Junior Test/ Australia 39 Ireland 39: Ireland staged a remarkable comeback to draw the first Test in the Junior International Rules tour of Australia, played at the Telstra Dome, Melbourne, yesterday.

Played as a curtain-raiser to the AFL meeting of St Kilda and the Brisbane Lions, a large attendance watched an evenly contested game in the which Ireland led by three points at half-time.

In the third quarter the Australians dominated, opening a seemingly unassailable 13-point lead.

Ireland, however, showed magnificent battling qualities to get back into the game in the final quarter and, led by captain Ray Cullivan of Cavan, the team clawed back the 13-point lead to level the game at the final whistle.

The biggest points scorers for Ireland was Meath's Shane O'Rourke with 11 points. William Mulhall of Longford, Colm O'Driscoll of Cork and Mayo's Pearce Hanley each contributed six points to Ireland's tally.

The Test series moves on to Adelaide this Sunday, where the second of the three-match series is to be played at Football Park.