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The article which Longrunsthefox criticises was not really about hurling. It reported the strong famiily connections which George Best's family had in west Belfast, and how the story of the Best family  effectively reflected the story of the city itself. Longrunsthefox is entitled to be bored by this, but many other people will be interested.

While the Sunday World not for the first time let itself down very badly by running the picture, it is common knowledge that the call was made by others and Jim McDowell subsequently took reponsibility as editor. He should have apologised immediately, but, as public opinion made its voice heard, including through websites like this, he realised that his position was not sustainable and he said sorry as directly as he could.

When issues arise, people have the choice between joining the debate, which proved very effective on this occasion, or punching those with whom they disagree. The lowest of the low stay in the shadows and cheer on the thugs.

Some of the contributions here reflect very little credit on those concerned. It is reasonably well known that Jim McDowell was on leave and not personally  responsible for authorising the dreadful suicide picture on the front page of the Sunday World, but decided as editor to carry the can for the whole debacle. It goes without saying that the paper deserves all the criticism it has received. However, some people seem to think that walking up to McDowell in a public place, punching him from behind to the ground and then kicking him about the head is a reasonable response. Is this what we have come to ?

Kevin Bell is definitely standing down as county chairman, according to today's Irish News, and reading between the lines he is walking rather than facing the music at the convention. Ross would almost certainly have had a go, Pete has left no one in any doubt about his views on the selection process and James looks like a county manager who does not have the support of his own chairman before a ball is kicked. It's quite a mess, and presumably Seamus Walsh will be the man with the job of sorting it all out.

The half time score in the u16 hurling was actually Bredagh 6-09, Castlewellan 2-02. It had  lashed down early on, and possibly should not have started, but the rain was over well before the break and Bredagh had the wind in the second half. Starting again from zero next week was a harsh call on Bredagh.

O Muilleoir (or Miller) is the proprietor of the Andersonstown News. Livingstone is the editor of the paper who came to prominence when he used his Squinter column to challenge the performance of Gerry Adams as MP for west Belfast last year. O Muilleoir humiliated Livingstone by immediately running a front page apology, and the criticism came to an abrupt halt. All of the online debate on the issue was removed from the A/town News website, but it is still on the archive over at sluggerotoole.com if anyone is interested.

DownFanatic, the same story with identical quotes was in the Irish News yesterday. Practically all the material  on Hogan Stand is lifted from other outlets without any acknowledgements. Their northern coverage is effectively re-writen from the Irish News on a daily basis. The site offers a reasonably comprehensive service, but none of it is original.

Quick one for Donagh - Seamus Tracy was appointed a QC in September 2000, after the carry-on about the oath was abolished. Adrian Colton took the same road some five years later, so your comments about him were factually wrong. It is around 20 years since he had any political involvement. Will an apology follow ?

Some confused thinking going on here lads. The county footballer referred to earlier is not only a public figure but a household name. If he is arrested in connection with the possession of an offensive weapon and criminal damage, outside a bar in the middle of his home town, on the weekend that his team goes out of the Ulster championship, it is obviously going to be reported somewhere. If it all gets sorted out without a prosecution, that's fine.

No one, outside their friends and families, has ever heard of the people arrested in Carmel Street. The identity of their parents should have very little to do with it. If they are convicted of an offence,which is likely to be criminal damage, they fully deserve to be punished in the normal and appropriate way. The police have said on the record that it is not being treated as a racist crime, so the background may not be a million miles away from the previous case.

If there is a middle class conspiracy here, it did not prevent all the publicity associated with a dubious intervention from the BBC. In the circumstances,  perhaps we should avoid jumping to conclusions until the evidence is presented before a court

According to the Irish News on Saturday, Jerome Quinn has permanently departed from the BBC and is now employed by the Ulster Council as a video journalist. Some of his reports can be seen on the Ulster Council's website. Jerome is quoted as saying; `The shackles are now off...'.

Joe Brolly was on the Des Cahiill programme on RTE radio one tonight putting forward was sounded suspiciously like a legal defence for Fergal Doherty when he appears on the expected charges. I missed the start, as I was driving, but, after patronising Dick Clerkin, and saying he could sometimes be an effective midfielder, Brolly went on to put the entire blame for the trouble on the Monaghan man.

According to Brolly, Clerkin was well known for his antics and Darragh O'Se had come off early in a Railway Cup game in protest over his behaviour. Brolly said that Doherty has stud marks on his face and his chest, and had to put up with intolerable intimidation from the start of the game until his red card.

Cahill challenged Brolly on Doherty's own conduct, but Brolly claimed that Doherty had only been letting Clerkin know he was there by flicking at his heels and did not deserve any further punishment.

As a neutral, watching on tv, it seemed to me that Monaghan have more than a little form in this regard but Derry's lost of discipline was probably greater on the day.

It would be very difficult to say who threw the first blow between Doherty and Clerkin, but both were clearly at fault in the incident when they each received yellow cards and Doherty's fingers were far too close to Clerkin's eyes as they tangled on the ground.

Doherty committed another foul on a different Monaghan player shortly afterwards and could easily have got his second yellow at that stage.

In the second half, Clerkin appeared to throw an arm at Doherty but Doherty responded with what were fairly clearly a couple of ankle kicks rather than what might be described as flicks.

As the referee missed this confrontation, it can be expected to form the main part of any post-match investigation. I doubt if Brolly's  explanation  will get Doherty off, but we should find out fairly shortly.

John O'Shea comes from a journalistic background and has always been outspoken. What he said yesterday was mild compared to his views on most of the Ulster players who have made the Irish rugby team over the last 20 years. However his GOAL organisation is still a fine charity and deserves to be supported.