Fitness, strength, a bit of luck and the space between the ears were the factors that enabled the Australians to overhaul an Irish side that had the match in its keeping at Croke Park yesterday.

It was significant that Ireland were leading 60-42 just two minutes before a Gaelic football match would have ended at 70 minutes.

Then Port Adelaide forward Nathan Eagleton rifled a shot into the top left-hand corner of the net. It was a goal that left both sides agape and wondering about Eagleton's sporting background, before Wayne Carey returned the match to orthodoxy and coolly slotted a score at a vital time, a feat that is bread and butter for him with his club, North Melbourne.

If Eagleton's goal proved the turning point, Carey's "over" after a strong mark at the 25-metre mark was almost as crucial. At 60-53, it put Australia within striking distance when the clock ticked past 70 minutes. Then the Australians took over. Greater fitness enabled them to have the lion's share of possession in the last 10 minutes and, with bodies wearying, the Irish were unable to break the tackles they had avoided so adroitly until then.

Australian pressure brought the Irish to the turf and the loose ball was swept away by the inevitable Australian support cast. This suggests a physical overwhelming, but it is also difficult not to think that Irish were psyched out. Over the past few days they must have heard so much about the Australians' upper-body strength and durability over a longer period that they believed it. Their fitness was hardly way behind the Australians, despite the visitors' distinct advantage of professional preparation, and had the Irish believed a bit more, they might have run out deserved victors.

But the doubts kicked in. Brian Stynes noted in the Sunday Tribune yesterday that the arduous pre-season training undertaken by Australian Football League clubs is as much about steeling the mind as girding the body and his point was validated. The Australians played smart in the end but it took them a long time to get there. In the second quarter, Peter "Spider" Everitt had full back Darren Fay and goalkeeper Finbarr McConnell caught behind his 6 ft 8 in frame when he did what was natural for an Australian Rules player - he went for the mark, which was spoilt.

The better thing to do when he had the defenders at his mercy would have been to flick the ball into the net. David Neitz had the presence of mind in an identical situation in the dying minutes to do just that, and his goal drew the Australians level for the first time in the match.

To Everitt's credit, most of the Australians were all at sea for a good while. It began when they didn't know which way to look during the national anthems, was exacerbated by the novel experience of strolling around behind a brass band, and continued until well into the second quarter.

By the second half, kicks were finally finding their intended targets - apart from Shane Crawford's blunder when, after a dubious free kick against Peter Canavan, the Hawthorn defender kicked poorly into the danger zone to allow Michael Donnellan in for the sort of goal that the Irish had hoped would be fodder for victory.

But it wasn't to be. Players such as Crawford, who nagged and niggled Canavan incessantly, Rohan Smith, Ben Hart and goalkeeper Stephen Silvagni limited the Irish goal-scoring opportunities and began attacking waves. Two of Silvagni's saves were outstanding.

In the midfield, Nathan Buckley was Australia's best player and, up forward, Carey's influence grew more ominous as the game went on. The surprise packet of the forward line was the nippy Eagleton, while every Australian should have bought Essendon star Matthew Lloyd a pint last night for keeping their side in the match.

In the third quarter, when the Irish were threatening to sally beyond reach, Lloyd was superb. Nothing flashy, just mark after mark, usually on his chest after holding his defender out, then going back and kicking "overs" from tight angles with accuracy that belied his inexperience.

Australians to figure more as the match wore on were Adelaide's Mark Ricciuto, who was a driving force in the last quarter, and Anthony Stevens of North Melbourne. The move of Neitz from defence to the forward line proved a match-winning move, but coach Leigh Matthews was modest - and right - to wave off credit. The Australians tried so many moves on the forward line that something had to work eventually. Still, fortune often smiles on those who take risks.

For Ireland, Brian Stynes and John McDermott were tough and constant. Stynes's mark in front of a looming Carey in the final minutes was the most courageous of the day.

Dermot McCabe was a thorn in the Australian defence and Derry Foley and Jarlath Fallon played brilliantly in patches. In the end, victory went to the Australians because of their physical and mental strength; victory went to the Australians because they refused to yield.