It was a masterclass from Conor McManus which kept Ireland in contention for the Cormac McAnallen Cup after the first test of this year's International Rules series.
McManus scored seven overs - 25 points in total - as Ireland lost by 10. Had it not been for the scores of the Monaghan man, coupled with that of Michael Murphy, the second test may well have been a dead rubber.
It turns out it was a minor miracle that McManus lined out for Ireland at the Adelaide Oval. Just a day prior to the game, the 29-year-old could barely walk.
McManus - and he's still not exactly sure how - picked up a foot infection, one which left him unable to train on the Friday with the game on the following day.
"It was some sort of a bite, I don't know, it must have got infected, just at the very top of my foot.
I could hardly put my boot on, then I went to solo and I said, 'right, I can't do this here'. I went to the doc and he got me sorted in fairness but it took right up to the game."
Donegal doctor Kevin Moran - "the busiest man on tour" according to McManus - is probably the unsung hero of this year's trip to Australia.
Wrapping up his foot was not an aid McManus could employ - it would have meant him being unable to pull on his boot.
I couldn't really strap it because then you couldn't get your boot on. It was a case that you just had to play on. Kevin Moran, in fairness, he pulled it out of the fire with a lot of lads.
In fairness to him, from day one, he reckoned it would have been okay but just in my own head I was thinking, 'I can't walk with this thing', I was limping. I couldn't put a shoe on, just a sock, because it was just too sore. But it was grand, he cleared that all up.
The reason for Doctor Moran's busy schedule was a bug which swept through the Ireland squad in the build-up to the first game. Team captain Aidan O'Shea described the squad as being like a small hospital. That was an apt description according to McManus.
"Aye, it was, there was all sorts of stuff going on. What was there; five to six lads, I'd say six lads that were bed bound. Two of the lads, the two that didn't make it to tog out, were in bed nearly the full week. A couple of other lads were in bed for two or three days before the game and managed to pull themselves out of bed for it," says McManus.
The draining effect of the illness, combined with the heat and the inability to use the interchange of players as frequently as they would have liked undoubtedly affected Ireland's chances.
We had lads that were playing that, on a normal day, wouldn't have been togging out. Gary Brennan played but wasn't really fit to play. Pearse Hanley had been in bed for two or three days before the game, probably shouldn't have been playing, ended up breaking his hand in the middle of it. Big Murph, the same, I was rooming with him and he didn't move for a day or two before the game either. It was tough on the boys.
Conor McManus was presented by EirGrid with the Irish International Rules Player of the Series trophy today. Conor was selected by the public as the Player of the Series for his performances during the teams trip to Australia. As part of the prize, EirGrid donated a cheque for €1,000 to Conor’s club, Clontibret O'Neills. Pictured with Conor is Valerie Hedin, External Communications Manager at EirGrid.
