Messages

Rd 7 Games on 23/24 March.

Derry
Dublin
Kerry
Mayo

Cavan
Cork
Donegal
Louth

Wicklow
Down
Offaly
Westmeath

Carlow
Laois
Longford
Leitrim v Tipperary DRAW

[/quote]

Rd 6 16/17 March

Dublin
Tyrone
Kerry
Mayo

Armagh
Donegal
Meath v Cork DRAW
Fermanagh

Wicklow v Limerick DRAW
Clare
Sligo v Offaly DRAW
Down

London
Laois
Tipperary v Wexford DRAW
Longford

Rd 5 Fixtures 2/3 March

Derry v Dublin AWAY
Mayo v Roscommon HOME
Kerry v Tyrone HOME
Monaghan v Galway DRAW

Fermanagh v Armagh AWAY
Cavan v Meath AWAY
Donegal v Louth HOME
Cork v Kildare HOME

Limerick v Clare DRAW
Antrim v Westmeath AWAY
Down v Sligo HOME
Offaly v Wicklow HOME

Carlow v Wexford HOME
Laois v London HOME
Tipperary v Waterford HOME
Longford v Leitrim HOME

EDIT 1 March:  The selection rules state highlight a team or print the team name...see every other prediction.  Despite more than one PM, ranch has not resubmitted his picks.  This is the second week he/she/they have done this.  I don't have time to go over every single selection. 

I will include the picks this week...but if next week's are not in the proper format I'll just delete the post.  I will give some leeway as the email addresses used to register accounts are often ones rarely used.  I will also restate the rules when giving Rd 6 fixtures.

Mod5

Rd 4 24/25 February

Tyrone v Mayo AWAY
Dublin v Kerry DRAW
Galway v Derry AWAY
Roscommon v Monaghan HOME

Fermanagh v Cork AWAY
Louth v Cavan AWAY
Meath v Kildare HOME
Armagh v Donegal DRAW

Down v Offaly HOME
Clare v Wicklow HOME
Sligo v Antrim HOME
Westmeath v Limerick HOME

Wexford v Waterford HOME
Longford v London HOME
Carlow v Leitrim HOME
Tipperary v Laois AWAY

Rd 3 17/18 February

Derry
Dublin
Mayo
Galway

Donegal
Cavan
Louth
Armagh

Down
Sligo
Offaly
Westmeath

Longford
Laois
Tipperary
Leitrim



[/quote]

Owen Mulligan didn't go to uni to my knowledge, but he has a great collection of medals. Inter county provincial and all Ireland medals at minor, u21 and senior. National league. Club championship (intermediate) at county, provincial and all Ireland level (x2). Senior championship in London.
All Ireland Vocational schools with Tyrone as well as an all Ireland with Holy Trinity in 1998. Pretty much won the lot.

Regardless of what's going on in Stormont, Saturday should normally be the busiest day of the week for a Parliamentarian as that's the day they deal with constituency matters. I was in Newry last Saturday and his office was closed. Not a good message for his constituents

Does Mickey Brady open on a Saturday?

Friday would historically be the constituency day for MLA's and MP's as most parliamentary business takes place from a Monday-Thursday.

SDLP have a dilemma - if they withdraw the whip may choose to be an independent MLA.

Maybe Justin could stand in Laois at next General Election and take the seat of the retiring Charlie Flanagan.

He would likely continue to sit as an independent until the next election if the SDLP withdraw the whip. That said, he doesn't have a huge profile despite being an MLA for quite a few years now. The SDLP never put him forward for TV interviews or anything of that nature.

If he does sit as an independent until that election he wouldn't retain his seat, the SDLP would take it from him when the time comes, or unionists would benefit from a split vote between him and the SDLP.

Why would the UUP partner up with the DUP considering they fecking hate each other?

Would it not be a case that the UUP may make a little gain if the DUP and the TUV got at each other again? Add in maybe someone going independent it may change

They do hate one another, that hasn't stopped them stepping aside in certain seats in the past. The UUP have a choice if the DUP suggest an election pact - accept it and potentially win a seat, reject it and lose anyway.

I still want to know who is coaching Jamie. Is it Allister just giving him it all written down before his interviews or is it even someone like Dodds. It's certainly not him on his own because the difference between his crap on twitter and then his radio interviews is huge. Didn't daithi McKay prep a lot of his nama stuff (still unsure why he did that).

Would you be shocked if he was maybe given the questions to be asked ahead of his appearances on the Radio show.

He is a complete moron and has scuppered any chance of ever being taken seriously (not that there was much chance of that regardless) but no serious politician will ever trust him again. Only a matter of time before he discloses who the moles are, that's if they don't take the initiative and jump before being pushed.

There is a split on the way it is just a matter of how many decide to head over to angry Jim.

Can't see there being any split worth talking about. Maybe one or two mental councillors, a token MLA perhaps.
The vast majority of their MLA's will realise they're elected off the back of a party machine rather than any personal vote they might receive. Just look at the TUV and their struggle to get anybody other than Jim Allister elected.
Leaving the party would potentially leave them unemployed after the next election.

The impending UK General Election this year will fairly tell a tale as to the impact this will have on Unionism.

Hard to see Ian O'g go to TUV, but may strike out as an independent, possibly Sammy and Lockhart doing the same, Shannon is a moron and will know what side his bread is buttered and stick with the DUP.
Flegory will sit tight I'd say as will the other less vocal MP's.

Lockhart has a safe seat, she'll not quit the party. Ian Paisley likewise.
They'll hold their own at the next GE. No real threats within Unionism to take a seat off them. If anything they could improve their vote with an agreement with the UUP to give one another a free run in certain areas (DUP step aside for the UUP in FST and vice versa in North Belfast). The TUV will only ever be a party of protest within Unionism with Jim as a MLA and a loony councillor here and there.

I still want to know who is coaching Jamie. Is it Allister just giving him it all written down before his interviews or is it even someone like Dodds. It's certainly not him on his own because the difference between his crap on twitter and then his radio interviews is huge. Didn't daithi McKay prep a lot of his nama stuff (still unsure why he did that).

Would you be shocked if he was maybe given the questions to be asked ahead of his appearances on the Radio show.

He is a complete moron and has scuppered any chance of ever being taken seriously (not that there was much chance of that regardless) but no serious politician will ever trust him again. Only a matter of time before he discloses who the moles are, that's if they don't take the initiative and jump before being pushed.

There is a split on the way it is just a matter of how many decide to head over to angry Jim.

Can't see there being any split worth talking about. Maybe one or two mental councillors, a token MLA perhaps.
The vast majority of their MLA's will realise they're elected off the back of a party machine rather than any personal vote they might receive. Just look at the TUV and their struggle to get anybody other than Jim Allister elected.
Leaving the party would potentially leave them unemployed after the next election.

Caught a quick video on Rory Beggan moving to NFL, great opportunity hope he gets a break and makes a stack of cash

Got me wondering, in all honesty, you'd have Beggan over Onana right?

Not even a question.

Not even a question because it's nonsense. I'm looking forward to his Ireland call up during the next international break.

I don't know, Beggan be a lot better under a high ball!

Beggan ten times the keeper, first of all he doesn't shit his cacks at sight of a ball

Crazy that you actually believe this.

Caught a quick video on Rory Beggan moving to NFL, great opportunity hope he gets a break and makes a stack of cash

Got me wondering, in all honesty, you'd have Beggan over Onana right?

Not even a question.

Not even a question because it's nonsense. I'm looking forward to his Ireland call up during the next international break.

[Alliance and SDLP are seeking for reform of the assembly to stop one party being able to bring the place down, if there are any right thinking MLAs up there surely this is top priority for the assembly as well.]

Wee Jeff trying to polish a turd.  EU have said they expect the UK to fulfil its obligations under the Framework. Brexiter headbangers have said GB will continue to be able to diverge. A bit of tinkering at the edges and a lot of cosmetics.  If they go back this week, I give the Assembly 12-18 months before some other issue brings it down.

This is it in a nutshell, the hardliners on the Unionist side are right, this deal changes nothing essentially. A couple of cosmetic details on the edges that were easily agreed.
But if JD can get them into the Assembly and up and running again, the local issues will take over and the quick wins of public sector pay increases and budgets actually being in place should get them through the first tricky weeks/ months and the rest hopefully will die down.

Alliance and SDLP are seeking for reform of the assembly to stop one party being able to bring the place down, if there are any right thinking MLAs up there surely this is top priority for the assembly as well.

I can't see how that can be achieved. The whole point was to implement power sharing so the days of majority rule couldn't be brought back. Such a big change would require a huge re-negotiation including the two governments.
The DUP had a mandate for their position, and will get a mandate for their new position at the next election as well, they've no party capable of challenging them within Unionism.

Mad stuff.
Surely the BBC can't platform Bryson again after that escapade, or even Allister for cheerleading it.
The fall-out of this will be very interesting.  A weakened DUP, and a few inevitable defections to TUV.  If the primary objection was a Nationalist First Minister, then they not only shot themselves in the foot, they danced on a nail, jumped on a landmine, then amputated the foot and threw it in a barrel of acid.

There'll be few, if any, defections. Maybe the odd disgruntled MLA or councillor.
They get elected and earn a living based on their status in the DUP, the majority are not going to risk their livelihood for this.
Get back into the executive and by the time the next election comes around they'll still be the biggest Unionist party.
Come the next assembly election don't be surprised to see them and UUP come to some sort of arrangement whereby they run as separate parties, but sit as one in the assembly, giving Unionism the FM position once more.