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The reality is that things are actually quite good in the Republic, no matter what the echo chamber on Twitter say. The economy is booming, unemployment is low, wages are high, there is a huge budget surplus. The healthcare system is amongst the best in the world (8th according to OECD).
Also, having people with a different skin colour living in the village doesn't really upset as many people as Niall McConnell would want you to think, especially when people are doing so well.

True. But the surplus is largely reliant on the corporate tax receipts of just 4 companies. Hopefully that bonanza lasts for a long time ; but it might not. Additionally , a significant portion of the PAYE receipts are from a tech sector that is really struggling right now. Govt needs to have a long term plan to overcome this reliance ; but governments don't tend to do long term planning.

Things are great if you own a house and are healthy. If you're sick or not a homeowner it's not so good. . no way a professional couple living in Dublin shouldn't be able to afford to buy a decent home!

A lot of people are better off than they've ever been.
Jobs for everyone, no enforced emigration.
They'll all becwellceducared,  have Private Health Insurance, house paid for or not long left on mortgages.
They won't be voting for candidates who do nothing but moan/whinge and seem to want to be in permanent opposition.
Also most Irish people are centrist.

Everyone you talk of there (being better off) are in their late 40's onward. They have their kids reared or nearly reared, the mortgage is on it's last, You've been in your job a generation. You want the cosy, lets just leave things as they are. Naturally you don't want change and you even fear it. Change is not welcome coming into old age. Cost of living has only a minor affect on you life because most of us don't have one. No one questions the Government anymore, not even the so called opposition. Papers are read by the few and RTE is now answerable to the government. We are living a Myopic world. Any one who speaks out is seen/painted as crazy.

Late 40s onwards is a lot of people. And a very high % of those who actually vote.

If counties are checking out for the Tailteann, it's not a good omen for the competition's future.

Wicklow seem to have stepped out, given the score Fermanagh got.
I expect the teams relegated and promoted,Fermanagh, Kildare, Down and Westmeath will fancy their chances.

I wouldn't give Westmeath much chance. Be some going to win a competition they're not competing in.

Does anyone play ?

I still have a wildcard to play , the  triple captain and  bench boost.

Could I use two or all of these   in the same gameweek?

It doesn't say anywhere in the rules about something.  like this

You can only use one per gameweek.
There is a double gameweek upcoming , so maybe use your TC there.
Another double gameweek in week 37. So if you wildcard for gameweek 36 , and bench boost in 37 , you could have 30 players for 37.

I heard on RTE that they have someone ready but can't announce until April

this has been stated by a number of sources. Lennon said they are appointing someone with international experience. Poyet or Sagnol are two names that have been mentioned, and both have playoffs to contend with tonight.

Looking at the run in If City get past Arsenal they'll have a great chance, On paper Liverpool have the better games with no top 4 teams though Spurs could be in top 4 soon enough and they also play City.

Liverpool still to play Spurs and Villa, in back to back games. It's highly likely they will play a team in the top 4.

Yeah Villa really imploded yesterday, in what was probably their biggest game of the year. McGinn suspension will be another blow to an already depleted midfield.

Hes out for City game unless they appeal

No chance they'll appeal. Villa under Emery have an excellent record at bouncing back after defeats. Will need to do same next weekend. And against Ajax prior to that.

It's based on this years results alone. All Italian sides could be dumped out next round. Estimation of England getting an extra spot is currently 75%

Only need plan for a world cup from 2yrs out.

Not when the majority of your current squad will be over 34 at the next RWC.

That's when you've got to start things earlier.

This time 4 years ago it looked like hooker was going to be a problem spot with Best retiring. By the time the WC came around we had 2 excellent hookers. 4 years is a hell of a long time. Incremental changes will work just fine.

Clubs who have gone under (Bury and Macclesfield are the only recent ones in England I can think of) or who have gone close in the past, have done so due to terrible owners. FFP does not prevent that. The rules have been enforced far more strenuously in the football league , and it hasn't stopped the current situation at Reading occurring.
The narrative that FFP is there to save clubs from themselves is a nice one. It's not true though. And it has created a ridiculous side effect of clubs selling off their academy players as the rules dictate that the profit does not have to be amortised.

[it was to stop clubs going to the wall]

I think City's issues are completely different to Forrest and Everton's

It's not like for like

Forrest and Everton couldn't hide what they did wrong

City are able to stretch out their problems a lot longer

Chelsea seem to have found a loop hole and they are getting away with it at the minute or at least till that loophole can be sorted out..

As mentioned, it was to stop clubs going to the wall, City and Chelsea won't be going to the wall any day soon.

Forrest and to an extent Everton are not totally flushed, so for them and others its important

It was created to stop another City or Chelsea happening. To pull up the ladder. And it is working as intended. Newcastle and, to a lesser extend Villa, have owners who are absolutely loaded but who cannot spend their way to the top like the aforementioned. Villa have indefinitely delayed the planned expansion of Villa Park as to do so would mean they will not be able to adequately invest in players over the next few years. Even though their owners can afford to do both.
FFP is complete horseshit, and only suits the clubs who happened to be at the top of the tree at the right time.

City showing tonight why anyone writing them off is a fool. Major win for them, would expect now to see them push on like they always do.

It was a massive win.
Two great goals by Newcastle after City had been looking really good, gave Newcastle a great chance. But Newcastle were just a bit too negative in the second half, they offered next to nothing on the break and ran out of legs.  Nearly got away with the draw, but City showed why the bookies have them as very warm favourites. 

Grealish falling down the pecking order with Doku back fit and picked ahead of him, and then Bobb chosen to come on ahead of him when Doku replaced. I'd be surprised if he doesn't move this summer, maybe to Newcastle.

Newcastle will not be spending the kind of money that they'd need to to get Grealish. And especially not in a position where they have Gordon and Barnes. They are hamstrung by FFP. Mainly because they haven't sold anyone for decent money in the past 3 years.

Another surprise result. University of Galway 1-10 TU Dublin 2-8

Was up at it. Big shock alright. Trinity just hung in there. Few minutes left and they were 2 points down when one of their players tried a point attempt from way out. Ball went high in the air but dropped well short into the keeper. Nobody near him. Under no real pressure. He caught the ball into his stomach but let it slip through his arms and he fumbled it into the net. Huge howler. Galway had a late free from almost straight in front of the posts to take it to extra time but Ryan O'Donoghue kicked it against the post and it went wide. Bad miss really as there wasn't a drop of wind out tonight.

It's hard to keep up with the name changes, but I don't think TU Dublin is Trinity. Isn't it the former DIT ?

I think Brigids are potentially a dangerous final opposition for Wattys who will have spent the whole year aiming to beat KC but still haven't won anything. Derry teams haven't won this competition for 2 decades. Roscommon is a serious football county and the standard in Connacht is high at the moment.

They have won 2 Ulster titles in a row, think they are doing well enough. Derry have plenty of All Ireland club winners...

There are only 13 counties that have won it, so not winning it in 2 decades is still better than the counties that have not. the Rossies only have won it once so no real pedigree in this, Ulster have won it 13 times and for all the hype about Dublin clubs, Leinster have only 11 titles

And 2 of those were UCD , who presumably had a fair spread of counties in their teams. Cork alone has the same number as Leinster , although none since 2003.

The comment above that Glen "still haven't won anything" is bizarre. They've won back to back Ulster and 3 in a row in Derry. They had never won a Derry senior championship prior to that. I think (open to correction). As if success at club level is only determined by all-Irelands.

Deflected goal following a coner at least there won't be a replay.
Might be teams making too many changes leading to poor spectacle. Not sure Villa despite the good form have been entertaining this season.

Certainly struggle against teams who sit back. But only City have scored more goals than them in the PL this season.