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Fixture debacle a sad end to the year

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The Lakers were always going to be up against it in the League Cup. Realistically they needed to beat three teams from the top four in Division 1A to win this competition so the odds were against them from the start

The one factor in their favour was home advantage in the quarters, a right they earned by finishing top of Division 1B in their first season back in the National League. Basketball Ireland’s decision to snatch that away from them at the last minute was both cruel and very hard to justify.

Whatever about the venue change affecting their chances in the competition, which it undoubtedly did, it also robbed St Paul’s of their final home game of the season. Financially speaking, they missed out on a nice chunk of money. The amount the Lakers make off the gate is the kind of cash that no team can scoff at, especially not one trying to find their feet in the league after a nine-year hiatus.

But, to me at least, the real disappointment was not being able to receive the Division 1B Shield on home court. That would have been a nice touch for the players and I’m sure younger fans especially would have enjoyed the occasion.

It’s sort of unusual as well that the League Cup is played at the end of the year. From speaking to the players, it seems as though this is the least prestigious competition in the calendar. The emphasis appears to be on winning the President’s Cup, which was finished by January, and the league, which concluded two weeks ago with the Lakers winning 1B and Killorglin winning 1A. To put it in GAA terms, it’s a bit like playing the league after the championship.

I think the fact that Basketball Ireland decided at 9.30am on Monday morning to move the Lakers v Carlow game to Neptune indicates the league’s own attitude towards the competition. It seems, from the outside anyway, that they just want to run the thing off as quickly as possible. I don’t imagine they’d do the same thing for a league decider.

It’s a sad enough end to the season for the Lakers but it shouldn’t detract from what they’ve achieved over the course of the campaign. They’ve given themselves a good platform to build on and it will be very interesting to see how far they can go over the next few years. The sky is the limit.

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Contactless payments launched on Local Link services

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Passengers using TFI Local Link Kerry services in Killarney and across the county can now pay for their journeys using contactless card payments.

The National Transport Authority (NTA) confirmed the rollout this week, allowing commuters to simply tap their debit card, credit card, or mobile devices, such as Apple Pay and Google Pa, when boarding.

The move is designed to offer more convenience for those using high-frequency rural and regional routes.

In Killarney, the new payment option will be available on the TFI Anseo town services, which have seen a significant increase in passenger numbers since their introduction.

The contactless system is currently available for single journey fares, while those using daily or weekly passes can continue to use the Leap website or the TFI Leap Top Up App.
Alan O’Connell, General Manager of TFI Local Link Kerry, welcomed the modernisation of the fleet.

“The introduction of contactless payments is another welcome step forward for public transport in Kerry,” he said. “It complements other major projects in the county, including the expansion of TFI Local Link services and the delivery of TFI Anseo in Killarney, which is proving to be another great initiative.”

While the new technology offers a modern alternative, traditional payment methods are not being phased out. Cash payments, TFI Leap cards, and Free Travel Cards all remains fully valid across the network.

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How will our Kerry TDs vote tomorrow?

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Tomorrow, Sinn Féin will be tabling a motion of no confidence against the Government after the protests that took place nationwide during the week.

Earlier today we asked our readers how would they vote in a no confidence motion against the Government?

Most of our readers said they would vote no confidence, while some said, yes they do have confidence in the Government.

One reader said: “Vote confidence. The only proper leadership over the last few days came from government. Courage came when needed despite how unpopular it looked in the moment. By contrast, opposition politicians wanted the country to burn to suit themselves”.

Another reader stated: “No confidence. Shambolic and heavy handed handling of protests this past week”.

However, some people didn’t have any confidence in either side with a reader saying: “No confidence in the no confidence! Different wings of the same bird! We need a complete overhaul of the political system”.

We asked the question to our 5 Kerry TDs before lunch-time today, asking them what their vote will be tomorrow.

We received one reply from Sinn Féin’s Kerry TD Pa Daly.

He will be voting no confidence in the Government tomorrow along with his party.

Other media outlets are reporting that Independent TD Danny Healy-Rae is undecided at the moment.

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