[2] Garry Lyon returned for his fourth and final series as coach of the Australian side, whilst Pete McGrath replaced John O'Keefe as manager of Ireland.
Trailing 36-10 mid-way through the second quarter, the Australian cause was left in dire straits when Mattie Forde cut through the middle like a knife through butter before skillfully slipping the ball along the ground past the diving Mal Michael in the Australia goal.
Despite captain Hird and Ireland's Joe Bergin being sent off as part of the pre-match/early-match fighting, the Australians skipped away to 9-0 lead mid-way through the quarter thanks to some sharp shooting from forward targets Brown and Riewoldt.
Brown continued playing out of his skin in the fourth quarter, notching his seventh over at the halfway mark and being cruelly denied a goal by a decisive Irish block in the dying moments, yet he was the only bright spot in a disappointing tour for Australia.
[4] Source: 2011 International Rules Series AFL Record, p 43 & Footy Stats[5] Ireland Pádraic Joyce (C), Joe Bergin, Alan Brogan, Graham Canty, Seán Cavanagh, Stephen Cluxton (GK), Brendan Coulter, Brian Cullen, Dessie Dolan, Mattie Forde, Paul Galvin, David Heaney, Tom Kelly, Tadhg Kennelly, Seán Mary Lockhart, Ciaran McDonald, Steven McDonnell, Martin McGrath, Brian McGuigan, Declan Browne Ciaran McManus, James Nallen, Seán Óg O'hAilpin, Setanta O'hAilpin, Eoin Brosnan Australia James Hird (C), Luke Ball, Craig Bolton, Jude Bolton, Joel Bowden, Nathan Brown, Cameron Bruce, Joel Corey, Jared Crouch, Nick Dal Santo, Alan Didak, Andrew Embley, Brad Green, Robert Hadrill, Max Hudghton, Austinn Jones, Jason Johnson, Brett Kirk, Adam McPhee, Mark McVeigh, Mal Michael (GK), Brady Rawlings, Nick Riewoldt, Dean Solomon, Michael Braun Overs: Dolan 4, Bergin 2, S. Cavanagh 2, Coulter 2, Kennelly 2, McDonnell 2, Forde, Joyce, T. Kelly, A. Brogan Overs: Brown 3, Hird 2, Bowden, Johnson, Ball, McPhee Overs: Kennelly 3, Joyce 2, Cavanagh 2, Brogan 2, Galvin, Coulter, Dolan, Forde Overs: Brown 7, Riewoldt 2, Jones 2, Ball, J. Bolton