Michael Murphy and International Rules teams set off for Australia

The Irish International Rules team departed Ireland for Australia this morning ahead of the International Rules Test against the Australians in Perth on Saturday week.
Paul Earley’s Ireland squad,  are bound for Melbourne where they will base themselves ahead of the one-off Test at Patterson’s Stadium on November 22.
The Irish party left without Chrissy McKaigue (Derry) and Conor McManus (Monaghan), who will fly directly to Perth next week as they are in club action this weekend.
The pair will be in direct opposition as Clontibret and Slaughtneil go head-to-head in the AIB Ulster club semi-final.
The rest of the Irish touring party will land in Melbourne on Thursday and will have three days to prepare for a warm-up game against a VFL selection in Sandringham on Sunday (2pm local time).
Ireland captained by Michael murphy will defend  the Cormac McAnallen Cup .
Ireland won the 2011 and 2013 instalments of the competition comprehensively, winning each of the four Tests played in that time, but Australia have named a star-studded squad for this year’s one-off Test and are intent on winning back the trophy.