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Galway
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As much as people will/would complain about it, water charges need to come in. It should obviously be metered, although initially will probably be a charge per dwelling. That said a reform of NIW is badly needed.

This is AI generated but the estimate of fitting water meters is £300 million, the time and money it would take followed by administration and "water tax" strikes or whatever protests people come up with would make it very difficult. Sticking a charge on rates is the simplest way of doing it. Then we would just have to trust that someone can spend the money on sorting out the mess.

Rangers have ditched a few so maybe they managed to keep it neutral on the wage bill. The fees paid by all the teams seem to be relatively small so at a guess they are all operating within budget.

Who's in and who's out. Can't keep up with the rumours.

Celtic have signed Austria striker Junior Adamu from Bundesliga club Freiburg, Brentford centre-half Benjamin Arthur and Lorient winger Joel Mvuka, all on loan to the end of the season. Added to the earlier signings of striker Tomas Cvancara and right-back Julian Araujo
Ryan Naderi becomes Rangers' fourth signing of the January transfer window following the arrival of winger Andreas Skov Olsen on loan from Wolfsburg, midfielder Tochi Chukwuani from Sturm Graz and defender Tuur Rommens from Westerlo.
League leaders Hearts signed four players - forwards Rogers Mato and Islam Chesnokov, loan midfielder Marc Leonard and full-back Jordi Altena.

All three clubs have signed players no one has heard of before, but we will all believe are brilliant until proven otherwise. Celtic needed to throw the dice to get someone in, in the hope that they can stick the ball in the net. They also recognised the need for a right back earlier in the window.
Rangers have replaced players bought in previous windows with new ones in the hope (expectation?) that they will be better than the last lot. As a Celtic fan I hope it works out like previous attempts, and they are all a bunch of duds.
Hearts have probably used an algorithm to select their players, best hope is it disrupts the squad, and they fall apart during the run in.

I understand stoppages are required for bookings and injuries. What I would propose is that the ref blows for match to start and the fouled team can then take a solo and go or take the free as usual. Normal free becomes an either or situation as a restart.
I will move onto the punishment for a breach being more severe if it occurs when a team is attacking as opposed to defending after the next round of fixtures.

I thought the black card was for a deliberate body collision off the ball, blocking the player. Haven't watched it back but looked harsh on first viewing. Don't believe umpires can make any decision regarding on field activity, consultation was perhaps for identifying the offender. I would  care more if Derry had lost but for now putting it down as one of those  baffling decisions you see in football and accepting we will never know the reasons for the refs decision

[now you are looking them to survey their options first before deciding, ah I'll do solo and go now]

The purpose of the solo and go was to speed up the game... now you are looking them to survey their options first before deciding, ah I'll do solo and go now!

Its fine as it is, the only time its brought back is if they have taken the solo and go from more than four steps away from free in a more advantageous position or if the ref has stopped play for a card  or injury, its a great addition to the rules as it cuts out the shite talk around the free being given in the first place 

I was thinking the time on the ball for the free taker may be the reason as I was typing. But the referee already has the option to overturn a free, if too much time is being taken, which would not change if a solo and go was an option. Therefore, in theory it would not slow the game down any further as you would still be at risk of losing the free.
In the example I gave McGuigan would have known he was in danger of getting blown up and taken off with a solo and go – saving the advantage to the fouled team and speeding up the game as it wouldn't have to be brought back followed by a messy throw in (or is the free turned over? Can't remember which happened)
When you don't have the choice of a solo and go it is usually as a result of a more serious foul – e.g. the ref has stopped play for a card or injury – making these less advantageous to the fouled teams seems unfair.
I don't think I have heard anyone say they are against the 'solo and go' which made me wonder why it is not used to it's full advantage / potential.

Watching a few matches over the last couple of weeks I was thinking about the use of the 'solo and go' and why it isn't an option for all free-kicks. I don't recall reading an explanation of the current rule and I can't see how it helps the game and the objectives the FRC had by not having it in place.
As an example, Shane McGuigan was penalised for taking too long over an attacking free in the Derry, Meath game in week 1. He appeared to be weighing up the 2 point option but elected against and no player made themselves available quick enough to pass, the ref blew it even though it was no advantage to Derry wasting time in an attacking position with the game tight.
If the solo and go was available, he could have surveyed his options and when none presented taken the possession on himself. This rewards the team in possession and punishes fouling.
It just seems that when the game is held up e.g. for injury, referee speaking to someone or substitutions that the team awarded the free are penalised slightly and would benefit if they could take a solo and go.
Subject of course to procedural issues as appropriate, e.g. being taken in correct place, ball not being transferred between players and time wasting (though with the hooter protocol this shouldn't really be an issue).

Watched the match on television and there was limited tactical discussion in commentary. What position did Rurai Forbes take up? And if not full back as named who was predominantly FB?
Good performance from everyone who got on the pitch and management with the subs and match ups.
Improvement can come from working more scores from their attacks, at least it did not cost them this week.

Limerick and Laois got 13 points each Meath with 19 are in the bottom half of the scorers last week. Hopefully it was conditions that kept the score down and our forward line can step up.

Attacking at speed yes but not labouring and endless slow recycling of the ball. Here's a stat for you: Derry got relegated playing that rubbish. Stats are a great thing when people are getting get well paid for producing them in county setups. Useless all the same. Armagh  won one all Ireland They were great at keeping the ball. Galway won none. They were great at keeping possession too. With excellent players on both teams what would they have one if only their managers had  allowed the players hem to kick more the ball more?   

I recall Derry getting relegated last year. I do not recall them playing in the same style as they did on Saturday against Meath.
And if they did endlessly recycle the ball, they still managed to outscore table toppers Mayo in the league.
If a style of play creates more chances, as in the game against Meath, and results in more points scored over 7 games than the top team in the country at that time, it can hardly be described as 'pointless'.
If you do not like the style of play, then simply say that. I for one don't see it going away as teams are reluctant to tackle close to the 2 point arc so attackers will move the ball around and recycle in the hope of creating space or a shooting opportunity.
With Galway and Armagh you can speculate that they may have done better by kicking the ball more but since no one can prove it, it is as valid an argument as saying they would have won more by kicking less.

Meath should get promoted. Let's hope for footballs sake that they do. Watching Conor Glass repeatedly jogging a few yards sideways then handpassing to a teammate during the Meath game only highlighted how pointless the Derry style of play is. What was the point of Glass being on the field at all?

Derry's style of play created more scoring opportunities than Meath's (24 shots to 21). Does that mean it is more effective and attacking or pointless? Whilst stats can be used selectively to support most arguments, the point of keeping the ball is self evident.

Derry v Tyrone - Tyrone by 1
Cavan v Meath - Meath by 6
Louth v Cork - Cork by 4
Kildare v Offaly - Kildare by 7

If I am outside the top 20 you can eliminate me otherwise
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Meath

Don't think the hooter improves anything. But would any referee have blown up before the Kerry attack broke down or as was the case yesterday resulted in a score?