Ireland were the superior side for much of the first half, a flurry of overs from Darragh Ó Sé, Dessie Dolan, Joe Bergin and Ciaran McManus giving them a 21-10 point lead at quarter time.

[1] The second half saw a complete reversal of fortunes, a sloppy kick out by Irish keeper Peter Burke was swooped on by Matthew Pavlich who ran in and duly slotted home low and hard to get the Australians within ten points.

Forward dynamo Nathan Brown put Australia into the lead early in the final quarter with another classy over and it got worse for Ireland when Daniel Kerr scored another six-pointer after some brilliant combination play with team mates.

[2] Trailing 18-17 at the main break, Ireland charged to what appeared to be a match winning lead in the third quarter, Cormac McAnallen seizing onto a loose ball near the box and soccering high into the net.

Ireland[4][5] Seamus Moynihan (C), Joe Bergin, Graham Canty, Paddy Christie, Stephen Cluxton, Ray Cosgrove, Dessie Dolan, Graham Geraghty, Trevor Giles, Colin Holmes, Brendan Jer O'Sullivan, Pádraic Joyce, Evan Kelly, Tadhg Kennelly, Anthony Lynch, Declan Meehan, Cormac McAnallen, Kieran McGeeney, Ciaran McManus, Seamus Moynihan, Eamonn O'Hara, Darragh Ó Sé, Tomas Ó Sé, Derek Savage, Paul Barden Australia[4] Shane Crawford (C), Mark Bickley, Craig Bradley, Nathan Brown, Cameron Bruce, James Clement, Chad Cornes, Luke Darcy, Tyson Edwards, Josh Francou, Chris Johnson, Chris Judd, Andrew Kellaway (GK), Daniel Kerr, Angelo Lekkas, Stephen Milne, Brett Montgomery, Robert Murphy, Matthew Scarlett, Brad Scott, Adam Yze, Adam Simpson, Warren Tredrea ||| Australian Manager: Garry Lyon Overs: Kennelly 3, Dolan 2, Jer O'Sullivan 2, Joyce 2, Cosgrove, Geraghty, D. O'Se, Savage Overs: Brown 5, Pavlich 3, Johnson 2, Yze 2, Darcy, Judd, Kerr Overs: Dolan 2, O'Hara 2, Geraghty, Joyce, McManus, Savage Overs: Brown 4, Johnson 3, Francou, Judd, Milne, Murphy