International Rules - sides announced

**Rafters** · 15 October 2008, 08:08 PM

Ladies sides

AFL Sydney Ladies Team
Game starts at 2:30pm

PHILLIPS: Annie
McCLURE: Ash
PRIDE: Belinda
DUNN: Claire
DUFAUT: Cynthia
YUEN: Emma
ABBONIZIO: Gianna
LINEHAM: Jenna
PATON: Rach
FREELAND: Jane
WALSH: Katie
OBIEN: Margarita
REDFORD: Natalie
DEVLIN: Natasha
OWEN: Talei
ECKMAN: Mickey
MULLER: Trish

NSWGAA Sydney Ladies Team

Number Name Club
1 PEARCE: Coby Central Coast
2 BRADLEY: Sarah Central Coast
3 HUGHES: Cathy Cormac McAnallnes
4 LIM: Adeline Cormac McAnallens
5 CONNAIRE: Cara Michael Cuscaks
6 WALL: Deirdre Central Coast
7 DOYLE: Karen Clan na Gael
9 LOU HAZLEY: Aimee Cormac McAnallens
10 MULLANEY: Monica St. Pats
11 MULLEN: Claire Clan Na Gael
13 ROPER: Lisa Michael Cusacks
16 RYAN: Sandra Central Coast
17 COTTER: Fiona Michael Cusacks
18 KEATING : Marie Michael Cusacks
19 FITZSIMONS: Jamie Michael Cusacks
20 KING: Vivienne Central Coast
22 ROONEY: Yvonne Michael Cusacks
23 KINAHAN: Keira Central Coast
24 MCARDLE: Helen Central Coast
26 COONEY: Ciara Cormac McAnallens
27 COATLEY: Sinead Cormac McAnallens
28 MULLIGAN: Tracey Clan Na Gael
29 FLAHERTY: Suzanne Central Coast
30 Mc ARRON: Ciara Cormac McAnallens
31 BOHAN: Emma Central Coast

**Rafters** · 15 October 2008, 08:28 PM

Saturday
Mostly sunny
Min: 13?C Max: 25?C
UV: Very High

Make sure that you come along to Mahoney Reserve this Saturday from 2.30pm. Attendance is free ... and as they say some of the best things in life are free.

I have had the pleasure of assisting with the training of both codes over the past few weeks & the one thing I can say is that this will be one cracker of a game in this inaugural clash between the two codes in Sydney.

Both sides are treating it like a true representative clash and it will be very interesting seeing the weakest AFL state against one of the strongest GAA states.

Both sides have played scratch matches at training & this is one hell of a quick game.

The AFL Sydney selectors have gone for a youth strategy with a number of superstars in the making. Over the past few weeks they have adapted pretty well to the round ball in training & have neutralised the competitive advantage that the Paddies thought they would have.

The GAA side have gone for a more physically mature side & won't be intimidated come Saturday. It all looks good for an enticing match & enough to whet the ole apetite for supporters from both codes.

A successful day may lead to this being a curtain raiser to future International Rules series with the Irish being keen to play one of the tests this year in Sydney - only to have it ruled out by the Rugby World Cup booking out all major venues.

So who will win? I think the GAA side will start very well & jump out of the gate. With the Mahoney ground being longer than the standard (and with 16 per side) I think the AFL Sydney side will gradually drag themselves back into the match & make it a cliff hanger in the final quarter. It could go either way but I predict the GAA side to hold on & win by 3 points.

In the earlier match I expect the ladies GAA side to win by 22.

Media Release from AFL (NSW/ACT)

International Rules takes centre stage in Sydney

With the AFL season done and dusted local footy fans need not despair ? this weekend the best young footballers from AFL Sydney will take on the NSW GAA in a huge International Rules match at Mahoney Park, Marrickville.

Kicking off at 4pm this Saturday, October 18, the highly anticipated match is in fact the first major International Rules event ever to be held in Sydney.

Match officials are preparing for an epic showdown between Sydney's finest Australian Football and Gaelic Football players with both sides bolstered by impressive recent performances.

The NSW GAA have been a powerhouse of the National Competition in recent years, having won the national titles in 2007. The AFL Sydney representative side surprised many this year, nearly defeating football heavyweights, Victorian Amateur Football Association (VAFA), in a close match which saw AFL Sydney go down by less than a goal.

The AFL Sydney side will also showcase some of Sydney?s up and coming talented players, with two AFL scholarship listed players, Ted Strudwick (Melbourne) and Lachlan Pryor (North Melbourne) lining up for the representative side.

Pryor has had a busy few weeks, having recently travelled to Canberra for state screening during the draft camp. Pryor?s teammate Mitchell Frail also attended the state screening and the pair will surely strengthen the AFL Sydney line-up.

The big match is sure to set the stage for the highly anticipated International Rules series, which gets underway in Perth on Friday, October 24, with the second and final Test in Melbourne on October 31.

The visiting Irish International Rules team will then travel to Sydney to take on the NSW GAA in a Gaelic Football match on November 2, in what promises to be one of the biggest Gaelic football fixtures ever played in Australia.

Admission for this weekend is free. There will be a curtain raiser match between SWAFL and NSW GAA starting at 2:30pm.

**Pekay** · 15 October 2008, 08:41 PM

Wont be there, but GAA will trounce em i reckon, by 5 overs....might be wrong though...hope it goes well..
Nice pic in the paper today too Rafters

**Rafters** · 16 October 2008, 10:01 PM

Thursday night training has seen a few late changes to the AFL Sydney side.

INS: Ranga Ediriwickrama (PH), Michael Johnson (ECE) & Blake McGrath (PH)

OUTS: McConnachie, Mankarious & Dixon.

I think they will be good additions & the 208cm McGrath could inflict some worrying moments for the NSWGAA defence if the coaches elect to put him forward as the match wears on. Based on these changes, I will revise my selection to a 5 point win to AFL Sydney.

**Rafters** · 20 October 2008, 07:32 AM

It was a tremendous day on Saturday. For those that didn't show up then you well & truly missed out.

The day started off with the ladies match - despite a brief glitch with the both sides wearing their traditional sky blue jumpers - the game whetted our apetites for the big game with it being clear that this style of footy is alot quicker than anything we have seen before. The gaelic girls took control of the match from the 2nd quarter and ran out convincing winners 49 to 15. However th ebiggest cheer of the game was when the AFL ladies scored a goal in the last quarter. great news to come from the game was that the irish girls are putting in a side next year called the Randwick Shamrocks in the SWAFL with apparently 25 already signed up. Great effort.

In the men's match I think we were all expecting the NSWGAA to get the jump on the AFL Sydney side but it was in fact the other way around ... a 10-1 quarter time score could have easily been more if the AFL had their kicking boots on. The quick run-on, hard tackling style of footy created a benchmark for the rest of the day whilst the day's highlight was seeing Ron "The Fish" Mason being caught up in the goal net after attempting a score.

The first five minutes in the 2nd quarter, the AFL boys scored 2 great goals & at 24-4 it looked like curtains for the Irish. But 15 unanswered points later & it was 24-19 at half-time. In fact it could have been a lead to the Irish if not for some great goalkeeping work by 208cm Blake McGrath.

The crowd at half time were sensing (and hoping for) an epic battle in the 2d half & they were not going to be disappointed.

The 3rd quarter is also considered the premeirship quarter in International Rules but neither side would give an inch. An Irish goal made the scores level & the parochial ex-pat crowd went wild. The Irish boys had increased the tempo with their own tackling & were now pressuring the AFL boys. Were their older, stronger bodies now catching the speedy young Aussies? But the AFL re-gathered the lead & at 3/4 time they held a lead of 4 points.

The final quarter was a classic. Both teams battling fatigue on a hot October day & the early pace of the match ... versus the will to win based on their competitive streaks. Who would yield first? the play flowed from end to end & when the scores were close with a few mins to play the organisers had to hold a quick meeting for a continegncy plan for a draw. Missed chances, great scores & fantastic running play kept happening. The crowd were engaged & rode each tackle & bump. When the final siren went the scoreboard showed a 43-39 win to AFL Sydney ... but it was closer than that ... in fact the goal umpires (and official scorers) had the match 43-42 to the AFL Sydney side. The players gave each other a rousing 3 cheers each & the crowd gave them all a standing ovation.

Final score:

AFL Sydney - 4 goals, 3 overs, 10 beinds = 43
NSWGAA - 3 goals, 6 overs, 6 behinds = 42

IMHO I thought that Ron Mason was BOG. He played a great game in both attack & defense. McGrath did very well when he was in goals & made some telling saves. Ranga who prepared for the match with HSC studies (along with 4 other teammates) showed that he was a star of the future especially when he couldn't attend any training session.

The aftermatch function was at Durty Nelly's in Paddington where all 4 sides who partcipated on the day showed up. The most popular person was the publican who kept filling both cups all night for free with a special "Irish Cup brew". D Bowles was my BOG in the aftermatch with great support from Mason & Lee but the AFL boys were no match to the Irish who are fish indeed.

Mahony memorial Reserve is a great footy ground & a great coup by the Sydney AFL ladies comp. A great asset for the finals series as it is centrally located.

Many thanks to all involved with the day - special thanks yous to Garry Burkinshaw from the NSWAFL and Brian Deane & Yvonne Rooney from the NSWGAA were absolutely fantastic & their enthusiasm for the day rubbed off onto everyone else. Thanks to the coaching staff from both codes that also took the game to a new level & the players from all sides for playing in the right spirit. Also thanks to Marrickville Council for marking the grounds & putting up posts. A final thanks to the Sydney umpries association for their help in officating the matches on the weekend - the rules are challenge for them normally & even more so when they are totally foreign!

With the Irish already requesting a re-match I think we can all look forward to October 2009. Make sure that you watch the Test Series starting this week between Ireland & Australia.

A great day all round.

PS Quick advert - the Irish touring side will finish their Australian tour in Sydney by playing the Australasian GAA side at Princes Park, Auburn from 2pm on Sunday 2 November

**Bondi Shamrocks** · 20 November 2008, 08:46 PM

The Shamrocks are really happening..

Nice to see the little plug for the 'Randwick Shamrocks', only we have decided to name it after the home away from home for those from the emerald isle.

Yes the Bondi Shamrocks are evolving. We do have a good number of players already lined up, and are always open to others, even if not form Ireland.

The shamrocks are getting together this Wednesday, 26th, at 7pm, Queens Park, for a meet and greet, and a wee kick in the park. The Irish Echo are also doing a feature on the team, so will be down interviewing and taking photos.

This is the first time an Irish team has been entered into an AFL competition, and especially ground breaking for girls. They will be playing in the Sydney Women's competition, and these girls are not taking anything lightly. Many of the girls got a taste for the full tackling version when they played in the compromise rules game, and the score shows there is plenty of talent in the side, so the test will be to see how they go with an oval ball.

The team management are now working hard on the registration, organisation and securing sponsorships for the team as we enter into the new year. Keeping up with the huge momentum is a new challenge as there has been more interest than we envisioned.

The website is currently under construction, but be sure to check in next year to see how we are going.

**Super_man** · 24 November 2008, 08:25 AM

Originally posted by Bondi Shamrocks

Nice to see the little plug for the 'Randwick Shamrocks', only we have decided to name it after the home away from home for those from the emerald isle.

Yes the Bondi Shamrocks are evolving. We do have a good number of players already lined up, and are always open to others, even if not form Ireland.

The shamrocks are getting together this Wednesday, 26th, at 7pm, Queens Park, for a meet and greet, and a wee kick in the park. The Irish Echo are also doing a feature on the team, so will be down interviewing and taking photos.

This is the first time an Irish team has been entered into an AFL competition, and especially ground breaking for girls. They will be playing in the Sydney Women's competition, and these girls are not taking anything lightly. Many of the girls got a taste for the full tackling version when they played in the compromise rules game, and the score shows there is plenty of talent in the side, so the test will be to see how they go with an oval ball.

The team management are now working hard on the registration, organisation and securing sponsorships for the team as we enter into the new year. Keeping up with the huge momentum is a new challenge as there has been more interest than we envisioned.

The website is currently under construction, but be sure to check in next year to see how we are going.

With the new men's comp structure, division 3 is a team short. Maybe this shamrock team should have enterd a men's team too. It's not like they'd ever be short on numbers based in Bondi/Randwick.

**Pekay** · 2 December 2008, 08:41 PM

Originally posted by Super_man

With the new men's comp structure, division 3 is a team short. Maybe this shamrock team should have entered a men's team too. It's not like they'd ever be short on numbers based in Bondi/Randwick.

Would be great to see an Irish mens team join, cant see a problem with them joining late as our DIv(3)has the bye, easy to slot them into a draw..Make it happen!

**Bondi Shamrocks** · 29 December 2008, 09:32 PM

Well we have talked about getting a men's team. For now there is enough work on just getting the club and women's team up and running, chasing sponsors, designing jerseys etc.
We will look into an option of a men's team for next year though. Surely the lads will see how much fun the girls are having and will want to have a go themselves.

**Pekay** · 30 December 2008, 09:58 PM

Anything with a sash should be acceptable mate!!Sashes make the jumper!
Would be great to see a team in from you blokes, even if you waited til late january i still think you could fill the bye, personally, not sure what the league would think though. 2010 is a realistic option, maybe for the bottom grade to start with, limited pressure that way. Good luck with the ladies team, keep us posted.

International Rules - sides announced

International Rules - sides announced

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