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Taken from the Herald Sun

Down the road at Eve nightclub, footballers from rival codes engaged in a heated verbal confrontation on Saturday night.

The Irish rugby team were drowning their sorrows after losing to the Wallabies when they ran into a group of Western Bulldog players having a nightcap after the club's mid-year winter ball.

Voices were raised around 3am and security guards had to intervene to separate the two groups.

Confidential understands a couple of the Bulldogs were asked to leave the club so inter-code tensions didn't explode on the dance floor.

They were apparently not happy about it, but the Irishmen kept on partying.

Have to get a cluster replaced on a 03 Ford Focus by my garage. What should that cost roughly because I've been quoted a price that seems very expensive to me but then again I don't know anything about cars so it could be cheap for all I know?

Apparently in today's Star is says that Padraig Joyce got hit by a stone as he was coming out for the second half of the recent Mayo v Galway game?

Haven't read the article myself so don't know any more than that.

Well might as well start this one off as it's not too far away now. Looking at the draw it's on paper a not very interesting looking championship this year. On one side Galway have home games against Roscommon and probably Leitrim and it's very difficult to see anything other than Galway wins in both those games. Ros should rouse themselves a little for the championship but it's difficult to make a case for them winning in Pearse Stadium. On the other half of the draw Sligo will have to travel to Mayo which could be a good game but given Sligo's current slump in form and the fact that Mayo will have home advantage you'd have to fancy Mayo to come through that one although Sligo will still have their backers.

All of which would leave us with a Mayo v Galway Connacht final to be played in Castlebar which is anyone's game really. As I said not the most exciting looking draw on paper and trying to make the case for an upset or two is not easy this year given the big two's home draws.

Preliminary Round
New York v Leitrim
London v Sligo
Galway v Roscommon

Semi-Finals
Mayo v London/Sligo
Galway/Roscommon v New York/Leitrim

Well it's out tomorrow but don't think I will pick it up until next weekend but some of the first video reviews are now out.

http://uk.ps3.ign.com/dor/objects/793799/grand-theft-auto-iv/videos/gta4_review_042508.html

http://uk.youtube.com/watch?v=8byWlaBVuoE

Looks good.

In their new football release for xbox 360 and PS3, Euro 2008, any Norn Iron fan who manages a victory with Nigel Worthington's green and white army is in for an audio surprise as a stirring rendition of Amhrán na bhFiann is played to congratulate them on their victory.

Anybody know if this is true?

http://ie.youtube.com/watch?v=dMTGmAZ0k4M

I have recently made a mistake in my life, and I offer my story to all though tasteless, that you may learn from my error. It all started, as many things do, with me having trouble pooping. No, I was not constipated; this was not a regularity problem but a matter of technique.
It seems my ss-hair had grown to such a length that tiny grogans were constantly getting tied up in the matted jungle between my asscheeks. It led to much frustration, with me KNOWING that I still had something to drop, but unable to shake the tenacious turd loose from its butthair dwelling.

Eventually I would have to do two things: either reach down with somepaper and try to pinch off the lingering loaf (which required careful precision to avoid smearing the creature all over my rear, especially since I had no way of seeing what I was doing) or just go for broke, start wiping, and hope that I could remove all the leftover fecal matter before the toilet paper reached its Can't-Be-Flushed threshold. I was contemplating this problem, when I had what seemed at the time to be a bright idea. "Hey, this is my butt and my butt-hair, right? So why don't I just eliminate all the hair, and then my grogans will flow out like beer from a keg!" I said to myself. It is a statement that will go down in history with a lot of other regretted statements. "How many Indians could there be?" said by General Custer. "Looks like a good day for a drive!" by JFK. "There! America On-line now has complete Usenet access!" by some idiot system tech. Such was my anal shaving idea.

I performed the operation that night, with a cheap disposable razor and a towel to sit on. Starting from the bottom, and shaving from the crack to the cheeks, I began the arduous process of ridding my ass of hair. Occasionally, I would have to clean the razor of accumulated hair, which I did by wiping it on the towel. Slowly, my twin mounds and the between-ravine began to resemble the hairless cheeks of a newborn babe. Finally, I wiped the razor one last time, and surveyed my work. The towel was covered with a pile of hair. My ass was smooth as ivory. I smiled, satisfied, thinking my troubles were over.

Little did I know. I now have a great respect for anal-hair. Like everything in this world God created, it has its mighty purpose in existence. It was only after I had removed it that I started to learn how much I had been taking it for granted. For one, it provides friction. I learned this the next day, when I walked out into the sun heading for class. After climbing two flights of stairs and starting to sweat, I started to notice something unpleasant. The sweat was accumulating in my crack, and was causing the unpleasant sensation of my two asscheeks sliding past each other with every step. I thought about going to the bathroom and wiping it off, but had to get to class. Eventually, I
thought, it would dry. Unfortunately, it did dry, but only after mingling with the microscopic poop -molecules lingering around my brown starfish. When I stood up after class, my cheeks were stuck together with a slimy sticky poop/sweat combination. As I made my way back to my dorm, it started to itch. God-DAMN, did it itch! Felt like a swarm of ants was making its way up and down my crack. Fighting to keep from jamming my hand down there
and scratching away, I rushed back to the dorm. Unfortunately, this exertion caused me to sweat, and when I finally
reached my room, my cheeks were sliding back and forth against each other like a pair of horny cane-toads. I quickly dropped my pants, and attempted to dry my ass off by sticking it in front of a fan and spreading my cheeks.

As I pulled the two mounds of flesh apart, a horrible stench burst free and filled the room. Every dog within a 4 block radius started to howl. I had it worst of all, as the ripe aroma of festering poop/sweat went into the fan and blew back into my face. I fought to keep from heaving. And as I sat there, fighting vomit, my ass cheeks spread and dripping, with the concentrated aroma of my body odor mixed with the tangy smell of my own poop blowing right into my face, I had only one thought: "It will be like this until the hair grows back. Weeks." Later on, trying to deal as best I could, wiping my ass at every opportunity, I discovered another wonderful use for ass-hair - ventilation. I attempted to launch a fart, only to have it get stuck between my asscheeks.

Apparently, with no hair, the two pink twins can get vacuum sealed together, and the result was a frustrating fart that slid up and down between my cheeks like a lost gerbil. As if that wasn't
enough, I am now enduring further torture. As anyone who has ever shaved anything knows, when hair is first growing in, it comes in as stubble. Imagine your ass having the texture of a brillo pad.

Well, that is what I am dealing with now. It is a hellish torture, and there are many times when I just look out the window and contemplate why I shouldn't just jump out and get it all over with in one fleshy splat, rather than endure this constant agony.

In celebration of the weekend that's in it.

http://www.ireland.com/theticket/articles/2008/0229/1204194975369.html

1 MY BLOODY VALENTINE: LOVELESS

2 U2: ACHTUNG BABY (1991)

3a A HOUSE: I AM THE GREATEST (1991)

3b THE RADIATORS: GHOSTOWN (1979)

5 VAN MORRISON: ASTRAL WEEKS (1968)

6 MICRODISNEY: THE CLOCK COMES DOWN THE STAIRS (1985)

7 ROLLERSKATE SKINNY: HORSEDRAWN WISHES (1996)

8 THE POGUES: RUM, SODOMY & THE LASH (1986)

9 THE UNDERTONES: THE UNDERTONES (1979)

10 WHIPPING BOY: HEARTWORM (1995)

11 ASH: 1977 (1996)

12 THE BLADES: RAYTOWN REVISITED (1985)

13 THIN LIZZY: LIVE AND DANGEROUS (1978)

14 U2: THE JOSHUA TREE (1987)

15 THERAPY? TROUBLEGUM (1994)

16 PLANXTY: PLANXTY (1973)

17 DAVID HOLMES: LETS GET KILLED (1997)

18 THE STARS OF HEAVEN: SPEAK SLOWLY (1988)

19 STIFF LITTLE FINGERS: INFLAMMABLE MATERIAL (1979)

20a THE REVENANTS: HORSE OF A DIFFERENT COLOUR

20b THE STARS OF HEAVEN: SACRED HEART HOTEL

22 U2: BOY (1980)

23 THE BLADES: LAST MAN IN EUROPE (1984)

24 MY BLOODY VALENTINE: ISN'T ANYTHING (1988)

25 SINÉAD O'CONNOR: I DO NOT WANT WHAT I HAVEN'T GOT (1990)

26 VAN MORRISON: MOONDANCE

27 SNOW PATROL: EYES OPEN (2006)

28a THE DIVINE COMEDY: PROMENADE (1994)

28b RORY GALLAGHER: LIVE IN EUROPE (1972)

30 VAN MORRISON: IT'S TOO LATE TO STOP NOW (1974)

31a BELL X1: MUSIC IN MOUTH (2003)

31b THE CRANBERRIES: EVERYBODY ELSE IS DOING IT, SO WHY CAN'T WE (1993)

33a THE FRAMES: FOR THE BIRDS (2001 )

33b SOMETHING HAPPENS: STUCK TOGETHER WITH GOD'S GLUE (1990)

35a MARTIN HAYES & DENIS CAHILL: LIVE IN SEATTLE (1999)

35b THE HIGH LLAMAS: HAWAII (1996)

35c THE UNDERTONES: HYPNOTISED (1980)

38 DAMIEN RICE: O (2002)

39 THE POGUES: IF I SHOULD FALL FROM GRACE WITH GOD (1988)

40 MICRODISNEY: CROOKED MILE (1987)

Should be an interesting game. Despite our unbeaten run and good form I would think we'll do well to come out of Ballybofey with something. Donegal are strong at home and after losing to Kildare will be eager to make amends. Not sure what our injury situation is like? I hear Nicky Joyce is back training but I would imagine he's unlikely to play for a few weeks yet.

This is monthly by the way.

1. Ricardo Kaka - AC Milan - 750.000 €
2. Ronaldinho Gaucho FC - Barcelona - 710.000 €
3. Frank Lampard - Chelsea FC - 680.000 €
4. John Terry - Chelsea FC - 680.000 €
5. Fernando Torres - Liverpool FC - 660.000 €
6. Andriy Shevchenko - Chelsea FC - 650.000 €
7. Michael Ballack - Chelsea FC - 650.000 €
8. Cristiano Ronaldo - Manchester Utd - 640.000 €
9. Thierry Henry - FC Barcelona - 640.000 €
10. Steven Gerrard - Liverpool FC - 640.000 €
11. Didier Drogba - Chelsea FC - 615.000 €
12. Wayne Rooney - Manchester Utd - 610.000 €
13. Iker Casillas - CF Real Madrid - 600.000 €
14. Michael Owen - Newcastle Utd - 560.000 €
15. Sol Campbell - Portsmouth - 550.000 €
16. Raul Gonzalez - CF Real Madrid - 535.000 €
17. Ruud Van Nistelrooy - CF Real Madrid - 535.000 €
18. Rio Ferdinand - Manchester Utd - 505.000 €
19. Darren Bent - Tottenham Hotspur - 495.000 €
20. Carlos Tevez - Manchester Utd - 490.000 €

http://www.daft.ie/searchsharing.daft?s%5Bcc_id%5D=c15&s%5Ba_id%5D%5B%5D=339&s%5Bmnp%5D=&s%5Bmxp%5D=&s%5Broom_type%5D=either&s%5Bgender%5D=&s%5Bmove_in_date%5D=0&s%5Bavailable_for%5D=&search=Search+%BB&more=&tab=1&s%5Bsearch_type%5D=sharing&s%5Btransport%5D=&s%5Badvanced%5D=&s%5Bprice_per_room%5D=

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Bqp64q7kHmw

Should lock him in a room with Stephen Ireland for a while.

Might as well start one anyway. Galway team is as follows (No Padraig or Nicky Joyce). Galway would want to be winning this one if they have plans to stay in division 1.



Adrian Flaherty

Kieran Fitzgerald Capt

Finian Hanley

Damien Burke

Niall Coyne

Diarmuid Blake

Darren Mullahy

Joe Bergin

Mark Lydon

Niall Coleman

Fiachra Breathneach

Declan Meehan

Matthew Clancy

Michael Meehan

Sean Armstrong

Subs

P Doherty

D Finnegan

G Sice

G Bradshaw

A Burke

P Geraghty

C Bane

C Kenny

M Gottche

`Galway News`


ONE of the most enduring courtships in the history of Irish sport comes to an end today when Tommy Varden bids farewell to his sponsorship deal with Galway footballers.

The Tuam businessman has decided to relinquish his sponsorship deal with the footballers after a relationship which has spanned over two decades.

Tommy Varden began sponsoring the Galway football club championships back in the mid-1980s and has for the past 17 years been the sponsor of the county's senior team.

He was one of the first business names to have his name on an inter-county jersey in Ireland. A great friend of the late Sean Purcell, Tommy Varden has been a fanatical Galway supporter all his life but has now decided that the time is right to make way for a new sponsor.

It comes at a time when Tommy Varden is passing on a lot of the business responsibility to his family — the decision though marks the end of an era in Galway sport.

Galway Football Board Chairman John Joe Holleran said that for over the past 20 years, Tommy Varden had been a most generous and wonderful supporter of Galway football. "Tommy Varden was with us in the good times but also the bad times when things weren't going that well on the field or financially either.

"He was certainly no fair weather supporter — and Galway football owes him a deep debt of gratitude. In today's terms his financial contribution to Galway has been well over €1 million," said John Joe Holleran.

Galway's new sponsor — a closely guarded secret — will be announced later today  (Tuesday )  in the county's Gaelic Football Centre at Loughgeorge.

You have to love characters like this in hurling. Would be great if there was a few more of them around. This is after Kinvara got destroyed by Portumna in the Galway county final. A man you'd want in the trenches beside you.

http://ie.youtube.com/watch?v=I-4mvLdbUR8&feature=related

http://abcnews.go.com/Politics/Vote2008/page?id=3623346

Was going to stick this in the You Tube thread but it's worthy of it's own. I think this was one of the ads for Tekken 5 when they just advertised for people to come in and audition for a martial arts film and filmed the results.

http://ie.youtube.com/watch?v=bl5SaNBjLhg

RTÉ Sport have won a four-year contract extension (2010-2014) for television, radio and online broadcasting rights with the Football Association of Ireland.

This contract extension guarantees RTÉ Television and Radio live coverage of all of the Republic of Ireland home internationals in the European and World Cup qualification rounds, up to and including World Cup 2014 in Brazil; and RTÉ.ie live simultaneous webcasting of these games.

In addition, RTÉ Television will have deferred access to all of the Republic of Ireland's home friendly internationals within the contract period, while RTÉ Radio will broadcast these matches live.

RTÉ Sport's commitment to the eircom League of Ireland will dramatically increase. From next season, RTÉ Television will broadcast a weekly one-hour highlights programme featuring reports and analysis of that week's action in the eircom League of Ireland. RTÉ Television's coverage of live eircom League of Ireland matches will also grow over the term of the contract, culminating with 33 live matches (one-per-week) in the final year of the term – the 2013 season.

RTÉ Radio will continue to broadcast live its popular eircom League of Ireland show on Friday nights throughout the duration of the contract, with other key RTÉ Radio programmes: Drivetime with Des and Saturday Sport, for example, continuing to offer high-quality coverage of the National League. In a brand new departure, RTÉ.ie will offer Irish soccer fans abroad the chance to watch eircom League of Ireland games in full on a deferred basis.

RTÉ Group Head of Sport, Glen Killane, said: "This contract win is testament to the quality of RTÉ Sport coverage of Irish soccer in the past, and our commitment to continue to serve, to the best of our ability, the legion of Irish soccer fans in this country in the future. It is a reflection of the calibre of our commentators, our contributors, and our editorial staff behind the scenes across RTÉ Television, Radio and RTÉ.ie. No other organisation can deliver these games to as wide an audience across such a variety of platforms. We are delighted to be bringing this wealth of Irish soccer coverage to fans leading up to and including the World Cup itself in Brazil in 2014, and supporting, to an ever-greater degree, the grass roots of Irish football – in the Eircom League itself."

John Delaney, Chief Executive, FAI, said: "This is a ground-breaking deal for the Eircom League of Ireland and will bring its profile to a new level with the introduction of a weekly one-hour prime-time highlights programme. The commitment to increase the number of live games to one per week during the course of the deal is another tremendous boost for the League."

http://www.dailymail.co.uk/pages/liv...n_page_id=1779


It's Fake-io Capello: Irish builder is image of new England boss
Last updated at 11:43am on 20th December 2007

Comments Comments
Fabio Capello may only just have been made England manager but he's already acquired a professional lookalike - and he's not English either.

Irish builder Michael McElinney is a dead ringer for the Italian coach given the "impossible job" of leading our footballers to glory. He was signed up by a lookalikes agency he contacted after learning of the appointment.

The 45-year-old from Uxbridge said: "As soon as they saw my photo they were delighted and told me to get to work on my Italian accent."

Fabio Capello lookalike Michael McElinney

Italian job: Fabio Capello lookalike Michael McElinney outside Wembley stadium, which he helped to build. The 45-year-old Irishman is considering selling his construction business to work full time as an impersonator

Fabio Capello lookalike Michael McElinney

Signing-on fee: a man is convinced enough to ask for an autograph from



He is now considering selling his construction business to focus entirely on impersonating 61-year-old Capello, which could command a fee of £350 per appearance.

"I believe if I approach this job professionally, much like Mr Capello will do with the England job, I can make a career out of it," said Mr McElinney.

Fabio Capello lookalike Michael McElinney

Espresso wrongo: Michael McElinney with staff at Bar Italia who believed he was genuine until he ordered the wrong coffee
"My act is coming together very quickly. I don't wear glasses but have got a pair just like his. I am watching tapes of his interview and trying to get the mannerisms right. I don't speak a word of Italian but if Mr Capello is going to learn English in a month who is to say I can't learn it?"

Mr McElinney, who supports Manchester United and the Republic of Ireland and worked on the construction of the new Wembley Stadium, learned on a trip to Italy in April that he resembled Capello. "I went to a friend's wedding in Rome and all the waiters and waitresses were staring at me," he said.

Fabio Capello

The real Fabio Capello

"They kept on saying 'Capello this, Capello that.' I was wearing a kilt but some of them really thought I was him. When I got back I realised who Fabio Capello was but thought nothing of it until he was linked to the England job."

The London Evening Standard took him back to Wembley to test just how close his resemblance is.

One passer-by seemed convinced, shouting, "Good luck, you'll need it." At the FA headquarters in Soho Square, there was pandemonium as soon as he arrived. Dozens of people swarmed round, including a Sky Sports camera crew, as "Capello" muttered, "Sorry, no English."

Staff at Bar Italia nearby were also fooled - until the faux Italian ordered a latte. "Capello would surely have an espresso," said a staff member before posing with Mr McElinney.

Fabio Capello lookalike Michael McElinney

Fooled: a Sky Sports crew tries to interview the faux Italian before discovering he's not the new England manager

Fabio Capello lookalike Michael McElinney

Capice?: the real Capello has said he'll learn English in a month. Perhaps this would be a good place to start?

Outside the National Gallery some teenagers shouted: "All the best, Mr Capello. Drop Lampard."

But at Waterstone's bookshop, we were rumbled by an Italian journalist browsing the shelves. "I know this is not Capello but he looks a lot like him," he said.