Ireland win Aussie Rules International Cup

Ireland has won the inaugural International Cup of Australian football after an upset victory over Papua New Guinea in the grand final at the Melbourne Cricket Ground.

Damien Cassidy’s men, having entered the tournament as rank outsiders, won 51-19.

The Irish effectively had the match won at quarter-time due to their greater intensity and superior run on the spacious MCG to lead 3.4 to 0.0 at the first break.

That pattern continued in the second quarter with Ireland moving to a 35-point lead at the main break.

The match was played as a curtain-raiser to the Hawthorn-Kangaroos clash in the professional Australian Football League.

Both teams qualified for the grand final as group winners with Ireland winning their pool at the expense of New Zealand, USA, Samoa, South Africa and Canada.

While hosting the event, Australia did not enter a team.