Former GAA correspondent Paddy Downey watched a physical Australian side prove too strong (70-57) for Ireland in Croke Park in the autumn of 1984

NOW WE have a new slant on the problem of marital breakdowns. The wedding of two forms of football half a world apart was consummated with ferocity and many recriminations at Páirc Uí Chaoimh yesterday when Australia beat Ireland by a margin of 13 points in the historic first Test match between the two countries.

Showing a vast improvement in their kicking of the Gaelic ball compared with their performance in Galway last Wednesday - when they lost to a Connacht selection - the Australians won by two goals (six points each), 15 overs (three points each) and 13 single points to Ireland's four goals, eight overs and nine points.

The Galway match was shadow-boxing a kid glove affair in comparison with yesterday's volatile engagement. The Irish players at the end of the day were overwhelmed by the touring team's lethal combination of fierce tackling, superior fielding, ball control, positioning and fitness - and, not least, their ability to kick scores at long and short range from play and set pieces.

The match was excessively physical and in the third quarter erupted into a free-for-all which embroiled most of the players on both sides and a few intruders - substitutes and officials - from the sideline.

The Australians appeared to forget or ignore the agreed rules governing the tackle and frequently pulled down opponents in possession of the ball. The short arm tackle was used a few times with unfortunate results for the Ireland fullback, Mick Lyons, and substitute John Costello, who were taken off the field with concussion.

The neutral observer must, however, try to identify causes for the tourists' tactics. They entered the match with an implacable will to win and in their commitment to that objective, they often resorted to the touch physical contact which is a notable feature of their own Rules game.

The result was a succession of fouls under the composite rules agreed for this series , but it is only fair to assume that many of their infringements were instinctive rather than deliberate. It must also be said that the Irish players invited crunching tackles many times because of their tendency to dally in possession of the ball, especially when they chose to play on after taking a "mark".

The Irish players appeared to be intimidated by their rivals' remorseless physical approach at an early stage of the proceedings and thus lost the initiative in later man-to-man confrontations.

Here a word of warning must be spoken. After the match the Irish officials, selectors and players were loudly critical of the Australians' tactics. But people in glasshouses cannot afford to throw stones. The persistent fouling and rugby-type tackling of the Aussies are not alien to Gaelic football. We complain about them every week.

It was ironic that the free-for-all in the third quarter was caused by an Irish player. The centre-half back Tom Spillane pulled down an opponent and from that action erupted the fight which, though vicious for a few moments, happily did not grow into a really embarrassing "international incident".

The weather conditions did not help either. Rain fell all through the match, making the ground slippery and the ball greasy and difficult to handle.

Now to the other side of the coin. When the fouling is excepted there was a great deal to admire in the quality of football played by both teams, and particularly by the Australians, who had made such a remarkable improvement since their mid-week display in Galway.

Last Wednesday's match was largely a "handball" affair but yesterday kicking, and very often excellent kicking, predominated. Play often flowed freely and swiftly and the Australians, all fine athletes, showed a remarkable degree of skill in their fetching and holding of the ball, their quick deliveries and pinpoint combination.

If the fouling problem can be sorted out - and this may be done when officials of both sides meet in Dublin on Tuesday night - the remainder of this series and the whole future of the internationals can be a success. Everything possible must be done to avoid "marital breakdown".

Although the Ireland team lost by a decisive margin, they were not disgraced, and will probably regroup their forces for the second Test at Croke Park next Sunday.

They started yesterday's match in a dreadful quandary. Their chosen goalkeeper, Martin Furlong, turned up at Páirc Uí Chaoimh with a shoulder injury and informed the selectors that he wished to withdraw from the team.The Irish side's problem, however, was that the selectors had not named a reserve goalkeeper. Dublin's John O'Leary had been named as a standby player but did not travel to Cork and, in a state of panic, the selectors tried to contact the Kerry goalkeeper, Charlie Nelligan, in Castleisland to invite him to make a dash to take over from Furlong.

Nelligan could not be located, however, and Furlong was forced to line out with his left arm virtually useless. He played courageously, however, but his disability was responsible to some extent for Australia's two goals which were scored by the midfielder Mark Lee and left-full forward John flatten.

Ireland's goals were scored by Jimmy Kerrigan, Matt Connor (from a penalty), both in the first quarter, and Barney Rock and substitute Brian O'Donnell in the fourth quarter.

Ireland had the better of the play, if not the tackling, in the opening quarter and at the first interval led by 17 points to nine. At that stage, the attendance of nearly 8,000 people were feeling sympathy with the visitors whom they felt were destined for a heavy beating.

But the scene changed quickly and in the second quarter the Australians jumped to a lead of 31 to 20. In that period, Ireland scored only one over - equal to three points.

Ireland fought back again in the third quarter and when Connor scored his penalty goal, they had reduced their arrears to only three points (39 to 42). The Australians then regained control and were in no real danger of defeat at any time in the last quarter.

Their goalkeeper, Gary Mclnlosh, played outstandingly and on three occasions stopped what seemed certain to be Ireland goals. The tourists' backs also played powerfully, with Brad Hardie, Gary Pert, Robert Flower and Murray Rance covering and fielding in splendid style. Maurice Rioli was an industrious midfielder while Craig Bradley, Ross Glendinning, Platten and substitute Stephen Kernehan and Michael Aish formed the powerhouse of their attack.

The indefatigable Jack O'Shea was a hero of the Irish team in spite of the heavy knock he received early in the first quarter.

There were also outstanding displays for the home team by Tom Spillane, Jimmy Kerrigan, Noel Roche and Séamus McHugh in defence and Eoin Liston and Dermot McNicholl in the forward division.

Substitute Liam Tierney was also an outstanding figure on the Ireland team and Brian O'Donnell when he came on repeated the fine performance which he gave for Connacht last Wednesday.

AUSTRALIA: G Mclntosh, C Holden, G Pert, B Hardie (3 points), R DiPierdomenico, M Rance, R Flower (4), M Lee (10), M Rioli (6), C Bradley (10), R Glendinning (10), A Daniels (1), S Malaxos (capt), T Daniher (2), J Platten (8). Subs used: M Aish (9), P Motley, R Wiley, D Ackerley, S Kernehan (7), S Madden.

IRELAND: M Furloug (Offaly), N Roche (Clare). M Lvons (Meath) S McHugh (Galway) J Kerrigan (Cork) 6, T Spillane (Kerry), P J Buckley (Duhlin) 1, J O'Shea (Kerrv) capt 9, S Fahy (Kildare). B Rock (Dublin) 9, E Liston (Kerry) 13, D McNicholl(Derry) 4, C O'Rourke (Meath) 3, T O'Dwyer (Carlow), M Connor (Offaly) 6. Subs: S Walsh (Kerry), R Connor (Offaly), L Tierney (Longfordl), J Costello (Laois), L Hayes (Meath), B O'Donnell (Galway) 6. Liam Austin (Down), originally selected for mid-field, cried off because of injury and was replaced by Shay Fahy.

Referees: F Murphy (Cork) and R Sawers (Australia).