IT HAS BEEN a special day for Mayo’s Pearce Hanley.
The Irishman has made his 100th appearance in the AFL for the Brisbane Lions, and scored a goal to boot.
However, Hanley, who produced an influential performance, registering 33 disposals, could not help inspire his side to victory ultimately, as Sydney Swans prevailed 10.10 (70) to 7.7 (49).
It was just Hanley’s fourth AFL appearance this season, with a serious hip injury limiting his playing time recently, after he originally made the move to Australia in 2007.
His younger brother Cian — a former captain of the Mayo minor football team — joined him in Brisbane last September.