Excellent Game for Ward

Ireland has taken a 1-0 lead in the three-match International Rules Youth Series with an emphatic 28-point victory in the opening Test played at the Gabba on Thursday night. Ireland, which won the series for the first time in 2003 after five successive series losses since matches began in 1998, opening in commanding style and held a 32-point advantage at quarter time.

Darragh Egan and Paul Kerrigan both netted six-point goals in the opening term with James Ward adding one three-point overs and two behinds as the visitors left the Australian side shell-shocked.

Ireland then cruised home for a comfortable victory - 2 goals (worth six points) 11 overs (worth three points) 9 behinds (worth one point) (54) to Australia's 0.6.8 (26). The Second Test will be played as a Curtain Raiser to Sunday's match between the Western Bulldogs and Melbourne at the MCG with the Third Test to be played at Fremantle on April 15.

SCORES:
Ireland:-
Kerrigan 1.4.0, Egan 1.1.0, Ward 0.1.2, Horan 0.1.1, Quigley 0.1.1, Reilly 0.1.1, Begley 0.1.0, Rogers 0.1.0, O'Neill 0.0.3, O'Brien 0.0.1.