Australian officials were left fuming by a crowd invasion that threatened Australian players at the end of the first international rules match against Ireland in Galway.

Overjoyed by their side's snatching of a remarkable late win, thousands of fans invaded the Pearce Stadium pitch, some confronting Australian players who spent up to two minutes trying to wade through the mass of bodies to make it to the race.

AFL chief executive Andrew Demetriou, who attended the match, urged the Gaelic Athletic Association (GAA) to investigate the alarming lack of security in Galway and predicted much stronger measures for next week's match at Croke Park in Dublin.

"It's something for the GAA to look at," Demetriou said.

"It's certainly not something that we have in our country or our game.

"They're used to it, but we're glad it doesn't happen any more in our game.

"I can assure you at Croke Park it will be significantly less of an issue compared to here.

"It was the first time we've come to Galway - it's just a bit different here."

Demetriou said players were rightfully uncomfortable with the situation, and the post-match chaos vindicated the strict measures on show at AFL matches to prevent crowd incursions.

"It re-inforces in our mind why we are pretty proud of some of the things we do," Demetriou said.

"When you're not at home, not in charge of the venue, not in charge of security - we don't employ the people here - you sometimes have to put up with things you normally don't put up with in Australia."

Indications of lax security began before the match - in a much more charming way - when a dog ran onto the ground to join the Irish team during the national anthem before frolicking with Australian players as they warmed up.

It was a reminder of the 2004 series in Ireland when a dog was allowed to join in the play for a lengthy period, trying to catch the ball.

It went from the charming to the comical during the half-time interval when the first of eight pitch invasions by mostly costumed individuals began, with some allowed to roam freely around the field for minutes without a hint of security intervention.

The beginning of the final term was delayed when a man dressed only in football shorts stood among the players, confronting some, before security belatedly tried to remove him.

Indeed before security got near him, exasperated Sydney Swans and Ireland star Tadhg Kennelly took it upon himself to try to get him off the pitch.

West Coast's Adam Selwood said the players were more than a touch perturbed by the sheer number of Irish fans blocking the path to the changerooms.

"I'm not sure what Ireland needs to do about it, but it can get a bit dangerous when you get people coming up in front of your face," Selwood said.

"A few got in my face and said 'Come on Ireland' or whatever.

"I don't know if I was fearing for my safety, but it's not something we're used to and not something we want either, so hopefully that can change.

"It's something we're used to over the fence, but this time it was on the field."

It followed this month's exhibition match between Geelong and Port Adelaide at The Oval being cut short because of fights between players and a series of pitch invasions.

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