Irish fans flock to Melbourne for sportsfest

Melbourne is alive to the sound of Irish fans who have flooded into town to celebrate the biggest sporting week the Australian calendar has seen since the 2000 Olympic Games.

Tens of thousands of fans have descended on Melbourne in time for the kick-off of festivities at the MCG this evening with the second International Rules Test.

Guinness have tripled their usual distribution for this spectacular weekend, that will extend through tomorrow’s World Cup Pool A showdown between Australia and Ireland and on until the Melbourne Cup horse race on Tuesday.

Ireland’s entry for that is Holy Orders, a stubborn so-and-so who has refused to gallop since arriving at the quarantine stables in Sandown, 20 kilometres outside Melbourne.

Just as things do not look too heavenly for Willie Mullins’ 30-1 outsider, so Ireland lost the first International Rules Test in Perth and the Wallabies are favoured to win through at the Telstra Dome.

But that is of no concern to the swarming masses who will cheer on Holy Orders regardless, as vociferously as they did last year when Media Puzzle romped to victory.

Nothing will quieten the song or dampen the spirit at PJ O’Briens pub, down by the Yarra River.

This may be Australia’s sporting capital, but the locals fail to quite comprehend the carefree manner in which Irish sports fans travel to support their country.

But as Ireland coach Eddie O’Sullivan said “they are the best supporters in the world” and they will out-voice the reserved Wallaby fans tomorrow. Of that there is no doubt.

Australia Rugby Union boss John O’Neill conceded that Wallaby fans are not spontaneous enough and urged them before the tournament began to find their voice and belt out Waltzing Matilda.

But the Irish promise to respond with their own version – Waltzing O’Driscoll - and then call on Sweet Molly Malone to lend Keith Wood’s men the vocal support that could prove all the difference in the Telstra Dome.

With the roof on, the volume from Irish fans – possibly up to half the 55,000 crowd – will create a sizzling atmosphere as Ireland attempt to beat the Wallabies, top Pool A and book a quarter-final against Scotland or Fiji rather than the purring French.

The game has been met with a certain indifference by the locals in what is an Aussie Rules heartland, with more fans expected at the MCG for the International Rules.