1999 International Rules Series Explained

1999 International Rules Series
Event:International Rules Series
Team1:Australia
Team1association:
Team1score:114
Team2:Ireland
Team2association:
Team2score:122
Details:Ireland win series 122-114 on aggregate
Firstleg:First test
Team1score1:62
Team2score1:70
Date1:8 October 1999
Stadium1:Melbourne Cricket Ground, Melbourne
City1:Victoria
Referee1:Andrew Coates (Australia)
Mick Curley (Ireland)
Attendance1:64,326
Secondleg:Second test
Team1score2:52
Team2score2:52
Date2:15 October 1999
Stadium2:Football Park, Adelaide
City2:South Australia
Referee2:Andrew Coates (Australia)
Mick Curley (Ireland)
Attendance2:45,187
Television:Seven Network (Australia)
N2 (Ireland)
Previous:1998
Next:2000

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
BestAUS: Buckley, McRae, Cousins, Bell, Campbell, Smith
IRL: Kavanagh, Tohill, Fallon, Giles
InjuriesNil
Venue
Attendance64,326
UmpiresAndrew Coates (Australia) Mick 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
BestAUS: Buckley, Graham, Richardson, Crawford, Campbell, Akermanis
IRL: Donellan, Stynes, Giles, Fay, Cullen, Tohill
InjuriesNil
Venue
Attendance45,187
UmpiresAndrew Coates (Australia) Mick Curley (Ireland)

See also

References