Australia has overcome some spirited early resistance from Ireland to score a convincing 50-point win in the first women’s Australian rules international.
A burst of six straight Australia goals either side of half-time propelled the home team to a 13.13 (91) to 6.5 (41) victory in an entertaining AFLW international played before a capacity crowd of 9,017 at North Sydney Oval on Saturday.
Australia led at every break, by margins of 12, 30 and 41.
Ireland thrilled the crowd, which included a large contingent of their fans, with several fast, flowing passages of play In the first half, but couldn’t stay the course against a polished and more consistent Australia.
The home team won the physical battle, tallying 35 more contested possessions.
Australian captain and North Melbourne star Jasmine Garner was named player of the match.Â
Ebony Marinoff topped Australia’s possession count with 25, from Ash Riddell and Nina Morrison 21 each.
For Ireland, Erika O’Shea led their possession tally with 21, followed by skipper Orla O’Dwyer with 19.
North Melbourne players were leading goalkickers for both teams, with Tahlia Randall bagging four for Australia and Blaithin Bogue three for Ireland.
Australia piled on three goals in the first six minutes with Sydney’s Zippy Fish kicking the first, but Ireland responded with three goals of their own either side of quarter time.
The home team kicked two goals early in the second and Ireland replied in kind, before another Australian surge proved decisive.
Ireland’s goal-kicking accuracy kept them in the game for most of the first half, as they kicked 5.0 to Australia’s 5.6, before the home team took over and maximised their opportunities.
The home team kicked the only two goals of the third quarter and two to one in the last.
Australian rucks Mim Strom and Matilda Scholz dominated the hitouts, giving Australia a whopping advantage in that area.
The home team dominated in the air, taking 38 more marks and limiting Ireland to just eight in the first half.
Ireland’s Aine McDonagh left the field clutching her right arm late in the second quarter.
It wasn’t all bad for the Irish, however.
Niamh McLaughlin (centre) kicked an amazing goal for Ireland against Australia but her team went down at North Sydney Oval. (Getty Images: Darrian Traynor)
North Melbourne and County Fermanagh player Bogue proved almost impossible to stop early on, kicking three goals for the game.
She also set up the goal of the game in the final quarter, producing a World Cup-like cross from the right forward pocket for Niamh McLaughlin to get her foot to the ball and flick it casually over the Australian defence and through.
The Irish didn’t give up, despite the lop-sided scoreboard, and another Kangaroos player Vikki Wall (County Meath) delivered a bump that drew gasps from the crowd in the final quarter as she dispossessed Australia’s Ella Roberts in midfield before setting up an attack.
AAP/ABC
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