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A possible problem with Croker for the semis. The National Hurling League finals are scheduled for the same weekend.

Though they may not be scheduled for Croker. Although whether the game is in Croker or not, the GAA would presumably fix the NHL finals so they wouldnt clash to avoid a decrease in attendances.

1. Wales
2. Ireland
3. France
4. Scotland
5. England
6. Italy

Name 10 players to have played in the premiership with a Z in their names........

1. Zenden

I don't believe for one second that Keane was not a Benitez signing.
Benitez simply wouldnt stand for it, and Liverpool wouldnt spend £20m on a player the manager didnt ask for.

The Chelsea/Shevchenko situation was totally different.

but would certainly be against using it for say Bohs to play a Champions League game in.

Why's that Hound?  As opposed to Munster -v- Leinster, why are the Phibsboro mob less worthy?

Just my views Billy. And in fairness "certainly be against" would be over-stating it, but my gut is No, and I'd need to be persuaded.

Its not beyond the bounds of possibility that Bohs (or whoever the champs are) could draw say AC Milan in a final qualifer for the CL knock out stages.  If we allowed them to use Croker it would enable them to really market the game and create a lot of interest in their club, thus giving them the opportunity to be a real rival/competitor to the GAA.

Whereas playing Munster v Leinster or internationals at Croker doesnt give them any more exposure than they would get be playing elsewhere.

There might be flaws in that logic! But its what comes to mind...

Name 6 players who played in the English Premiership but are no longer alive..

One of the Whitley brothers

Didn't hear of either of those lads dying?

Don't think Preece played for Derby in the premiership in 96/97. He was let go to Cambrigdge on a free a month into the season.

Any hints LL? What premiership clubs did they play with? 

Ireland v France will sell out easily. Their prices are a consequence of supply and demand, and in fact they could add another 10% and still sell out with ease. Maybe more.

You're actually wrong, both games are sold out because the clubs have had to had to buy the tickets up front but the clubs are struggling to get rid of their tickets at those prices so we might actually see plenty of empty seats in Croke Park for the French game.

Well apologies if I'm wrong.

I'm not in a rugby club and havent heard anything of a general sale or loads of tickets available. I'll certainly be surprised when I see the plenty of empty seats when the French run out.

Its a rediculous situation to be in when there is a stadium in the country that should be hosting the game!

Does a decision to use Croke Park need to go to Congress or are Central Council now empowered to make such decisions?

When do the tickets go on sale?

Exactly.

There won't be a public sale of tickets. All through clubs etc.

Ireland v France will sell out easily. Their prices are a consequence of supply and demand, and in fact they could add another 10% and still sell out with ease. Maybe more.

Dublin team to be named tonight.

Injury news from hill16.ie after last night's training session:

Blaine Kelly, Eamon Fennell both took a minor part in the training.
Alan Brogan is not expected to be able to play until the end of February.
Paddy Andrews trained with the squad fully.
Tomas Quinn is ruled out for several weeks with a groin problem.
Kevin Bonner is carrying a knock and is doubtful.
Colin Moran is also carrying a long-term injury (hip) which may require surgery and so will be out of playing contention for several weeks.

Draw for the semi-finals take place today.

Apparently each team has to nominate a "home venue" for the semis but it can't be their actual home ground and it must be able to hold 20,000.

Therefore Munster's home venue for a semi final will be the RDS (normal capacity is 18k but its reckoned they can up it to 20k).
And Leinster's home venue for a semi final will be Thomond Park - which would be gas craic!

And that leads to the question what happens if Leinster are drawn at home to Munster in the semis (assuming both win their quarters).
Would the game have to take place in Limerick, but Leinster get 70% (or whatever the home allocation is) of the tickets?
Hardly, but then the rules state you are not allowed play in your own venue.  Is Ravenhill an option? It would be fun to play in Thomond with a majority of Leinster fans and minority of Munsters.

Croke Park is not an option as things currently stand, but no doubt it'll be the possibility that gets the most media attention.
I'm not sure where I stand on that. I was for opening it up for Ireland internationals, but would certainly be against using it for say Bohs to play a Champions League game in. This is somewhere in the middle.

It should be remembered in this discussion that Ferguson has treated Tevez far worse than Benitez has treated Robbie Keane. Tevez was dropped after scoring 4 goals in one game! The respective reactions of the two players tells a lot.

Tevez has only started 9 league games this season (came on as sub 6 times) and has 2 goals and 2 assists in the league. He has 6 goals in the Carling Cup and one in the Champions League. in 2007/8 he started 31 games in the league and came on as sub 3 times, scoring 14 goals.

I think you'll find Tevez will retain his Carling Cup place 

A lot of bullshít talked about Keane's reaction. Choosing to watch a game at home rather than in the stands is "a nothing", happens all the time, but somehow got spun into a walkout. Nonsense.

With 12 minutes to go yesterday Wasps managed to blow a certain try which would have left them needing one more for a bonus point win and left Leinster in real trouble. Thankfully for Leinster they made a balls of it and Castres went down the field and scored themselves.

Even if Wasps had scored two more tries and won with a bonus point, Leinster would still have qualified as one of the best runners up.

Daniel Agger comments on his ongoing contract negotiations:

"We have only met once with Liverpool," he told Danish newspaper Ekstra Bladet .

"At the meeting we had in early November, I was told the club would soon come back. Now it has been 12 weeks since we talked together.

"It's an annoying situation, and in principle it is a little frustrating not getting the message - especially when it has been almost three months. It was the club who said they would come back soon."

I loved seeing Barney's last minute goal against Cork in 1983 again 

Great composure shown by the 5 men (Canavan, Duff, Mullins, Hazely, Rock) in the move, and no panic even though the situation was perilous (somethin the current crop could do with learning!).

And of course it brought back all the fantastic memories of the trip to Cork for the replay...

Great show