Leroy Jetta in action for Australia. Credit:Getty North Melbourne forward Lindsay Thomas risked a delayed start to the AFL season after his heavy bump forced Irish defender Colm Boyle from the field. The Irishman needed help from team doctors and assistance in leaving the field in the first term. Played was stopped for several minutes after Thomas was late to a marking contest and flattened Boyle with a high bump. He was off the ground at the point of contact. However Thomas has been cleared of any wrongdoing, with the match review panel officiating the series having reviewed the tape and declaring the Roo had no case to answer. Any suspension from this series would have carried over into the AFL home-and-away campaign.

Angry by their lack of effort in the opening Test loss in Cavan, the tourists emerged with the purpose of roughing up their opponents. However, all this did was grant the Irish a pair of free kicks within the opening 30 seconds - the second resulting in the first score, an over, of the game. In front of a disappointing crowd of 28,525, the Irish soon had control, dashing to a 27-8 lead by quarter-time and stretching this to 53-16 by half-time. They continued to dominate after half-time, scoring freely. The Irish were tougher and far more proficient with the round ball. Skipper Michael Murphy was superb as a key forward, destroying opponent Cameron Ellis-Yolmen with his marking and kicking for goal, and reinforced why he has had several AFL clubs chasing his signature. Conor McManus, Ciaran Sheehan and Lee Keegan also dominated possession. The tourists barely had a player who provided consistent drive. Steven Motlop and Lewis Jetta only showing flashes of skill through the midfield, while Eddie Betts worked hard deep in attack without the help of a key tall. Australia's performance could not have come at a worse time, for the future of the series is uncertain, with even next year's return bout in Australia yet to be locked in.

The AFL has said it will attempt to persuade the game's best players to again take part. If it cannot do this, it's doubtful whether the GAA will be keen for the series to continue. The Irish have caught up in terms of strength and speed in recent years, with the Australians now after rule modifications to again help them be competitive. Goals: Ireland: McManus 2, Murphy, McCaffrey, McBrearty, Begley, Australia: Betts, Neade

Overs: Ireland: Murphy 4, McManus 4, Keegan 3, Sheehan 3, Munnelly 2, McBrearty 2, Kilkenny, Flynn, McKaigue, Cavanagh, Shields. Australia: Lewis Jetta, Wellingham, Betts, Thomas, Hill. Best: Loading

Ireland: Murphy, McManus, Keegan, Sheehan Australia: Motlop, Lewis Jetta, Betts