International Rules set to become a biennial event

IT now seems all but certain that there will be no International Rules Series played next year with the fixtures between Ireland and Australia reverting to a biennial arrangement.

GAA officials, currently in Australia for the U-17 series, met with their AFL counterparts in Melbourne last week and expressed the wish for the new schedule be put in place with immediate effect.

"I think the likelihood is that you won't have a series in Australia next year," GAA Head of Games Pat Daly told a Melbourne newspaper.

"All the indications are that it will become biennial. It's just putting too much pressure on the system in terms of internal fixtures and in terms of the distance between the two countries."

Officials from both associations are due to meet in Dubai next month to decide on all scheduling issues, as well as prospective rule changes and an alteration to AFL rules which will prevent Premiership clubs from drafting Irish teenagers.

All the previous indications were that AFL sides would not be allowed approach players under the age of 21 but that may yet be reduced by 12 months as part of a compromise deal, according to Daly.

"I've heard 19 mentioned, I've heard 20, I've heard 21 mentioned. I would say 20. I think it's the fairest age in terms of the guy being mature, in terms of him having his education completed."

Other matters to be discussed and finalised in the Middle East include the possibility of playing shorter quarters they are currently 20 minutes each and reducing the size of the interchange benches from eight players to six.

Meanwhile, Kerry's Tadhg Kennelly will be hurried back into the Sydney Swans senior team to make his 2006 debut on Sunday at the SCG against Melbourne.

Kennelly was sidelined after injuring a shoulder at training in March on which he had arthroscopic surgery.

But coach Paul Roos indicated yesterday that provided there are no mishaps at training this week, Kennelly will be back next weekend.

It will be a welcome injection into the team's defence, with fellow back Craig Bolton noting last week that the run from defence that Kennelly provides had been something the team missed in the opening weeks of the competition.

"Yeah, we're pretty sure he will be back," said Roos yesterday from the Gold Coast where he was watching the Demons take on Adelaide. "It's one of those things that we anticipate, but he's still got to get through training for the week. But we would hope he would be right to play. He was keen to play against Carlton but the medical staff were always keen for him to have

another week [off], so realistically he wasn't really a chance of playing, and that gives him two full weeks back at training, so that's pretty good."

The two clubs have met on this exact same weekend, in Sydney, over the past three years, and Melbourne have won the past two clashes.

Meanwhile Australia and Ireland have fought out a second draw in four days in the second Test in the Under-17 International Rules series played at AAMI Stadium in Adelaide.

The game which finished 35 points apiece was a thrilling encounter.

Australia had a seven-point break with three minutes to go but a behind and a six-point goal from Paddy Andrews levelled the match.

The third and final Test will be played on Wednesday.

Final scores: Australia 1.6.11 (35) drew with Ireland 3.4.5 (35).

Scorers: Australia Rioli (9 points), Nornington (8), Sellar (5), McIntyre (3), Gibbs (3), Hawkins (3), Masten (2), Bird (1), Bellchambers (1).

Ireland Andrews (14), Cullivan (6), Watters (6), P. Brady (3), O'Rourke (3) McGoldrick (1), Mulhall (1), Shortall (1).