encouragement from the win, the country's first in Perth in 22 years, as it was the first here in Australia since 2003. And it appeared to - subject to the above caveat - suggest that the visitors had worked out an effective response to the AFL's recast style of running the ball in fast, skilful movements.
That the emphasis was on defence was evident from the throw-in, when Ireland lined out with two half forwards and Graham Canty back as a seventh defender. If the plan was to shut off space and place the Australian forwards under pressure, it worked in the first quarter, during which the hosts got just one point.
But the flip side of this Irish display was a more fractured plan of campaign up front. Long, high ball was tried with more emphasis on dispatch than accuracy, and inevitably possession was given away.
The three goals were well created and executed, but there was also some very poor finishing in the first quarter, when Ireland shot six behinds, the score imported from the AFL that at home is better known as a wide.
Australia's defence was lively and Adam Selwood and Dale Thomas covered tirelessly at the back to limit Ireland's chances.
Nonetheless, this was an encouraging display from Seán Boylan's side, who, no less than the Australians, will benefit from the outing and hope to be able to find their A - or at least B - game a little quicker in Melbourne next Friday.
Plaudits have to go to the defence. In goal, David Gallagher's assurance under high ball stood out, and if some of his kicks sacrificed distance for precision, his shot-stopping was sharp and effective. He saved a 13th-minute penalty - awarded against John Keane, who otherwise had a top-class debut - from Matt Campbell, though the shot was more suggestive of rickets than rockets.
In the 31st minute Gallagher produced a great block to deflect Marc Murphy's one-on-one shot for an over.
In front of the goalkeeper, Finian Hanley played for a lot of time and organised the defence effectively until hit by a frontal charge from Campbell Brown, which earned the Hawthorn man, who had been switched from the back to attack, a sinbinning halfway through the final quarter.
Graham Canty and Ciarán McKeever did vast amounts of work and were two of Ireland's top three outfield ball handlers - the other being Tyrone's Joe McMahon, who adapted impressively to a roving game and rarely wasted possession.
The pattern of the match was strange, the sides' alternating dominance of the quarters ending up in a close-run finish.
Ireland went from eight ahead at the first quarter mark to being level - and lucky - at the break, as the equalising point was tacked on only during the intermission after a Steven McDonnell behind was belatedly recorded.
The key score was the Test's first goal, nicely put away by Leighton Glynn, who had the presence of mind to run a mark after Cavanagh had turned over Australian possession. Glynn had a fine match, constantly getting on the ball and using the possession well and finishing with 10 points.
Yet for the rest of the first half the Australians played themselves back into contention. Once again their kicking of overs was markedly better than Ireland's and their expertise in engineering scoring marks near goal was evident.
The third quarter is known as the moving quarter, and for once Ireland did the moving. A cracking goal in the 41st minute came about through Donaghy, who grew into his role as the match progressed, though the customary quandary about whether to use him at full forward or centrefield was again in focus.
His smart, chipped ball to Cavanagh opened up a chance the Ireland captain blasted past Nathan Bock for a 28-19 lead.
Thirteen minutes later Benny Coulter played a ground ball across the goal for McDonnell. Roger Hayden got to it first but spilled it and the Armagh marksman scrambled in the third goal for a 41-24 lead.
Ireland seemed to contemplate shutting up shop with a 13-point lead going into the final quarter.
McDonnell and Donaghy set up Glynn for an over to give Ireland a 45-28 lead with 15 minutes to go. It was to be Ireland's last score and Australia exerted huge pressure.
Although pinned back for nearly that entire period - Paddy Bradley did get clear on goal but was well overhauled by Thomas - Ireland managed to concede no more than they had to, to preserve a delicate lead for next week.
Match Statistics
AUSTRALIA:44 Nathan Bock (Adelaide); 13 Dale Thomas (Collingwood), 5 Matthew Boyd (W Bulldogs), 37 Adam Selwood (W Coast); 15 Ryan Crowley (Fremantle), 12 Brad Sewell (Hawthorn), 30 Campbell Brown (Hawthorn); 29 Brent Harvey (N Melbourne; 4 - 0-1-1), 17 Jared Brennan (Brisbane; 2 - 0-0-2); 7 Michael Osborne (Hawthorn; 3 - 0-1-0), 8 Shaun Burgoyne (P Adelaide), 14 David Rodan (P Adelaide; 3 - 0-1-0); 1 Matt Campbell (N Melbourne; 8 - 0-2-2), 2 Daniel Wells (N Melbourne), 4 Daniel Motlop (P Adelaide; 1 - 0-0-1). Inter-change: 41 Nathan Foley (Richmond), 43 Roger Hayden (Fremantle; 1 - 0-0-1), 11 Leigh Montagna (St Kilda; 4 - 0-1-1), 3 Marc Murphy (Carlton; 12 - 0-4-0), 6 Kade Simpson (Carlton), 9 Michael Firrito (N Melbourne), 20 Drew Petrie (N Melbourne), 16 Scott Thompson (Adelaide; 6 - 0-2-0), 10 Scott Pendlebury (Collingwood).
IRELAND:1 David Gallagher (Meath); 22 Aidan O'Mahony (Kerry), 11 Finian Hanley (Galway), 12 John Keane (Westmeath); 8 Bryan Cullen (Dublin; 1 - 0-0-1), 25 Kevin Reilly (Meath; 1 - 0-0-1), 17 Ciarán McKeever (Armagh); 9 Kieran Donaghy (Kerry; 3 - 0-1-0), 2 Colm Begley (Laois and Brisbane); 18 Joe McMahon (Tyrone; 1 - 0-0-1), 16 Enda McGinley (Tyrone), 5 Graham Canty (Cork); 7 Benny Coulter (Down), 6 Seán Cavanagh (Tyrone; capt; 13 - 1-2-1), 15 Steven McDonnell (Armagh; 8 - 1-0-2). Inter-change: 13 Aaron Kernan (Armagh), 24 Tom Parsons (Mayo), 20 Michael Meehan (Galway; 2 - 0-0-2), 21 John Miskella (Cork), 23 Pearse O'Neill (Cork), 3 Paddy Bradley (Derry; 3 - 0-1-0), 19 Justin McMahon (Tyrone), 10 Leighton Glynn (Wicklow; 10 - 1-1-1), 14 Ciarán Lyng (Wexford; 3 - 0-1-0).
Referees:Stephen McBurney (AFL) and Pat McEnaney (GAA)
