At six foot, four inches, Pascal McConnell has a towering influence over Tyrone football, but the Newtownstewart custodian has healthy competition for his goalkeeping position and this keeps him well grounded as he focuses on the Red Hands' Ulster SFC final clash with Monaghan at Clones this Sunday.

THE head of the Department of Enterprise has denied burying a critical report into an alleged €167 million Fás “slush” fund for employers.

MONAGHAN midfielder Dick Clerkin has hailed Seamus McEnaney’s unorthodox decision to use his full-back in goals against Armagh on Sunday, describing it as a “masterstroke”.

A SIMPLY astonishing scoreline and one made all the more so given the fact that few in the crowd of 11,675 would have given tuppence for Monaghan’s chances at ten past two yesterday afternoon.

MONAGHAN manager Seamus McEnaney has refused to retrace the trail of events which ended with his full-back lining out in goal for yesterday’s Ulster SFC quarter-final against Armagh.

Monaghan 1-18 Armagh 0-9

THE Department of Finance allowed Fás to break bonus payment limits for senior managers despite suspicions the awards were divvied out inappropriately.

A MULTI-MILLION euro income stream the country receives from Europe for social projects is in danger because of questions raised about the possible misuse of grants given to Fás.

The Secretary General of the Department of Enterprise, Trade and Employment has said there has been a significant strengthening of governance and accountability at FÁS.

Monaghan 3-12 Cork 3-13, Scotstown

MONAGHAN midfielder Dick Clerkin’s availability for Sunday’s NFL opener against Cork in Scotstown remains uncertain as he fights to overturn a one-month ban picked up in the Dr McKenna Cup.

THE Government is under pressure to explain why the former Fás chief, Rody Molloy, got to keep an expensive company car along with his pension and golden handshake when he left the agency following an expenses scandal last year.

Brian Lenihan seems to be the only senior Government politician who attempts to give effective leadership. FF’s minor upward blip in the polls is due to his assertive confidence ... He can chart a course for future positive direction for the nation, based on realism and straight speaking

THE Fás scandal descended to a new level of farce last night as Taoiseach Brian Cowen flatly contradicted evidence given to a Dáil committee and insisted Rody Molloy had not threatened legal action in order to secure his massive pay-off.

A DEPARTMENTAL official chairing a review group examining aspects of Fás overspending resigned over the delay in publishing the findings of the group.

ANGER can be a destructive if natural response to all sorts of situations. In the last year or so far too many Irish people have had occasion, far too many occasions, to be angry.

The Government signed-off on an €1m pension windfall for former FÁS chief Rody Molloy after he threatened legal action if he didn't get a 'golden handshake', it was revealed today.

The Government signed-off on a ’golden handshake’ for former FÁS chief Rody Molloy because he threatened legal action to get a €1m euro pension, it was revealed today.

TAXPAYERS are owed nearly €50 million from companies that have evaded paying their redundancy debts, the state’s financial watchdog last night warned.

Neans McSweeney

THE tiny white coffins containing the remains of four-year-old Michaela Grace and her three year-old sister, Abbi, will be placed side by side in the same grave at around noon today in a cemetery a mile from their home.

A YOUNG mother who drowned her two daughters before killing herself had been reported to social services in the last few weeks by a relative.

CONCERN was expressed last night after it emerged that the Department of Enterprise, Trade and Employment had failed to spend €58.4 million of its 2003 budgetary allocation despite there being “unemployment blackspots” throughout the country.