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[Not the most important issue by any means, but hearing how the two RUC men conducted themselves at the house really stuck in my throat, asking the wee girl why she was crying. Says it all.]

A very important programme, capturing very important testimonies.  Nothing but admiration for the family. I do believe that in time a lot more will be learned, but with evidence not gathered or destroyed, and some actors taking their dirty secrets to the grave, getting the whole truth could be difficult.

Not the most important issue by any means, but hearing how the two RUC men conducted themselves at the house really stuck in my throat, asking the wee girl why she was crying. Says it all.

Born into hate, reared to hate and joined a police force to enact hate on those not seen as their equals.

How the hell is it a free out when 3 players are kneeing on you. Goldrick is a complete balloon

I'd go get your eyesight checked if I were you. The ref won it for you

Are you serious? 5 cavan high challenges unpunished by ref, phantom black card. 40 seconds extra played at end for cavan and the ref won it lol

Jayzus lad, ducking your head into a challenge and then throwing your head back is working a free in your favour. Black card was 100% spot on.

If anything, Tyrone got the rub of the green today

How the hell is it a free out when 3 players are kneeing on you. Goldrick is a complete balloon

I'd go get your eyesight checked if I were you. The ref won it for you

Some team for engineering a free.

Great contest, could have went either way. Donegal v Tyrone, no idea how it'll go tbh.

Deliberately pulling a man to the ground is a black card. Probably the easiest decision of the day. What is Oisin on about, 2 yellows and let them get on with it? 

Cavan got some soft frees there as well.

Cavan have realised that if, with any heat in the tackle, c**k the head back and you get a free, 100%, of the time

That's the end of that Derry team. Too one dimensional.

Jesus 🤦🏼�♂️

Ah, the resident Dub. 

Derry were not serious All Ireland contenders ffs. They are at a level below Kerry/Dublin, same as Armagh/Mayo/Galway/Tyrone/Donegal.

A few facts:
They beat Clare and Cork to get to AISFs the last 2 years.
Kerry played sh1te against them last year and still bate them.
They won the league final against Dublin reserves and believed the hype.

I also really think the new structure hurts teams in Derrys position. 4(?) weeks of no championship football before potentially playing Dublin or Kerry.

My prediction: they'll get through the group by beating the guff but will go out at the quarter final stage to a bigger team. Questions will remain over Harte but he will get to stay and we will see the same next year, only a bit worse.

golden! Taking time to work out how Derry can't possibly succeed. Surely they can't? Can they? Nah

On the game, the appetite those Donegal players had yesterday was incredible. McGuinness is obviously a very shroud operator tactics wise etc, but it's his man management that is a level above most. Those players gave it absolutely everything. Donegal had a handful of stand out players, but Ryan McHugh is something else. What a smart player, knows when to hold them, knows when to show them...only Ethan from our side got anywhere near that level of performance.
I've been around long enough to not get overly excited about a Derry win or loss. The last couple of years, those players have given us some amazing days out. Defeats are inevitable, it happens. 12 points from the 4 goals was an insurmountable challenge for any team, never mind a team that just, for whatever reason didn't click. A well earned rest now and a bit of soul searching as always happens in a defeat. Kinda getting used to Croke Pk, hopefully we're back again this year.

[winning the league nigh on impossible]

It is a shame that he came up against 115 charges FC in his tenure which made winning the league nigh on impossible and who knows, if they do throw the book at city in years to come, what he achieved may be more appreciated.

In season 2021/22 it wasn't that as a win against Tottenham at home instead of a draw with three games to play would have won the league title for Liverpool.

'these are small, but those are far away....'

Ahh it's just the "Nordies against change" bellyaching again.

The move from 21 aside to 17 aside was the start of the slippery slope I tell ya.

It has been zero days since the Freestarters were last at it

[Where's that figure coming from?]

It's odd isn't it?

Every single last person involved in sport knows that protracted knockout competitions are a steaming pile of dung until the element of jeopardy arrives.

And yet all around Ireland, all around the world, we keep introducing and extending these formats.

Other sports can at least use professionalism and a need for paying spectators as their excuse.

We cannot.

Well considering 85% approx of money generated filters down to the clubs, we all win?

Where's that figure coming from?

HQ is clearly contributing to player injury insurance. And it pays for the IT infrastructure (Foireann).

But I did a 5 year stretch as a treasurer until recently. And i don't actually recall a direct benefit coming from HQ during that time.

Was I filling in the wrong forms?

Jarly snr in an interview a week or two ago

It's odd isn't it?

Every single last person involved in sport knows that protracted knockout competitions are a steaming pile of dung until the element of jeopardy arrives.

And yet all around Ireland, all around the world, we keep introducing and extending these formats.

Other sports can at least use professionalism and a need for paying spectators as their excuse.

We cannot.

Well considering 85% approx of money generated filters down to the clubs, we all win?

2 time penalty Kick champs, Fact. Vinny Corey had the decency to acknowledge it after Monaghan beat Armagh. Derry got the cups* tho.

Joyce called it out as well, two men with common sense, few Derry wans losing their minds here.

.. You're running around the threads like a dog with 2 dicks

The phrase 2 bald men fighting over a comb springs to mind 

Yah man 

[forget about this draw nonsense, they beat us hence they are the defending champions]

Armagh season imo hinges on some silverware and the only thing left open to them is an Ulster title, should they get beat by Down or lose an Ulster Final but achieve a step further than last few years in the All Ireland - will that be a success?

Would have to be seen as a step backwards wouldnt it?

If we lose to Down its a disaster. Looking at potential final opponents- we beat Cavan last year easily so you'd want to be doing the same, we drew with Derry so losing to them would be a backward step, Donegal were shit last year so questions would need asked if they managed to leapfrog us with a new manager. Wouldnt even want to contemplate losing to Tyrone!

if we get to the final and were beat, again (forget about this draw nonsense, they beat us hence they are the defending champions), by Derry it wouldnt be a step back in my eyes.
Arguably last year was a failure by Armagh given we had played in a higher division and the shenanigans around derry in te lead up to the final. This year, again presuming it is us and derry in the final, derry go in as league champions with a multiple all ireland winning manager and we, well, we dont. Thye played at a higher level than us all year also.

Though it really isn't nonsense they won a penalty shoot out based on rules introduced by Croke Park to compress the GAA season under the guise of Club Welfare  (what has a penalty shoot out got to do with a GAA match),  but really for the leasing of Croke Park over the summer as a business venture.  That aside another year under Geezer with nothing to show would be a failure.

It is 100% nonsense, couldn't be any more nonsense.
What Croke Pk venture stopped a potential replay the following weekend which was a: free and b: wouldn't be played at Croke Pk? More nonsense! 

Is it really? Most counties have goals at the start of the year, get promoted, avoid relegation, beat neighbours etc. do they really need a coping mechanism of devaluing competitions, I seriously doubt it.  There are about 26 counties under the new system never going win Sam, Derry don't need another Ulster but will probably win it, any other county would relish it.

I believe JoG2 was referring the fans attempting to devalue a competition as a defense mechanism for if they don't win it. Armagh will have failed this year (again) if they do not win Ulster. How anyone can think different is beyond me.

What if they lose Ulster but play in an All Ireland final. Is that a bigger failure than winning Ulster and then going out in the groups?

You're changing angles here. What is having a good year, which reaching an AI final for most teams is, got to do with questioning the value of the Anglo Celt cup which you did? A hypothetical appearance in an AI final shouldn't come into the equation.
You're Armagh yes, very surprising considering the last 15+ years winning nothing. Derry winning 2 years ago was incredible, winning back to back was, well incredible. The thought of winning a treble, well that's the stuff of dreams. Worry about any attack on a Sam after.

The answer is the Ulster Championship is not viewed in isolation You've said Armagh will have failed this year if they don't win Ulster. I disagree.

I talk alot of nonsense but I'm an honest man re the comment above

You are holding the Anglo Celt up as some kind of be all and end all for the season. It's not. For me If your county would prefer to win an Ulster and nothing else this year then it's extremely meaningful. If your county would prefer a deep run in the All Ireland series then Ulster is less meaningful.

Again, I'm not holding the Anglo Celt up as the be all and end all. It is 1 of 3 major honours my county can win, 1 of 2 in the championship arena. Rarely missing a home or away game in manys a year and being starved of celebrations, winning the Ulster the last two years has been huge for the county. It's the toughest province to win, and if you're able to win it, you're in good stead for the rest of the season. Not only that, you're seeded in pot one and your home, away and neutral are a bit handier.
Your hypothetical scenarios of not winning or sacrificing an Ulster to go deeper in the AI series, does this hold much merit? Armagh would do well to win Ulster and then give the AI a serious rattle, because if you're good enough to win Ulster, you won't be far away. I could maybe understand your pov more if you were from Kerry