O'Keeffe banking on more support

JOHN O'KEEFFE and his players will be depending on increased Irish support for the crucial second test in the International Rules Series in the MCG tomorrow night.

However, he acknowledges that it will require a significant improvement from his team from the first test a week ago which they lost 56/46. Specifically, he will be depending on an increased return in point-scoring if they are to prevent Australia from winning a home series at the tenth attempt.

After the Perth game, Australia have edged ahead with eleven wins to Ireland's ten (and two games drawn). And, it means that Gary Lyon is now in line to equal Colm O'Rourke's feat of achieving home-and-away test successes (in 1998-'99).