Last Saturday's International Rules Challenge between Ulster/Galway and the Rest of Ireland convinced Irish manager Colm O'Rourke that the home team will need to employ more aggression in the tackle for next weekend's International Rules Test against Australia in Croke Park.
The Ulster-based team watched their combined counterparts steadily slash away at a significant lead in the final quarter but snatched a late win through an over (three points) from Diarmuid Marsden and a late goal by Derry's Gary Coleman.
"What we are lacking a little bit is probably the destructive type of player who will tackle the opponent in possession. Our game is so mobile that there isn't that much tackling or hitting so we need a traditional back who can maybe play in the forwards and defend from there," said O'Rourke at the conclusion of the challenge in Healy Park, Omagh, Co Tyrone.
"There is still this underlying problem that, say, if the ball comes hopping to a player, the tendency in our game is to stand off the guy and play him whereas in this game, they have to have a different attitude, they have to rush in and grab him, but it's something that's difficult to get through to players. It's the single biggest problem we have at the moment."
O'Rourke acknowledged that the concept of rushing the attacker presented a radical departure for his charges and also stressed that at the majority of training sessions fluidity of passing and accuracy had been the priority.
Although a number of those selected were unavailable - Colm Parkinson, Brendan Cummins, Seamus Moynihan, Finbarr Cullen and James Nallen were on club duty - O'Rourke declared himself pleased with the overall standard, including the trialists from Kildare and Galway, who were competing for the first time.
"They coped well. We had a sharp training session down under the lights in Carrickmore last night and got them acclimatised to the general patterns. We are very close to having the lads we want now. On the surface, it may appear as though the selections are strange but we are basically running with the fellows who have been with us for the past couple of months," said O'Rourke.
Galway's Kevin Walsh and Sean de Paor, who lined out against each other in a club game yesterday - felt that utilising the mark was perhaps the aspect of the game most foreign to them.
"I suppose when we got a mark, we were inclined to take one or two steps forward and get in trouble whereas the lads know to step back straight away and not get hit, you know," said Walsh.
De Paor felt that overall the International Rules format allowed players to find their game fairly easily. "For the first five minutes last night, we didn't know what we were at. But by the second quarter, you found yourself getting used to it, more confident. It's not a bad game at all and obviously it would be a great honour for us to represent our country but whether or not that comes to pass is another thing."
His Galway team-mate Ja Fallon proved extremely comfortable with the new format, nailing a goal in the second quarter and also hammering a long-range over (kick over the bar worth three points). Kildare's Anthony Rainbow also flourished as an attacker for the Ireland selection, impressing along with Clare's Martin Daly and Colm McMemamon from Mayo.
Ulster/Galway led by 32-17 at the end of the second quarter but lagged in a third quarter which saw the combined team storm back through a goal from Tyrone minor star Aidan Lynch and overs from Derry Foley, McMenamon and Daly.
Ireland fashioned a 44-38 lead in the last quarter but Ulster regrouped with overs from Eoin Mulligan and Brendan Devenney. The score was level at 45 each going into the final minute but a point from Jim Guinness settled Ulster and Marsden fired an over before a delightful pass by Peter Canavan freed Gary Coleman for the concluding score. Proceeds from the challenge went to the Omagh Victims Fund and the players met with some relatives of the bereaved over the weekend.
"You know, we met a couple of young girls in wheelchairs in the hotel this morning and it definitely puts football in perspective", said Donegal midfielder Jim McGuinness. "But we were training some youngsters here this morning and got a great response. They seemed to be excited at meeting the players and I think it gave them a wee lift, so the weekend was certainly worthwhile," he said.
Ulster/Galway: F McConnell (Tyrone), M Magill (Down), G Fahy (Galway), S M Lockhart (Derry), T Mannion (Galway), G Coleman (Derry), K McGeeney (Armagh), S De Paor (Galway), A Tohill (Derry), J McGuinness (Donegal), E Gormley (Tyrone), P Brewster (Fermanagh), D Marsden (Armagh), B Devenney (Donegal), P Canavan (Tyrone), J Fallon (Galway). Subs: K Walsh (Galway), E Mulligan (Tyrone).
Rest Of Ireland: N Buckley (Kildare), B O'Donavan (Wicklow), D Fay (meath), D Donlon (Roscommon), J Kenny (Offaly), G Ryan (Kildare), J Finn (Kildare), J McDermott (Meath), D Foley (Tipperary), C McMenamon (Mayo), B Stynes (Dublin), A Rainbow (Kildare), K O'Brien (Wicklow), M Daly (Clare), E McCormack (Kildare). Subs: M Donnellan (Galway), A Lynch (Tyrone).
Referees: G McCabe (Dublin), M Curley (Galway).
