Things looka bit different to Aussie eyes

International Rules: For a minute, when Australian coach Kevin Sheedy is asked to explain why Graham Geraghty is the only player to end up in hospital, why Seán Boylan is truly fuming for the first time in 23 years, why we all feel the International Rules series is in doubt, there was a real danger the violence of yesterday's first quarter would spill over into the press conference room.

"If you actually have a look at what happened in the first quarter," said Sheedy, "what players were hurt, and how they were hurt, I'm pretty sure you'll see some of the Australian players hurt badly, and head-butted, and kneed in the back on a couple of occasions. And I think Australian players get fed up with that.

"I think Ireland were the aggressors last week and this week. Don't get blinded by your passion. Watch the game. Some of our players were deliberately hurt.

"I think we won well, because we were fitter. But every time Australia win, the series is coming to an end. Unbelievable. You're the greatest conmen I've ever met."

Did Sheehy not realise Boylan wanted to end the series after the first quarter? "I couldn't understand him. I wasn't sure what was going on. That's his opinion. I've never been in a game that was called off. Except at a night game, where the lights went off."

Why was Boylan so upset then?

"Probably because they were beaten. Unfortunately the incident with Geraghty was a tackle. In the end the tape will tell you the truth. But both teams were at fault by the way.

"The only reason why Geraghty is injured is because he was tackled, by our smallest player. And except for that I don't know if you'd be so upset. I thought it was a great tackle. It's not like Barry Hall went out of his way to hurt the young man. And that's the way you're sounding."

The Australian players echoed Sheedy's comments: "You never want wrestling or that kind of stuff," said Michael Voss, "but I don't think there was anything untoward. I still think it was played fairly. I think there was a lot of wrestling, but I don't think any punches were thrown. I thought it was just two sides trying to exert their will on a contest, and it was who was going to survive. And thankfully we survived."

Australian selector Jim Stynes - born and raised in Dublin - puts all the blame firmly on the shoulders of the Irish: "I think they got too caught up in the wrestling that went on in the first quarter, and it took its toll. But I've got to say I think a lot of it was instigated by the Irish. There were a lot of yellow cards going their way to start with. Geraghty took one of our guys out, and the tackle that he got was a fair tackle.

"We went out to play, told our players not to get involved. It wasn't like they were the victims and we were the perpetrators. It was a mix of two teams going hard, that didn't want to lose."