Ireland national Australian rules football team

For the Irish national team that plays against Australia in the International Rules Series, see Ireland international rules football team.
Ireland
Union Australian Rules Football League of Ireland
Nickname(s) The Warriors
First international
Ireland 124 – 15United Kingdom Great Britain
(2001)[1]
International Cup team in 2008 lining up for photo

The Irish national Australian rules football team represent Ireland in Australian rules football and is selected from the best Irish born players from the clubs of the Australian Rules Football League of Ireland.

The team is notable as taking the Atlantic Alliance Cup undefeated in 2001 to become European champions before also taking the 2002 International Cup undefeated to become international champions.

While the team has since been joined in recent years with the emergence of New Zealand and Papua New Guinea, it remains in the top five nations in the sport. Ireland's form has been largely unpredictable due to the availability of experienced Gaelic footballers in its playing pool. The Irish team has been a finalist in all AFL International Cups, winning two and are the current 2011 world champions.

Identity

The team was first nicknamed "Fianna na hÉireann" (Irish for "Fianna of Ireland") after a band of heroic warriors in Irish mythology. In 2005, it was renamed the "Green Machine".

The team wears a green (one of the national colours of Ireland) guernsey with a Celtic strip featuring the Irish harp symbol.

History

Further information: Irish experiment

The Irish team won the Atlantic Alliance Cup in 2001 to become the northern hemisphere champions.

In the following year, the team participated in the inaugural Australian Football International Cup and finished first, leaving the competition as international champions. The team benefitted from the availability of several Gaelic football players.

In 2005, Ireland finished 4th. An increasingly competitive New Zealand, Papua New Guinea and the United States of America finished ahead of Ireland and the team suffered from injury and the Gaelic Athletic Association discouraging the use of Gaelic players.

The Green Machine's best and fairest player (from the 2005 International Cup) is Mike Finn.

Recently the national team played a curtain raiser at the West Coast Eagles vs Fremantle exhibition match at the Oval in London where they beat the British Bulldogs.

The Warriors finished 4th again at the 2008 Australian Football International Cup and the best and fairest player was once again Mike Finn. 3 Irish players were selected in the All-International team.

The Warriors won the inaugural European Championships in 2010 defeating Denamrk in the final 11.2(68) to 8.3(51). Warriors captain Cian Quigley was names Best on Ground in the final. 3 Irish players were named on the Team of the Tournament

In 2011 the Warriors won the 4th International Cup beating PNG 8.5 (53) to 5.5 (35). Mike Finn was named Best on Ground in the final. 3 Irish players were selected in the All-International team

Test results

This list is incomplete; you can help by expanding it.
Ireland's All-International Mike Finn takes a spectacular mark over a pack of South African opponents in the 2008 AFL International Cup
Year Result Venue
2005 Ireland 8.9.(57) def Great Britain 5.6.(36) London, UK
2006 Ireland def Great Britain London, UK
2007 Great Britain 11.15(81) def Ireland 2.9(21) Dublin, Ireland
2009 Ireland 8.6 (54) defeated Great Britain 4.9 (33) Dublin, Ireland

International honours

Year Atlantic Alliance Cup Coach Manager
2001: 1st[3] Michael Johnson (C), Shane O'Laughlin, Dominic O'Laughlin, Dermot O'Laughlin, Michael Currane, Fergal Bradshaw, Joe Cunnane, Aaron Flood, Derek Mulligan, Alan Kelly, Denis Reidy, Fergal Killoury, Diarmuid Griffin, Liam O'Connor, Brian Currane, Derek Collentine, Alan Coomey, Emmet Humphries, Declan Cotter, Steve Brennan, Kieran Brennan, Paul Crowley, James McCartan, Junior, Will Hayes, Robert Toal, David Walsh
RESULTS: IRE 18.16(124) d. GB 2.3(15), IRE 9.9(63) d. USA 4.5(29), IRE 8.9(57) d. DEN 1.4(10), IRE 7.21(63) d. CAN 1.5(11) *FINAL: IRE 6.12(48) d. DEN 3.1(19)		 Darren Fitzpatrick Dave Tierney
Year Australian Football International Cup Coach Manager
2002: 1st Michael Johnson (C), Neil McFlynn, Donal Boylan, Dualtach Johnson, Barry Denham (VC), Ryan McFlynn, Michael Currane, Fergal Bradshaw, Joe Cunnane, Aaron Flood, Derek Mulligan, Alan Kelly, Denis Reidy, Fergal Killoury, Diarmuid Griffin, Gary Lane, Liam O'Connor, Brian Currane, Declan O'Sullivan, Paul Kiely, John Lack O'Sullivan, Alan Coomey, Emmet Humphries, Declan Cotter, Brian Shortall, Seán McPhillips, Brian Boyle, David Stynes, Damien Burns.
RESULTS: IRE 7.14(56) def CAN 4.7(31), IRE 5.6(36) def SAM 4.5(29), IRE 7.7(49) d. USA 6.3(39), IRE 15.8(98) def SA 3.3(21), IRE 4.10(34) def NZ 3.2(20) *FINAL: IRE 7.9(51) def PNG 2.7(19)		 Darren Fitzpatrick Damien Cassidy
2005: 4th Mark Ryan, Dennis Goggin, Phillip Whelan, James Flavin, Ciaran Drummey, Declan Drummey, John Enright, John Fahy, Seán Fallon, Dennis Kenelly, Gerrard Johnston, Ronan Johnston, Ciaran Keegan, Pat Leavy, Diarmuid Griffin (v/c), Shaun McElhone, Brian O'Connell (c), Clifford Richardson, Darragh O'Hagan, Paul O'Mahoney, Rory Rafter, David Whelan, Ian O'Sullivan, Derek Troy, Mark Kilgallon, Cian Quigley, Mike Finn, David Stynes, Ruairi Convery
RESULTS: IRE 4.7(31) def CAN 3.5(23), USA 2.5(17) def IRE 1.7(13), IRE 10.9(69) def SA 1.4(10), IRE 7.11(53) def Japan 1.0(6), PNG 5.4(34) def IRE 3.7(25), USA 10.5(65) def IRE 4.6(30)		 Krizan Vekic Diarmuid O Riain
2008: 4th Seán Fallon, Ray Colleran, Clifford Richardson, Garret Kelleher, Alan Lavin, Joe Cunnane, Padraig Hannon, Cian Quigley, Mike Finn, David Lally, John Enright, Michael Currane, Paul O'Mahony, Patrick Leavy, Diarmuid Griffin, Ray Saurin, Ian O'Sullivan Paddy Gibbs, Brian O'Connell, Denis Goggin, James Flavin, Alan Tierney, James O'Byrne, Stephen Keegan, David Walsh, Alex Whooley, Brian Currane, Liam Twoomey, Daire Ó hAodhagáin, Martin Ruane, Ciarán Keegan
RESULTS: SA 4.9(33) def IRE 5.2(32), NZ 8.9(57) def IRE 2.3(15), IRE 4.6(30) def CAN l2.2(14), IRE 13.20(98) def FIN 0.0(0), IRE 12.12(84) def SWE 1.0(6)		 Roger Clarke Ciarán Ó Headhra
Paul Ryan
2011: 1st Cian Quigley, Aidan Hickey, Clifford Richardson, Fergal McManus, John Heslin, Joe Cunnane, Paul Sharry, Alex Whooley, Mike Finn, Fearghal Purcell, John Enright, Darren Sheils, Barry Holland, Roch Hanmore, Philip Bredin, David McElhone, Larry Kavanagh, Manus Breathnach, Eoin Ó Súileabháin, Niall McDonagh, Joe Rocks, James Flavin, David Coffey, James O'Byrne, Seán McGuinness, John Tierney, Gerard Walls, Kevin O'Brien, Alan Coomey, David Stynes, Michael Carey, Brendan Nannery, Gerard Lenihan
RESULTS: IRE 14.9(93) def. East Timor 0.0(0), IRE 8.6(54) d. GB 1.0(6), IRE 15.14(104) d. SWE 1.0(6), IRE 11.6(72) d. DEN 1.3(9), IRE 5.16(46) d. NZ 2.1(13) *FINAL: IRE 8.5(53) d. PNG 5.5(35)		 Tom Madigan Ciarán Ó Headhra
2011: 1st Banshees Emma Kelly, Ciara McGurk, Aimee-Louise Hazley, Laura Corrigan, Natlie Behan, Marie Keating, Gillian Behan, Nuala O'Hagan,Emma Behan, Claire Cunningham Louise Loughlin, Ashlene Groogan, Fiona Cotter, Kate Fitzsimons, U. McKay, S. Ryan, N. Ryan, A. Sheils, Kerr, Aitken, Tracey
RESULTS: IRE 4.7(31) def CAN 1.2(8), IRE 19.13(127) def AUS 0.1(1), IRE 12.8(80) def PNG 2.0(12), IRE 5.5(35) def USA 2.4(16) *FINAL IRE 5.9(39) def CAN 1.2(8).
This list is incomplete; you can help by expanding it.
 Andrew Hickey Shaun Saurin

Irish players selected for All-International Team

Year Player
2002 Australian Football International Cup Michael Johnson, Aaron Flood, Liam O'Connor, David Stynes
2005 Australian Football International Cup Clifford Richardson, Mike Finn
2008 Australian Football International Cup Mike Finn, Ian O'Sullivan, Cian Quigley
2011 Australian Football International Cup Mike Finn, Paul Sharry, Kevin O'Brien
2011 Australian Football International Cup
Women's World Team		 Laura Corrigan, Natlie Behan, Marie Keating, Gillian Behan,
Nuala O'Hagan, Louise Loughlin, Emma Kelly, Ashlene Groogan
2014 Australian Football International Cup Mike Finn, Brendan Browne, Padraig Lucey, David Stynes
2014 Australian Football International Cup
Women's World Team		 Fiona Roarty, Paula Keatley, Laura Corrigan, Emma Kelly, Aimee Hazely

See also

References

  1. ↑ http://www.worldfootynews.com/staticpages/index.php/World_Rankings_Matches
  2. ↑ http://www.ec2010.info/index.php/match-schedule
  3. ↑ http://www.thefootyrecord.net/dbteam.php?acct=INTL&id=25&page=pc

External links

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