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You condoning the extremists then?

Absolutely not.

But the reason for what you fellas describe as "far right" unrest in places like Ireland has got a lot more to do with the increasing presence of immigrants, and much less to do with influencers, than you'll ever be prepared to admit.

Human beings are tribal. We are instinctively a lot more accommodating when one of our own steps out of line, than we are when it's one of the "others". Which is why all across Ireland this weekend, at club GAA matches, you'll have people describing their team's psychotic behaviour as either "out of character" or "completely justified", whilst judging the opposing team's tackling / physical play as GBH, worthy of a prison sentence, pure thuggery.


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Ballyholland are playing Kilcoo on Friday evening. Imagine there was a social experiment that nobody in the crowd was permitted to speak at the match, but all they could do is comment on a social media thread where both sets of supporters contributed. Do you know what this would end up with? It would be vile, absolutely vile. And it wouldn't be because of Russians or bots.

Na. That's a load of enabling nonsense and exactly what the "influencers" online are looking to create.

They are using the immigration issue to widen the problem, so that it's not just an immigration issue, it's a skin colour problem.  Perfect example is Ballymena, a working man and his family from Philippines had his car and house burned out cause the mob decided to cause his skin didn't fit in with theirs.

I know staff who work in the Lourdes Hospital in Drogheda who are all been abused on wards and on the streets, cause of their skin colour. Their kids in school are getting it too and them here years.

Immigration is the flame they using to ignite their own twisted hatred and bitterness towards others. I know some who have completely flipped and it's not about immigration, it's blaming others for their own sad existence and lack of drive and motivation to make anything of their lives. They've never left their own eircode bar a odd trip to Spain to take in the culture of Irish Bars in their Celtic and United/Liverpool/Arsenal tops to cheer on likes of Saka, Salah and Co which is terrible ironic as they'd not let them move in beside them.

It's dangerous, anonymous Facebook accounts posting rumour and scaring people, telling them they should be afraid, using the emotive threats to children and woman to cause tension and division. They failed at the local elections and this seemed to only drive them onto new extremes.

Is immigration perfect? No, not at all, but what's happening is beyond that and I struggle to see how people can't see it's been used way out of proportion.

Prison Break was one that got ditched. Maybe after season 3. First season was brilliant, second was ok, signs of it waning and then after that. Pants.

Good GAA Podcast with Conor Gormley. Had quite a career. Niblock needs to let it flow more naturally.. is like he's trying too hard to get soundbites or engender emotive reaction to hype up the podcast.

As they say "who is the guest interviewing Niblock this week?"

Louth have struggled for years at development squad level and into minor age groups.
A lot of counties persist with these players but Louth have looked at others making waves or late bloomers in club football and it's helped. Devlin has helped but early days for him. Getting coaches and clubs to step up is key and this will feed into teams at all levels.

Massive win last night and great to see consistency from year on year, county like Louth needs that, no good one age group making a final and then not been seen competing again for years. It's a numbers age to get players though.

Do people actually watch and endure TV series they don't enjoy? Whatever about sticking out for end of season 1 but then ploughing on with further seasons.

I'd have several "continue to watch" series sitting that I know I'll never go back to. Yellowjackets was one, Walking Dead was another (mid way through seasons) but did watch some of the recent spin offs and enjoyed them.

Absolutely brilliant TV last night with Last of Us.

Game of Thrones levels with it all happening and the build up to it. Top class.

Yes indeed, no close contests, cause the last decade has seen numerous brilliant close games in the opening rounds of the provincial championships   

Have the draw for the championship the week before the league final instead of in the autumn. Anyone in league finals avoids the preliminary round in their province. More incentive to take the league seriously and more of a build up to the start of the championship. No shadow boxing in the league as you don't know who you meet in the championship. If they could do the backdoor draws in the past, one week out from the next round then no reason they couldn't do the championship draw two weeks prior to its start.

I'd do the draws for the next rounds after the current rounds have been played as well. Easy win to drum up some coverage. Louth win first round and then handed a nice draw the next day. While Dublin face Meath away.

A wee moan.

Leinster and the provincials all "launched" this week. We get a few journos invited to various locations including the Gaints Causeway, few token soundbites given and few stock photos that could be 2025, 2015 or whenever.

Year in, year out, different competitions, same launch - player X in county jersey sitting in stand or on pitch togged out with cup/cup/ball/hurley etc.

When are the GAA going to actually think outside the box and come up with something different that might actually build a talking point particularly, get a marketing campaign that goes viral, go after the TicTok youth market, create something.

It mightn't generate much of the older generation but you'd be surprised and the youth need to be engaged to get wanting to attend games.

Rant over. Insert photo of Sam Mulroy with Delaney Cup here.

Yeah true but if it was competitive these problems would fix themselves. It was telling that there was no Dub at it. Not worth their while showing up for a forgone conclusion. As much as it saddens me and I know we're part of the problem but trust me the work is being done but we seem to be still selling ourselves short at senior level.

I probably should have added that it is same for everything. Provincials mean nothing but come the qualifiers and the knock out stages, finals it be the exact same. Rinse and repeat.

And rely on the Up for the Match the night before to dress it up a bit. Tiresome.

A wee moan.

Leinster and the provincials all "launched" this week. We get a few journos invited to various locations including the Gaints Causeway, few token soundbites given and few stock photos that could be 2025, 2015 or whenever.

Year in, year out, different competitions, same launch - player X in county jersey sitting in stand or on pitch togged out with cup/cup/ball/hurley etc.

When are the GAA going to actually think outside the box and come up with something different that might actually build a talking point particularly, get a marketing campaign that goes viral, go after the TicTok youth market, create something.

It mightn't generate much of the older generation but you'd be surprised and the youth need to be engaged to get wanting to attend games.

Rant over. Insert photo of Sam Mulroy with Delaney Cup here.

Lot of good information here   

Continue with the tracksuit bottoms so.

Personally, I'd draw the line with vests or those sleeve less training tops. Got one a few years back as part of club gear parcel but it never seen the light of day.

  One for the lads/Dads.

At what age should a grown man/dad/father stop wearing tracksuits?

And specifically as casual wear, not for sporting activities like to training or for a walk.

Daughter starting to give me guff over a pair I bought recently in lifestyle Sports that she tells me "are for young fellas" 

Hard to beat I find throwing on a pair for lounging about or walking about in.

Mid to late 40s, getting old, seeks advice. TIA 

Hope to see Antrim stand their ground.

Assuming this high fielding on a kick out? He still has his Mark to avoid been surrounded and over carrying?

Managers crying about rules and the game, should have a bit of self reflection and see where they have taken the game over the last 20 years. You hear them talk about control and that's what they miss. Controlling the life of the game and the players on the pitch.

Much more enjoyable to watch and games have lots of action. A lead doesn't seem out of reach, due to the scoring but also cause the team with the lead can't control and slow the game as they use to. In fact, it's dangerous for them to take foot off the gas as they struggle to get a foothold again.

Few minor things can be tided up like the hooter, maybe a throw up for the 20 second breach etc.

The dissent rule has certainly helped at inter county, never seen any balls moved up 50m over weekend.

At club game at weekend and was no drama with 3 up, 3 back rule, ref said it's ok to patrol.