Trio of goals seals Oz win

Australia 56 Ireland 46

Australia take a 10-point lead into next weekend's second and deciding International Rules Test, thanks to three second half goals at Perth's Subiaco Oval.

Brad Johnson, Chris Johnson and skipper Shane Crawford all found the net against a tiring Irish side to give the Aussies a significant advantage as they bid to score a first series win on home soil.

But it was the ball-winning ability of target man Barry Hall which gave a hard-pressed Ireland defence its most testing times, his aerial prowess a memorable feature of a game played in front of a 41,228 sell-out crowd.

Irish manager John O'Keefe will be extremely concerned at his side's failure to sustain the impressive pace at which they started.

Having chalked up 25 points in the opening quarter to take a comfortable lead, they managed just 21 over the remaining three segments as their challenge faded and the professional Aussie Rules footballers grew in strength and overpowered their amateur opponents.

Steven McDonnell was supremely acute from limited possession, kicking four overs in the opening quarter to ease the Irish into a commanding position. And when Benny Coulter darted through the middle to crack home a goal, worth six points, the Australians were reeling.

Matthew Pavlich and Barry Hall were on target for the home side, but Ireland continued to force the pace, with Padraig Joyce, Dessie Dolan and McDonnell getting scores for a 25-11 lead at the end of the opening quarter.

Australia came storming back, with Barry Hall's high fielding ability causing major problems for an Irish defence in which Graham Canty and Anthony Lynch were outstanding.

Hall, Nathan Brown and Hall all hooked over three-pointers, and while Kevin Hughes and Kieran McGeeney managed to pull back scores, Gary Lyon's side was on the up, and had the deficit down to five by the halfway stage, Ireland ahead by 32-27.

But the crucial "championship quarter" belonged to the Aussies, who grabbed two goals in the space of three minutes to go in front.

Luke Power and Chris Johnson were beginning to get on top in the central area, and it was the latter who sent Brad Johnson through for a goal seven minutes from the end of the third segment.

The towering Hall, who continued to pluck ball out of the air, eased his side in front for the first time, and moments later Chris Johnson won a penalty, and blasted the kick home himself.

Australia came out for the final quarter leading 47-41, and stretched the advantage through Brent Harvey, before Crawford ghosted in to collect and shoot to an empty net 10 minutes from the end.

Ireland had little left to give, and needed a superb save from Enda Murphy to deny Harvey a fourth Australian goal.

McDonnell hit the tourists' only three-pointer of a disappointing final quarter, and it's on to the MCG in Melbourne next Friday with a huge task facing Ireland, a 10 points margin to overhaul if they are to score an aggregate series win.