Details of the GAA's International Rules tour to Australia next October were announced at Croke Park yesterday. The series will be played over two matches in Melbourne and Adelaide and is being sponsored by Coca-Cola. This is the second year of the revived relationship between the GAA and Australian Rules. Ireland won last year's Test series on aggregate after two Tests in Croke Park.
Preparations have been in train for the last few weeks with training sessions taking place in Dublin on Saturday mornings in St Patrick's College, Drumcondra. An ad hoc training panel has been released, but it is not exclusive and will be varied up until September 7th when the official touring party of 25 will be announced. Already Dublin pair David Byrne and Ian Robertson have had to withdraw because of injury.
The official tour leaves Dublin on the weekend of October 2nd and 3rd and the Tests will be played in Melbourne on Friday, October 8th and in Adelaide a week later.
"We have had five sessions so far," said Ireland manager Colm O'Rourke - who will again be joined by selectors John O'Keeffe and Mickey Moran. "We are much more advanced than last year. In a way it was a big help to have the first series at home because we have been able to separate those who are really interested in playing for Ireland from those who interested just in the tour aspect."
O'Rourke also revealed that he hopes to be able to hold training sessions involving players from the All-Ireland finalists as soon as the upcoming semi-finals have been completed. Mayo's John Maughan and O'Rourke's own former manager Sean Boylan have agreed whereas he has yet to contact the Armagh and Cork managements.
It was accepted by GAA president Joe McDonagh that the situation involving club commitments which played havoc with last autumn's series would be cleared up this time around. "In fairness to the clubs, the lateness of the tour being finalised contributed to the problems last year. This year I'm confident we can iron out any difficulties," said McDonagh.
Although Finbarr McConnell is the only goalkeeper currently training with the panel, O'Rourke strongly hinted that he would not be travelling without cover (Eugene McGee, manager in 1990, took a panel with Galway's Pat Comer the only goalkeeper). "Declan O'Keeffe (Kerry) and Derek Thompson (Roscommon) will be joining us at training. Last year we included only one goalkeeper but tried to use different outfield players, but we will be having a look at five different goalkeepers with a view to back-up."
Speaking about the level of interest in the series among the Australian sports public, McDonagh said that it was important to bear in mind that the organisation of the event had changed from previous tours in 1986 and 1990.
"We are now dealing at a corporate level between the GAA and the AFL (Australian Football League). I'm confident that they will choose their best players and that public interest will reflect that fact."
Galway's Michael Curley has been appointed the Irish referee for the series and other officials who will travel include Albert Fallon (tour manager) and Sean McCague of Monaghan, who acted as assistant-manager to the Ireland teams in 1987 and 1990.
The official carriers for the tour are Abbey Travel. Managing director Jim Vaughan said that they would be selling a minimum of 200 seats to supporters who wish to travel for the series.
