Messages

I felt that Armagh stopped pushing up on Meath in the final 15 minutes. They had done this  to great effect for the first 20 minutes of the second half. This meant Meath could get out of their defence much easier. Whether this was from a result of instruction from the sideline is something we don't know. Geezer definitely has a case to answer on several issues though, primarily taking Soupy off. R
Also, Rian O'Neill, who continues to improve, started drifting out the field also which left us with no presence in our FF line when we were playing with a wind. He should have been told to stand on the edge of the square and stay in there.. He, in the absence of Andy Murnin, is our most effective target man in attack.  Occasionally Rory Grugan, our most gifted playmaker, was the man on the edge of the square?? We didn't use our attackers effectively. Finally, James Morgan has turned into a liability in defence with his persistent fouling.

We definitely miss Murnin inside, he is crucial to this teams success as a target man. Rian O'Neill is doing well but I'd better player running towards goal not with his back to it. When his decision making at this level improves he will go on to be a very good player. I agree on Morgan's fouling we are giving up too many scoreable free kicks.

Poor performance, promotion probably gone after that result today it's probably more likely that we are in a relegation battle, defensively we are just not good enough. This is the last year of McGeeneys contract and it's hard to see how he can get another one since we haven't really progressed anything if you base it on the 3 League results to date.

The easy out is to blame the manager. Meath have been playing division 2 football for a good few years now. Armagh are just up from division 3 - they were in division 3 when McGeeney took over. Maybe Meath at home are just about a better team at the minute.

Interestingly I can only think of Forker, Sheridan, Grugan and Campbell who would have started in the league game against Meath in 2016. That is some change in personnel.

It's not a case of blaming anybody but I think there was a bit too much hype before the League began that we could achieve something big this year. I just don't see it happening, we are decent up front but have a lot of problems in other areas of the pitch. For me, we are in a relegation scrap if we lose our next match. Maybe we should wait until the League is finished before making full judgement but that's just my view as things stand now. If we win 3 or 4 of next few games and get promoted I'll gladly hold my hands up.

Meath are a consistent mid table division 2 side but I don't think many would have had them down for promotion before the campaign began but they've given themselves a chance with some difficult fixtures played already.

Poor performance, promotion probably gone after that result today it's probably more likely that we are in a relegation battle, defensively we are just not good enough. This is the last year of McGeeneys contract and it's hard to see how he can get another one since we haven't really progressed anything if you base it on the 3 League results to date.

Have you seen the Div 2 table as of this evening? Promotion / Relegation all realistic for any team in the division still, 3 points separating top and bottom.

Of course it's still possible but I just don't see it happening. We play Donegal away and I don't see us getting anything there and I don't expect that 8 points would be enough, more likely 9.

W

Poor performance, promotion probably gone after that result today it's probably more likely that we are in a relegation battle, defensively we are just not good enough. This is the last year of McGeeneys contract and it's hard to see how he can get another one since we haven't really progressed anything if you base it on the 3 League results to date.

Is the real failure in this sorry state of affairs not the Labour party??

The ERG and their apologists within the media would love you to believe that. Those charlatans should be the people held to account for this sorry mess.

Corbyn may have his faults but he is not the architect of this whole Brexit charade. That said I do believe a more centrist labour leader would have helped deliver some form of Brexit deal with cross party support.

.

Is that not what he is doing?

Belatedly, probably after he seen the latest poll result.

That's kind of what I was getting at YC. The appeared lack of alternative options by Labour.

Is this article not a bit of a turn up? Spectator very tight wing. Maybe they actually see the DUP for the cretins they are.

https://www.google.com/amp/s/blogs.spectator.co.uk/2019/02/a-referendum-on-irish-unity-might-be-the-best-way-to-solve-the-brexit-border-issue/amp/

I think it's a simple case of English nationalism trumping any pretence that the union is precious. For many Brexiteers the preservation of the UK is important but just not as important as releasing themselves from the shackles of the EU and their delusions that some form of utopia will automatically follow. 

Previous polls carried out last year suggested that many within England would ditch the 6 counties if it became an obstruction to them getting the Brexit that they wanted. I think that article is probably just a manifestation of that. If the DUP did not hold the balance of power im Westminster my guess is that the border would already have been established in the Irish sea.   

Is the real failure in this sorry state of affairs not the Labour party??

The ERG and their apologists within the media would love you to believe that. Those charlatans should be the people held to account for this sorry mess.

Corbyn may have his faults but he is not the architect of this whole Brexit charade. That said I do believe a more centrist labour leader would have helped deliver some form of Brexit deal with cross party support. 

[It all beggars belief really.]

People's pockets trump their desire for a United ireland these days.

I have no doubt it's a contributory factor.  However, it's too simplistic on it's own.  Up until the last few years there was a move away from nationalism, but it was a move from nationalism in general, not just Irish nationalism.  Plenty more people would have seen the Good Friday agreement as having sort things out, even those that didn't saw it as managing the way to a united Ireland over a long term period.  More again accepted that by voting for referendum in the south you were accepting the principle of self-determination in the agreement.  This meant it was no longer your business.

Ironically despite the posturing in Eastern Europe it took the Brits to put nationalism really back on the agenda with Brexit.  The invite to join into British jingoism proved too much to resist for the DUP (predictably enough) and now they seem in turn to be awaking Irish nationalism.   In some ways similar to early 1900's where unionism gave a big helping hand to republicans over home rulers.

I've said it before that it is beyond believing how short sighted the DUP seem to be.   By keeping things on an even keel they could keep middle of road nationalist pretty neutral about change.  This was giving them a bulwark against the obvious demographic trends and keeping the Republic pretty laissez-faire about things.  I really can't believe that not one of them (or their paid advisors)  was pointing this out.   Instead they decide to get into some kind of turf war with the likes of the TUV when concessions on flags, rights and Irish Language (all things with no material consequence) would have won the day for unionism.  The writing was on the wall when the St Andrews was signed, enshrining a competition with Shinners into the system.

Frankly, Brexit is just the tin hat on it.  The are now riding roughshod over even their own constituency of protestant farmers and business people. So not only are the awaking dormant nationalists they may potentially do the unthinkable and drive some of their own to the other side.

I always hate to badge any group but it is hard to speculate anything other than, for the DUP,  sheer bigotry, supremacy and sectarianism is more important than the Union itself.  Strange as that reads, I find it hard to see other significant factors.  I use to think fear of the Shinners (based on history of IRA and the troubles) drove them.   However, if they had backed the UUP post Good Friday they could have helped SDLP be the only significant political force in nationalism, however then, like now, being the biggest voice in unionism seemed more important to them.

In an era of empowerment, diversity and equality Foster and May seem to be two female leaders are letting the side down badly.

/Jim.

That's an excellent post.  Interesting point when you say "By keeping things on an even keel they could keep middle of road nationalist pretty neutral about change".  I would totally agree with that.  I myself would probably be a middle of the road nationalist where having an UI has never bothered me. I have never been politically minded in the past & I have been happy enough with the status quo.  My mentality though has certainly changed post Brexit and am finding myself drifting more towards a stauncher (for want of a better word) view of nationalism and its been driven by the actions of the Brexiteers and the DUP locally 

Brexit to me is genuinely astounding. I mean the government is trying it's best to make things worse just because people who don't understand and won't listen to reason hate a Boogeyman entity that has actually improved their lives whether they are willing to admit it or not. It has it's flaws, but the EU is not the evil dictatorship some seem to think it is.

Reducing your ability to travel, study and work abroad. Denying your children the chances you had. Willingly jeopardizing a peace process with your nearest neighbour that took decades to achieve to placate morons and charlatans.

Blindly thinking trade deals with countries half way across the world with smaller and poorer populations will cover the loss of a huge market on your doorstep.

Then relying on an incompetent, ignorant and arrogant political class to negotiate these trade deals, when they are the ones forcing through this act of self harm in the most shambolic way imagineable in the first place.

We all know the EU and foreigners will be blamed when the shit hits the fan. 'If only a proper Leaver was in charge, we'd have shown the EU who's boss' they'll say, and then there'll be uproar when they have to queue up for hours getting into Spain on holidays.

How any or this will be explained by future historians is simply beyond me, so many moves made that literally make no sense, appalling application by the government and opposition.

It all beggars belief really. 

A place in hell awaits apparently.

I imagine that Tusk's choice of language was deliberate to provoke a debate. He know full well what the reaction would be. The sheer mention of hell to DUP Brexiteers would have driven them mental with rage and they reacted in the only way they know how. Maybe he shouldn't have mentioned 'hell' but the content of his argument was entirely accurate.

A bunch of middle class elite aided by many media outlets pushing their country over the cliff edge for personal gain. Boris Johnson earned £51k for a speech he give at a Dublin summit a few weeks back. The implications of Brexit will not affect the living standards of any of the people promoting Brexit nor the media moguls who assist them in stoking up fear and division among ordinary working class people.

I wouldn't vote for a 32 county Ireland as it stands

Our national debt is already over 200 BILLION
We can't afford it

Has anybody costed what a United Ireland would cost? People will say the British subvention,NHS cost etc.. but why should we have to adopt the British model of subvention and I am sure there is somebody on here with the expertise to explain the potential savings from the end of duplication of services and the ending of different tax regimes along with the huge social and confidence boost of being one country for the first time in 100 years!! Throw in EU reunification funds and development funds I am sure we it would be possible to mitigate against potential costs!! Personally I would happily take a hit in my pocket for the social boost to all of us if we could finally live together on this Island and I am sure there were probably plenty of potential economic arguments for my Grandfather to consider in 1916 for him and his family but he chose independence and when you look at Brexit I am delighted he did decide to fight!!!

https://senatormarkdaly.files.wordpress.com/2018/07/research-on-northern-ireland-income-and-expenditure.pdf

Other than the subvention probably isn't as high as £9bn and that author hopes that GB would stand on for part of the subventions there is not a lot in that 150 pages

But that is precisely what is at the crux of the whole economic argument against re-unification, the budget deficit figure. The report has explained that there are savings to be had in various areas to almost negate that before any potential uplift in growth due to FDI and synergies. Did you actually read the full report?     

And when you read that report you felt the closing of the deficit was fully explained?

Did you not find some of the assumptions a little presumptuous and a little one sided? Almost as if the conclusions were fixed and the report was written to backfill a route to the conclusions?

The report assumes that the £2.8 Bn spent on pensions/social welfare would continue to be funded by GB. What if it isn't? What if it's not fully GB funded? What if GB funding didn't last forever? Where is the sensitivity analysis of any of these?

The report just assumes that as welfare rights accrued under a UK system they would be fully serviced by GB. It makes the completely opposite assumption in respect of debt servicing. Is that not a bit lob sided?

The convergence savings of £1.7 Bn relates to civil service wages. What if NI needs more public sector workers per capita because of reality on the ground here? And even if you could realise the £1.7 bn of treasury savings what is the impact of sucking those wages out of the economy?

Report talks a lot about planning. Germany had it. The German population was made up of unifiers and people who didn't really care. Nobody was dead set against it once the eastern German top brass were removed. It's a bit different here. North and south who is going to commit to this planning in advance of a poll?

You ask an awful lot of questions yet you fail to answer as to whether you had actually read the full report or just taken selected extracts from it. My guess is that you have taken selected extracts from it to present your own argument. I'm not asking you whether you agree with it or not (you clearly have your mind made up already) just read it with an open mind rather than try to diss everything in it.

Of course there are a lot of assumptions how else can financial projections be anything otherwise in the absence of having a crystal ball. If you are looking for foolproof projections they won't exist in your argument against reunification either. Someone asked if anybody had carried out costings on a reunification and I simply posted this document up, people are clever enough to make up their own minds on it. My own view is that there would be a bit of short term pain but that mid-longer term it would create a lot of opportunities and in particular for the north which is an economic cesspit in comparision to the south.

I imagine that the foreign affairs department of the Irish government will have their own figures but are simply reluctant to release them for fear of freaking out Unionists.

I wouldn't vote for a 32 county Ireland as it stands

Our national debt is already over 200 BILLION
We can't afford it

Has anybody costed what a United Ireland would cost? People will say the British subvention,NHS cost etc.. but why should we have to adopt the British model of subvention and I am sure there is somebody on here with the expertise to explain the potential savings from the end of duplication of services and the ending of different tax regimes along with the huge social and confidence boost of being one country for the first time in 100 years!! Throw in EU reunification funds and development funds I am sure we it would be possible to mitigate against potential costs!! Personally I would happily take a hit in my pocket for the social boost to all of us if we could finally live together on this Island and I am sure there were probably plenty of potential economic arguments for my Grandfather to consider in 1916 for him and his family but he chose independence and when you look at Brexit I am delighted he did decide to fight!!!

https://senatormarkdaly.files.wordpress.com/2018/07/research-on-northern-ireland-income-and-expenditure.pdf

Other than the subvention probably isn't as high as £9bn and that author hopes that GB would stand on for part of the subventions there is not a lot in that 150 pages

But that is precisely what is at the crux of the whole economic argument against re-unification, the budget deficit figure. The report has explained that there are savings to be had in various areas to almost negate that before any potential uplift in growth due to FDI and synergies. Did you actually read the full report?     

Just seen the McGregor challenge and it was a shocker, could have seriously damaged the Aberdeen player. Red card and penalty all day long but nothing given, very poor refereeing.

But anyway back to the present.... What is May going to do or say in Brussels tomorrow or Dublin Friday?
What is Leo going to say to the 6 Cos lot?
Is there choreographing going on?

Nothing and nothing I would imagine. Running down the clock.

I wouldn't vote for a 32 county Ireland as it stands

Our national debt is already over 200 BILLION
We can't afford it

That's part of what we're up against, the I'm alright jack attitude and it does exist a lot in post Celtic tiger Ireland where a lot of people have short memories as to how they gained their independence.

And that's without even entering the debate about exactly what it might cost or looking at the opportunities it might bring.

It would suit me entirely financially and personally to be part of a UI.. but you're not talking to a person who's reliant on a government type public sector job, of which makes up a huge amount of voters.. or even the chronic dole merchants that would lose their hard earned cash from milking the system! 

The im alright jack guys are looking after the future of their family and their own retirement, guarantees would need to be secured to win over that person..

As the way things are now, you couldn't believe a politician if he said there are seven days in a week

I was referring specifically to the population in the south of Ireland which I presumed where the original poster was from when he made reference to the national debt.

I accept your point about the top heavy number of civil servants and people on benefits but you can't cherry pick those items and ignore other positive factors from a potential merge. The same applies to the NHS argument, it is a factor but I could counteract that by saying that there are much lower domestic rates in the south (v property tax), much higher levels of benefits, 75% higher average wage etc. it is why the whole argument needs to be looked at in its entirety and I accept that the economic position is a huge factor for a lot of people particularly those in the middle who could be swayed either way.

I wouldn't vote for a 32 county Ireland as it stands

Our national debt is already over 200 BILLION
We can't afford it

Has anybody costed what a United Ireland would cost? People will say the British subvention,NHS cost etc.. but why should we have to adopt the British model of subvention and I am sure there is somebody on here with the expertise to explain the potential savings from the end of duplication of services and the ending of different tax regimes along with the huge social and confidence boost of being one country for the first time in 100 years!! Throw in EU reunification funds and development funds I am sure we it would be possible to mitigate against potential costs!! Personally I would happily take a hit in my pocket for the social boost to all of us if we could finally live together on this Island and I am sure there were probably plenty of potential economic arguments for my Grandfather to consider in 1916 for him and his family but he chose independence and when you look at Brexit I am delighted he did decide to fight!!!

https://senatormarkdaly.files.wordpress.com/2018/07/research-on-northern-ireland-income-and-expenditure.pdf

I wouldn't vote for a 32 county Ireland as it stands

Our national debt is already over 200 BILLION
We can't afford it

That's part of what we're up against, the I'm alright jack attitude and it does exist a lot in post Celtic tiger Ireland where a lot of people have short memories as to how they gained their independence.

And that's without even entering the debate about exactly what it might cost or looking at the opportunities it might bring.