Ireland's two police forces clashed today in a sometimes bruising encounter - but all in the cause of boosting the Northern Ireland peace process.
A team from the recently re-titled Police Service of Northern Ireland travelled south to Dublin for the first football fixture with their Irish Republic Garda Siochana counterparts under rules of the Gaelic Athletic Association.
At the end of 70 often very competitive minutes, the southern force came out on top by one goal and 18 points (a total of 21 points) to two goals and eight points (14 points).
The match - staged on the Garda sports grounds on the north side of Dublin- was watched by a crowd of around 200, including two British and Irish government ministers and the respective heads of the two police forces.
Northern Ireland Security Minister Jane Kennedy and Irish Justice Minister Michael McDowell stood on the sidelines together with the PSNI Chief Constable Hugh Orde and Garda Commissioner Pat Byrne to witness history being made on an occasion that would not have been possible just a year ago.
The match was enabled last November when a special convention in Dublin of the GAA finally scrappedrule 21. The rule officially banned members of the Northern Ireland security and military personnel from playing in GAA games due to the occupation of GAA property in the North.
The controversial regulation - known as Rule 21 - was dropped after years of campaigning both inside and outside the Irish sports organisation - and intensified pressure after the signing of the Good Friday Agreement by the British and Irish governments and Northern Ireland's political leaders in 1998.
Ahead of the game, Mr Orde went on record to predict victory for his side. But he qualified that comment by adding: "The importance of the game will not be winning - it will be the fact that we have taken part."
Afterwards he said: "My team are deeply proud to have been involved."Mr Orde added: "The match continued a long sporting tradition of friendly rivalry between our two police services.
"I believe that in time this game will have a significance far beyond its sporting context."
Commissioner Byrne admitted to some anxious moments on the part of his team during the second half, when they looked like possibly surrendering their first-period superiority.
But he added: "The key point is that it was a very good and enjoyable game - and an historic one."
For security reasons, the names of the Northern Ireland team were not provided.
Mr Orde said: "The reality is it will take time to get fully integrated."The most important thing is that the team was here, and they played. It is yet another move forward in the peace process."
For the record, four yellow cards were shown during the game when two players on each side were booked for rough play.
At the end of the game, the Garda Siochana victors were presented with the McCarthy Cup, named after a member of the Royal Ulster Constabulary, forerunners of the two forces before the partition of Ireland, who was one of the founders of the GAA.
Ahead of going to the match, Ms Kennedy and Mr McDowell reviewed the current security position in Northern Ireland during an hour-long meeting.
PA