Bitter taste of a hollow victory

VICTORY was bitter in a rainy Melbourne last night. Though Ireland recorded a three-point win at the MCG, the margin still fell seven points short of halting Australia's historic home victory in the International Rules Series.

Many of the Irish players were eaten up by emotion in the aftermath and manager John O'Keefe ended his four year involvement with the code, pained by a controversial penalty.

"I still can't figure out the reason for it," he said in the post-match press conference. "It was a call that changed the game a little bit."