The first test at Subiaco Oval was an entertaining affair, with the visitors bursting out of the blocks in the first quarter, taking a 25−11 point lead thanks mainly to a superb goal from debutant Benny Coulter in the 5th minute after Dessie Dolan did well to release the ball in the course of being grounded.
The second quarter was a tighter affair, with the Australian tactic of the long ball toward the net paying dividends; resulting in some fine overs from full-forward Barry Hall and leaving scores at 32−27 in favour of Ireland at half time.
[1] Needing to reverse a 10-point deficit to win a fourth series since its resumption in 1998, all looked rosy for Ireland early on in the second test at the Melbourne Cricket Ground, with the visitors storming to a 22−4 quarter-time lead.
In tricky conditions and in a low-scoring contest, Ireland's Pádraic Joyce scored an over from a free to leave the visitors looking the goods at 30−15 with two quarters to play.
Source: 2011 International Rules Series AFL Record, p 43 Australia Shane Crawford (C), Leo Barry, Mark Bickley, Clint Bizzell, Nathan Brown, Jared Crouch, Barry Hall, Brent Harvey, Paul Hasleby, Lenny Hayes, Glen Jakovich (GK), Brad Johnson, Chris Johnson, Brett Kirk, Robert Murphy, Matthew Pavlich, Luke Power, Jade Rawlings, Matthew Scarlett, Chad Fletcher, Adam Simpson, Rohan Smith, Daniel Wells, David Wirrpanda, Matthew Carr Ireland Graham Canty (C), Joe Bergin, Paddy Christie, Kevin Cassidy, Colin Corkery, Benny Coulter, Dessie Dolan, Gary Cox, Cathal Daly, Tomás Freeman, Joe Higgins, Kevin Hughes, Pádraic Joyce, Stephen Kelly, Tom Kelly, Seán Marty Lockhart, Anthony Lynch, Cormac McAnallen, Brian McDonald, Steven McDonnell, Kieran McGeeney, Paul McGrane, Enda Murphy, Ciaran McManus, Odhran O'Dwyer, Shane Ryan Overs: Hall 4, Bizzell, Hayes, Brown Pavlich, Hasleby, Harvey Overs: McDonnell 4, Hughes, Joyce McManus, McGeeney, Higgins Overs: Brown 3, Wirrpanda 2, Hall, Smith, B. Johnson, Harvey, Pavlich Overs: McDonnell 3, Joyce 2, Coulter, Dolan, Lynch, McDonald