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What an unreal concert - the best vibe I seen at a concert in years

Brilliant article by Declan Bogue in yesterdays Belfast Telegraph - Down are not nearly as bad as people think

Last weekend there was so much to admire about the health and popularity of Gaelic games. Bumper crowds, old rivalries renewed and all the excitement that brings. A shame, then, that tactical fouling emerges as the major talking point.

Before the Ulster final, Jarlath Burns brought it out into the open that Donegal are prepared to foul the opposition in their own half, then prevent them from taking the free in order to set their defence.

Burns knows this role, as he played it for Armagh, being known as their 'Stopman'. He lifted the Ulster title in 1999. The ends justified the means.

It's not right to say these players are 'cheating'. They are merely doing what the rules do not prevent and the boundaries of acceptable behaviour are too loosely defined.

As a case study, we look at how Donegal halted Down in the first half of the Ulster final. There is no point talking about the second half, because they owned the ball in that time.

3 minutes — High ball in from Donegal, Aidan Carr catches it and is fouled. Michael Murphy stand over him, Leo McLoone dribbles the ball away. Ref Joe McQuillan moves the ball on 10 yards.

8 minutes — Conor Laverty tries to round Rory Kavanagh, he is dragged to the floor. With the free given and the ball away, Kavanagh then runs back to Laverty and throws him to the floor. No booking.

9 minutes — The bounce catches out Donegal forwards. Dan Gordon collects the ball and tries to get out of a ruck of players. David Walsh wrestles with both arms around his body. Free out.

11 minutes — High ball into Donal O'Hare, he gets it, and is tripped by Declan Walsh before he can head for goal. Free in.

19 minutes — Ambrose Rogers is pulled down by Rory Kavanagh. Free awarded. Colm McFadden scoops ball up. Tosses it away from freetaker. McFadden was booked for the same thing in the semi-final against Tyrone, being sent off on the second yellow card.

28 minutes — From a Paul Durcan kickout, Rory Kavanagh catches but then touches it on the ground. Down free. Mark Poland and Aidan Brannigan wrestle for the ball off Kavanagh. McQuillan moves it on 10 yards — the first time an indiscretion has been moved into a scoreable position.

29 minutes — Ambrose Rogers gets ball and space opens up — Frank McGlynn hauls him down. Three Donegal players remain close to the ball before it becomes apparent Donal O'Hare is going to take a point from the free.

34 minutes — Rory Kavanagh gets a yellow card for a high challenge on Laverty — should have been second yellow for fouls on Laverty.

That was the Ulster final. The night before, Kerry gave an absolute masterclass in closing the game out against Tyrone. In the last 30 minutes there were 14 kickouts in which they hauled a Tyrone opponent to the floor. It killed any kind of momentum Tyrone could build, but if you were to ask yourself if Tyrone would do the same if they were in Kerry's position, you'd have to say yes.

In Leinster, Meath were desperately seeking a late goal to level against Dublin. With Cian Ward moving into space, Barry Cahill rugby-tackled him and his team mates stood over the ball, preventing a quick free.

The one team that did try and play with a Corinthian spirit over the weekend were Limerick, who had Kildare on the rack in the last few moments of their qualifier.

However, they lost the ball in the last play of normal time, Kildare worked it upfield and kicked an equaliser that brought the game to extra-time.

Five times Limerick had a chance to wrap arms around a Kildare player and drag him to the floor, and win the game.

They did not, they lost, and they go on being patronised and denied the respect a team like Kildare get.

Enlightened journalists have been writing about tactical fouling for years, reasoning that an appropriate penalty should be sought; a 45 metre free for example, no matter where the incident occurred.

According to GAA president Liam O'Neill the purpose of the Football Review Committee set up in April was to identify issues in the playing of the game, how it has evolved and present conclusions, which will form the basis of a national debate.

O'Neill was at Clones and had the courage to go on record over the game's more unsavoury elements. Every president can become distracted with leaving a legacy, some of them get it badly wrong.

Changing the festering spirit of Gaelic football would be Liam's greatest achievement.

Read more: http://www.belfasttelegraph.co.uk/sport/columnists/declan-bogue/declan-bogue-time-to-tackle-problem-of-tactical-fouling-16189558.html#ixzz21iWlSPNF

Brilliant absolutely brilliant 2nd hald yes it didnt work first half but you gotta say pride was massive there - superb second half - alright they missed a few early 2nd half but when pressure was on O'Hare, Carr and Doyle hit the target - remmarkable and deeeeelighted - well done boys

Thanks for the guidance folks - will get something booked tonight

Cheers for that - will definitely have a look there - anyone else have any hotel recommendations?

4 lads heading over for a weekend in May - wanted to stay somewhere central or where there is a bit of craic - bars and thats - looking for two twin rooms for two nights - a Friday and a Saturday - stayed in a place in Bloomsbury before which was sound but its crazy pricey now. I've registered with late rooms to help - sounds like London Bridge and Covent Garden are the spots but if anyone can recommend any hotels it'd be much appreciated

1 - Carlitos Way
2 - Goodfellas
3 - City of God
4 - Road to Perdition
5 - Super Troopers (really stupid but funny!)

Ring a good pest control company. I had the exact same happen to me about 6 weeks ago - didn't sleep for a week - sounded like a herd of elephants in the ceiling. Yer man came and spotted any holes in the building outside - they were getting in via the oil pipes - got in near the boiler which is in the garage and followed the pipes into the roofspace. Yer man laid some bait and identified where they were within a week. I have since sealed all the holes and not a sound since!

The bait etc kills the mice eventually and any babies but don't be afraid that they'll die and leave a smell - the stuff he used mummifies the body and it crumbles away. It cost me £85 all in for 3 visits and its a great investment. The other stuff - electronic etc is bollocks. The poison such as storm is lethal but the dead rats are lifted by wildlife and poison them too - birds etc so if I was you I'd get my yellow pages and get pest control in

The St Judes Final was St Judes vs St Judes - the refereeing was a farce - alot of teams might not go back such was the scale of bias

The poor lady all the same. She was a unique talent with a startling voice but this just shows the price of addiction and how despite everyones - friends, family etc best efforts the addict is the one who has to make the greatest effort and it looks like eventually she couldn't get there. In an age of x factor and talent shows hers shone out beyond all the rest

Longshots for the assembly but McCann would be some craic in the Assembly

What Martin Samuels thinks about the Irish attitude to the English rugby team and his interpretation of history and current events. I know its the Daily Mail and personally I don't read it but a friend sent me the link but its hardly surprising

http://www.dailymail.co.uk/sport/football/article-1369018/Martin-Samuel-Deafening-silence-ends-John-Terry-affair.html

Good points made there but fairly negative I reckon - I'd be more than happy where Down are - at the top table and there as a force to, I'd be more bullish about our prospects than before. Look at 3/4 years ago and we have plenty to moan about - yes of course we should have won by more and alot of Armagh fans mentioned that to me as I was leaving but we won, we are in Division one and the status is almost safe and its the end of February!! Relax - McCartan and Dan in the full back line were superb - Armagh just soaked up pressure and played on the counter attack - that was all they had - other etams won't - we still have players to come back in and yeah we are not the finished article but no need for complete pessimism either

No word of Murtagh, is he injured?

Because one organisation defrauds a funder makes it acceptable to tar the whole thing? Ridiculous - alot of groups are doing seriously good work on very very limited budgets dealing with people who have suffered the most awful tragedies so now one group is representative of the whole process?

There is always gonna be exceptions to the rule and there will be fly by nights in every industry but for the most part these groups are doing governments work for them and alot of times on a voluntary capacity. It never ceases to amaze me the critics that are sitting waiting to take pops - what does one dodgy builder mean the whole trade is the same? does one hospital attendant who eats an old ladies dinner mean the whole sector is renowned for this? No so deal with a group on its merits without tarnishing a whole sector