1999 International Rules Series

1999 International Rules Series
Event International Rules Series
Ireland win series 122-114 on aggregate
First test
Date 8 October 1999
Venue Melbourne Cricket Ground, Melbourne, Victoria
Referee Andrew Coates (Australia)
Michael Curley (Ireland)
Attendance 64,326
Second test
Date 15 October 1999
Venue Football Park, Adelaide, South Australia
Referee Andrew Coates (Australia)
Michael Curley (Ireland)
Attendance 45,187

The 1999 International Rules Series was the sixth annual [International Rules Series]] and the second time that a test series of international rules football has been played between Ireland and Australia since the series resumed in 1998.

The 1999 series was played in Australia with a two-test series used to decide the winner. The first test was played at the Melbourne Cricket Ground and the second test was played at Football Park in Adelaide. The 1999 Series was historic for the fact that a then record crowd of 64,326 turned up at the Melbourne Cricket Ground for the first test followed by a strong 45,187 fans at the second test in Adelaide. The two combined crowds equalled to 109,513, smashing the opening record at the previous year's series in Ireland.

The second test of the 1999 series in Adelaide finished as a draw, the first time such a result occurred in an international rules series.

Series overview

The first test was played at the Melbourne Cricket Ground in front of a then record crowd of 64,326. In a high scoring game, the Irish were victorious with McDermott scoring Ireland's only goal of the match. The Australians were not disgraced, finishing just 8 points behind the Irish at the end of the night with Nathan Buckley kicking 5 overs. The second test provided a unique result. In a first for any international rules game, the second test finished as a draw. Despite this, the Irish still won the series by 8 points on aggregate (their winning margin of the first test). Nathan Buckley again scored 5 overs, prompting many to pronounce him the Jim Stynes Medal winner. Michael O'Loughlin and Shane Crawford each scored a goal each whilst for the Irish, McDermott and Tohill gained scores of 7 in front of over 45,000 people at Football Park in Adelaide. Ireland won the series 122–114 on aggregate.

Squads

For Australian squad see: Australia 1999 Team
For Ireland squad see: Ireland 1999 Team

Matches

First test

Team 1 2 3 4 Total
Australia 0.4.2 0.9.4 0.13.7 0.16.14 (62)
Ireland 0.6.3 0.9.6 1.15.9 2.16.10 (70)
Ireland won by 8 G.O.P G.O.P G.O.P G.O.P Final
Date Friday, 8 October 1999
Scoring (AUS) Goals: Nil

Overs: Buckley 5, McRae 2, Waterhouse 2, Bell 2,
Campbell 2, Leppitsch, Smith, West

Scoring (IRL) Goals: Fallon, Whelan

Overs: Canavan 3, Fallon 3, Giles 3, Kavanagh 3, Buckley, Dolan, Earley, Tohill

Best AUS: Buckley, McRae, Cousins, Bell, Campbell, Smith
IRL: Kavanagh, Tohill, Fallon, Giles
Injuries Nil
Venue Melbourne Cricket Ground, Melbourne, VIC
Attendance 64,326
Umpires Andrew Coates(Australia) Michael Curley(Ireland)

Second test

Team 1 2 3 4 Total
Australia 1.4.1 2.6.3 2.8.4 2.12.4 (52)
Ireland 1.1.4 1.4.8 1.7.11 1.11.13 (52)
Match was drawn G.O.P G.O.P G.O.P G.O.P Final
Date Friday, 15 October 1999
Scoring (AUS) Goals: O'Loughlin, Crawford

Overs: Buckley 5, Smith 2, Graham, Richardson,
Waterhouse, Campbell, Bell

Scoring (IRL) Goals: McDermott

Overs: Fallon 2, Tohill 2, Buckley 2, Geraghty, Giles, Kavanagh, McManus, Stynes

Best AUS: Buckley, Graham, Richardson, Crawford, Campbell, Akermanis
IRL: Donellan, Stynes, Giles, Fay, Cullen, Tohill
Injuries Nil
Venue Football Park, Adelaide, SA
Attendance 45,187
Umpires Andrew Coates(Australia) Michael Curley(Ireland)

See also

References