Colm's great master-peace.

PERHAPS, had they delayed their announcement by 48 hours, the Nobel Academy might have identified a third great Irish peacemaker.

Colm O'Rourke walked into the most violent battle zone in international sport - the Compromise Rules arena - and used his wisdom and persistence to bring about a cessation of hostilities.

Not only did he persuade his own party to decommission - the Meath statesman managed to get the Aussies to lay down their arms too.

Yesterday, after 14 years of open warfare, this International Series finally shed its blood-sport status. Eighty minutes of football without a single punch, an angry swipe or a high boot. Not since Neil Diamond's last concert has Croke Park seen such harmony.

Warfare

At one stage Ja Fallon and Rohan Smith walked away from a potential flash point wrapped in a fraternal embrace. They might have been having a chat about the price of a pint in the New Stand's corporate bar!

Given the recent history of this event it was almost as unexpected as an Israeli and a Arab picnicking together on the West Bank.

What next? Vinnie Jones opening up a creche? Mike Tyson helping old ladies across the road? The discovery of a bank that hasn't been fiddling either its customers or the tax-man?

This was Compromise Lite - a test match with all the additives removed. And yet it was no less nourishing.

If anything yesterday's game was the tastiest of the 14 played under these rules. Only the most undiluted sadist would have bemoaned the absence of homicidal challenges and frenzied brawls.

For this was a compelling afternoon. A gripping international on the field - six goals, a total of 49 scores, Ireland winning the Series - which fuelled a grand carnival in the bleachers.

The Mexican Wave made its Croke Park debut. Given its close connections with soccer, the 35,000 participants who threw their hands above their head may well have been in breach of Rule 21.

But since they included GAA President Joe McDonagh - who almost took Bertie Ahern's eye out with one particularly vigourous wave - disciplinary action is unlikely.

O'Rourke seemed as happy that the truce agreed at a meeting between himself and Aussie manager Leigh Matthews on Friday had held out as he did with the result.

"The only thing I wanted to see done away with was the late tackle," said the Irish manager and latter day Gandhi.

"I told Leigh that we had no problem with any of the other physical aspects. If one of their fellas half-killed one of ours in a fair tackle then so be it."

Rarely did the visitors get a chance to even contemplate the latter . The Irish speed of movement was hugely impressive - off loading the ball to a supporting team-mate as if it were a smoking grenade they were shifting.

Ja Fallon, Sean Og De Paor, Michael Donnellan, Glen Ryan - all of whom had played in the All-Ireland final just 21 days earlier - Peter Canavan, Seamus Moynihan, Finbarr Cullen and John McDermott would be handed full time contracts if this code ever took off.

Speed

Their distribution, fielding and speed, both of thought and foot, were a delight. Perhaps the greatest complement that can be paid was that at times it was the Aussies who looked like part-timers.

Indeed as Matthews conceded: "The Irish did all the things that are NOT in their game better than us. They are quick and athletic, they have great ball skills and they marked the ball better than us."

It was also an Irishman, Meath's Darren Fay, who made some of the afternoon's most telling tackles.

Fay charged around like a rugby wing-forward in search of prey. Some of his bone-crunching hits must have registered on the Richter Scale.

"I found defending a lot easier than in gaelic football. The tackle helps enormously," said the big Royal, before adding with a grin, "I'd love to see it introduced to our game."

Even O'Rourke, one of the great forwards of the 20th century, believes it might offer a new dimension to gaelic games.

"If you introduce the tackle, you would have to introduce the mark with it. It is something that could be looked at."

Kick-outs from the hand and the pick-up off the ground are Aussie Rules patents which the GAA would do well to pirate.

"I compare this series to the Vietnam War. Nobody back home really cares," said Matthews, "these games are on at midnight and half of Australia didn't know they were even taking place.

"October is the traditional Aussie Rules rest month and I think a lot of supporters still have a problem with the round ball."

And, perhaps, with the lack of fist-fights. O'Rourke's pursuit of pacifism may impress Nobel's men, but down in Oz the armistice is probably even less popular than warm beer or Pommies!