| Republic of Ireland | |
| Badge: | Flag of Ireland.svg |
| Union: | Australian Rules Football League of Ireland |
| Nickname: | The Warriors (Men) The Banshees (Women) |
| Rank: | 4th |
| Rank Date: | October 2022[1] |
| First Game: | (2001)[2] |
| Ic Apps: | 6 (first in 2002) |
| Ic Best: | 1st (2002, 2011) |
The Irish national Australian rules football team represent Ireland in Australian rules football and is selected from the best Irish born and raised players primarily from the clubs of the Australian Rules Football League of Ireland but also playing abroad.
The men's team formed in 2001, going through the Atlantic Alliance Cup undefeated in 2001 to become European champions before also taking the 2002 AFL International Cup where it has made the finals ever since including a 2011 championship. In the early 2010s it was a European powerhouse, winning back-to-back AFL Europe championships in 2010 and 2013 and Euro Cup championships in 2011 and 2012. In 2022 it won the AFL Europe championship and 2023, the EU Cup. It has formed intense international rivalries with Papua New Guinea and New Zealand and European rivalries with Great Britain and Denmark and remains in the top five nations in the sport.
The women's team formed in 2011 for its International Cup debut and is equally successful, being crowned European champions in 2019 and 2022 (the most of any women's side) in addition to a record 6 Euro Cup championships. It has made the final in every International Cup with 2 International Cup forming a strong rivalry with Canada.[3] [4]
Ireland's form has been largely unpredictable due to the availability of experienced players in the playing pool from Gaelic games, particularly Gaelic football (due to its strong similarities). Ireland's Gaelic Athletic Association and the Australian Football League have a very longstanding relationship and have played international rules/Compromise Rules matches between All-Star national representative teams representing each nation's elite sport regularly. Ireland's Australian Rules team tends not to be drawn from that pool, but from club-level gaelic footballers experimenting with a new but familiar sport. That familiarity explains Ireland's consistently high level of achievement at international level.
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" however in 2014 it reverted to "Ireland Warriors" and has retained this nickname since.
The team wears a green (one of the national colours of Ireland) guernsey with a Celtic strip featuring the Irish harp symbol. For the 2022 AFL European Championships, both men's and women's teams adopted a darker green, ditching the harp for a more traditional Australian rules guernsey consisting of a white and orange chevron across the chest.[5]
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 benefited from the availability of several Gaelic football players.
In 2005, Ireland finished fourth. 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 fourth again at the 2008 Australian Football International Cup and the best and fairest player was once again Mike Finn. Three Irish players were selected in the All-International team.
The Warriors won the inaugural European Championships in 2010 defeating Denmark in the final 11.2(68) to 8.3(51). Warriors captain Cian Quigley was named Best on Ground in the final. Three Irish players were named on the Team of the Tournament.
In 2011 the Warriors won the fourth International Cup beating PNG 8.5 (53) to 5.5 (35). Mike Finn was named Best on Ground in the final. Three Irish players were selected in the All-International team.
The Warriors returned to the International Cup in 2014 fielding a strong team.[6]
| Year | Result | Venue |
|---|---|---|
| 2005 | Ireland 8.9.(57) defeated Great Britain 5.6.(36) | London, UK |
| 2006 | Ireland defeated Great Britain | London, UK |
| 2007 | Great Britain 11.15 (81) defeated Ireland 2.9(21) | Dublin, Ireland |
| 2009 | Ireland 8.6 (54) defeated Great Britain 4.9 (33) | Dublin, Ireland |
| Year | Atlantic Alliance Cup | Coach | Manager | |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2001 1st[8] | 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 Jr., 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 12.2(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). | Andrew Hickey | Shaun Saurin | |
| 2014 2nd | ||||
| 2014 2nd Banshees | ||||
| 2017 3rd | ||||
| 2017 1st Banshees |
| Year | Player | |
|---|---|---|
| 2017 Australian Football International Cup Women's World Team | Carol Breen, Laura Corrigan, Clara Fitzpatrick, Colleen Quinn, Brendan Kelly | |
| Padraig Lucey, Paul O'Hallaron, Fiachra O'Dheasmhunaigh | ||
| 2014 Australian Football International Cup Women's World Team | Fiona Roarty, Paula Keatley, Laura Corrigan, Emma Kelly, Aimee Hazely | |
| 2014 Australian Football International Cup | Mike Finn, Brendan Browne, Padraig Lucey, David Stynes | |
| 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 | |
| 2008 Australian Football International Cup | Mike Finn, Ian O'Sullivan, Cian Quigley | |
| 2005 Australian Football International Cup | Clifford Richardson, Mike Finn | |
| 2002 Australian Football International Cup | Michael Johnson, Aaron Flood, Liam O'Connor, David Stynes |