Ireland national Australian rules football team

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Ireland

Union	Australian Rules Football League of Ireland
Nickname(s)	The Warriors (Men) The Banshees (Women)
First international
Ireland 124 – 15 Great Britain (2001)[1]

International Cup team in 2008 lining up for a photo

The Irish national Australian rules football team represent Ireland in Australian rules football and is selected from the best Irish born players from the clubs of the Australian Rules Football League of Ireland.

The team is notable as taking the Atlantic Alliance Cup undefeated in 2001 to become European champions before also taking the 2002 International Cup undefeated to become international champions.

While the team has since been joined in recent years with the emergence of New Zealand and Papua New Guinea, it remains in the top five nations in the sport. Ireland's form has been largely unpredictable due to the availability of experienced Gaelic footballers in its playing pool. The Irish team has been a finalist in all AFL International Cups, winning two.

Identity[]

The team was first nicknamed "Fianna na hÉireann" (Irish for "Fianna of Ireland") after a band of heroic warriors in Irish mythology. In 2005, it was renamed the "Green Machine".

The team wears a green (one of the national colours of Ireland) guernsey with a Celtic strip featuring the Irish harp symbol.

History[]

The Irish team won the Atlantic Alliance Cup in 2001 to become the Northern Hemisphere champions.

In the following year, the team participated in the inaugural Australian Football International Cup and finished first, leaving the competition as international champions. The team benefited from the availability of several Gaelic football players.

In 2005, Ireland finished fourth. An increasingly competitive New Zealand, Papua New Guinea and the United States of America finished ahead of Ireland and the team suffered from injury and the Gaelic Athletic Association discouraging the use of Gaelic players.

The Green Machine's best and fairest player (from the 2005 International Cup) is Mike Finn.

Recently the national team played a curtain raiser at the West Coast Eagles vs Fremantle exhibition match at the Oval in London where they beat the British Bulldogs.

The Warriors finished fourth again at the 2008 Australian Football International Cup and the best and fairest player was once again Mike Finn. Three Irish players were selected in the All-International team.

The Warriors won the inaugural European Championships in 2010 defeating Denmark in the final 11.2(68) to 8.3(51). Warriors captain Cian Quigley was named Best on Ground in the final. Three Irish players were named on the Team of the Tournament

In 2011 the Warriors won the fourth International Cup beating PNG 8.5 (53) to 5.5 (35). Mike Finn was named Best on Ground in the final. Three Irish players were selected in the All-International team.

Test results[]

This list is incomplete; you can help by . (February 2011)

Ireland's All-International Mike Finn takes a spectacular mark over a pack of South African opponents in the 2008 AFL International Cup

International honours[]

• 2010 European Championships in Australian Football Champions^[2]

Year	Atlantic Alliance Cup	Coach	Manager
2001: 1st[3]	Michael Johnson (C), Shane O'Laughlin, Dominic O'Laughlin, Dermot O'Laughlin, Michael Currane, Fergal Bradshaw, Joe Cunnane, Aaron Flood, Derek Mulligan, , Denis Reidy, , Diarmuid Griffin, Liam O'Connor, Brian Currane, Derek Collentine, Alan Coomey, Emmet Humphries, Declan Cotter, Steve Brennan, Kieran Brennan, Paul Crowley, James McCartan, Junior, Will Hayes, Robert Toal, David Walsh RESULTS: IRE 18.16(124) d. GB 2.3(15), IRE 9.9(63) d. USA 4.5(29), IRE 8.9(57) d. DEN 1.4(10), IRE 7.21(63) d. CAN 1.5(11) *FINAL: IRE 6.12(48) d. DEN 3.1(19)	Darren Fitzpatrick	Dave Tierney
Year	Australian Football International Cup	Coach	Manager
2002: 1st	Michael Johnson (C), Neil McFlynn, Donal Boylan, Dualtach Johnson, Barry Denham (VC), Ryan McFlynn, Michael Currane, Fergal Bradshaw, Joe Cunnane, Aaron Flood, Derek Mulligan, , Denis Reidy, , Diarmuid Griffin, Gary Lane, Liam O'Connor, Brian Currane, Declan O'Sullivan, Paul Kiely, John Lack O'Sullivan, Alan Coomey, Emmet Humphries, Declan Cotter, Brian Shortall, Seán McPhillips, Brian Boyle, David Stynes, Damien Burns. RESULTS: IRE 7.14(56) def CAN 4.7(31), IRE 5.6(36) def SAM 4.5(29), IRE 7.7(49) d. USA 6.3(39), IRE 15.8(98) def SA 3.3(21), IRE 4.10(34) def NZ 3.2(20) *FINAL: IRE 7.9(51) def PNG 2.7(19)	Darren Fitzpatrick	Damien Cassidy
2005: 4th	Mark Ryan, Dennis Goggin, Phillip Whelan, James Flavin, Ciaran Drummey, Declan Drummey, John Enright, John Fahy, Seán Fallon, Dennis Kenelly, Gerrard Johnston, Ronan Johnston, Ciaran Keegan, Pat Leavy, Diarmuid Griffin (v/c), Shaun McElhone, Brian O'Connell (c), Clifford Richardson, Darragh O'Hagan, Paul O'Mahoney, Rory Rafter, David Whelan, Ian O'Sullivan, Derek Troy, Mark Kilgallon, , Mike Finn, David Stynes, Ruairi Convery RESULTS: IRE 4.7(31) def CAN 3.5(23), USA 2.5(17) def IRE 1.7(13), IRE 10.9(69) def SA 1.4(10), IRE 7.11(53) def Japan 1.0(6), PNG 5.4(34) def IRE 3.7(25), USA 10.5(65) def IRE 4.6(30)	Krizan Vekic	Diarmuid O Riain
2008: 4th	Seán Fallon, Ray Colleran, Clifford Richardson, Garret Kelleher, Alan Lavin, Joe Cunnane, Padraig Hannon, , Mike Finn, David Lally, John Enright, Michael Currane, Paul O'Mahony, Patrick Leavy, Diarmuid Griffin, Ray Saurin, Ian O'Sullivan Paddy Gibbs, Brian O'Connell, Denis Goggin, James Flavin, Alan Tierney, James O'Byrne, Stephen Keegan, David Walsh, Alex Whooley, Brian Currane, Liam Twoomey, Daire Ó hAodhagáin, Martin Ruane, Ciarán Keegan RESULTS: SA 4.9(33) def IRE 5.2(32), NZ 8.9(57) def IRE 2.3(15), IRE 4.6(30) def CAN 12.2(14), IRE 13.20(98) def FIN 0.0(0), IRE 12.12(84) def SWE 1.0(6)	Roger Clarke	Ciarán Ó Headhra Paul Ryan
2011: 1st	, Aidan Hickey, Clifford Richardson, Fergal McManus, John Heslin, Joe Cunnane, Paul Sharry, Alex Whooley, Mike Finn, Fearghal Purcell, John Enright, Darren Sheils, Barry Holland, Roch Hanmore, Philip Bredin, David McElhone, Larry Kavanagh, Manus Breathnach, Eoin Ó Súileabháin, Niall McDonagh, Joe Rocks, James Flavin, David Coffey, James O'Byrne, Seán McGuinness, John Tierney, Gerard Walls, Kevin O'Brien, Alan Coomey, David Stynes, , Brendan Nannery, Gerard Lenihan RESULTS: IRE 14.9(93) def. East Timor 0.0(0), IRE 8.6(54) d. GB 1.0(6), IRE 15.14(104) d. SWE 1.0(6), IRE 11.6(72) d. DEN 1.3(9), IRE 5.16(46) d. NZ 2.1(13) *FINAL: IRE 8.5(53) d. PNG 5.5(35)	Tom Madigan	Ciarán Ó Headhra
2011: 1st Banshees	Emma Kelly, Ciara McGurk, Aimee-Louise Hazley, Laura Corrigan, , , , ,Emma Behan, Claire Cunningham , , Fiona Cotter, Kate Fitzsimons, U. McKay, S. Ryan, N. Ryan, A. Sheils, Kerr, Aitken, Tracey RESULTS: IRE 4.7(31) def CAN 1.2(8), IRE 19.13(127) def AUS 0.1(1), IRE 12.8(80) def PNG 2.0(12), IRE 5.5(35) def USA 2.4(16) *FINAL IRE 5.9(39) def CAN 1.2(8). This list is incomplete; you can help by . (February 2011)	Andrew Hickey	Shaun Saurin

Irish players selected for All-International Team[]

See also[]

• Australian rules football in Ireland
• ARFLI

References[]

External links[]

• Official website of the Irish Warriors national team