The GAA and the Australian Football League (AFL) have been discussing the use of referees from a third sport to officiate at International Rules matches. Whereas there are no immediate plans to introduce such an initiative, it is believed that the idea has been aired at meetings between the two associations.

These meetings are part of the ongoing monitoring of the revived series and consider playing rules, the junior tour (for under-18s and played earlier in the year), the senior tour and any problems that can arise.

Among the issues arising from Sunday's first Test was the need to eliminate the high tackles and late tackles that occasionally marred the exchanges.

Up until now, International Rules has used two referees, one a GAA official and the other an Australian Rules umpire. Sunday's match was handled by Andrew Coates and Mick Curley, the Galway football referee.

Although there have been no serious complaints about the impartiality of the officials deployed over the 14 years of the series, there has been a tendency for each to be sympathetic to their own country, even if that derives from nothing more than a greater familiarity with the style of play. In the circumstances, it is nearly impossible for officials to be completely objective when by definition, they are not neutral.

Last Sunday it was noticeable that when Irish goalkeeper Finbarr McConnell was believed to have been sent off, Australian umpire Coates was the referee involved - although the Tyrone man was officially declared to have been warned and continued to play.

On the other side of the coin, Curley disallowed what looked like a good goal for Australia by Robert Harvey in the 50th minute.

Although neither side was available to comment on the proposal, it is believed that rugby league is the code which could be most suitable for providing disinterested match officials.

Meanwhile, it has been announced that three additional players have been called up to the Irish panel for next weekend's second Test. Forwards Eoin Gormley and Gerard Cavlan from Tyrone will be joined by Galway's All-Ireland-winning midfielder Kevin Walsh.

Gormley was named as a stand-by player last week and Walsh came on as a substitute in the final trial in Omagh last Saturday week but Cavlan didn't feature in that match.

They have been added as cover because Ireland manager Colm O'Rourke is troubled by injury to key players - Dublin's Brian Stynes is most unlikely to recover in time, but team captain John McDermott is considered to have a better chance of recovery. Mayo's Colm McManamon, who was injured early in Sunday's match, may struggle to be fit.

In general the authorities appear satisfied with the first leg of the Test series. A crowd of 22,000 turned up after a week of relatively hype-free build-up. This was somewhat more than had been expected, but still short of the sort of figure that had been and is hoped would attend the second match.

The staging of county championship matches, especially the final in Meath, is thought to have affected the turnout and with the exciting quality of the first Test and the publicity generated, it is thought the attendance will increase.

Finally, as a postscript to Australia's late victory, David Neitz, who scored the vital second goal, and Ben Hart toured Ireland as under-18s in 1991. The only Irish player to make a subsequent impact at top level was Mayo's Kenneth Mortimer, who didn't involve himself in the trial matches for this summer's Tests.

The Australian panel take off today for the west of Ireland and will be relaxing in the Ardilaun House Hotel in Galway tonight and Ashford Castle in Cong, Co Mayo, tomorrow before returning to Dublin on Thursday.