Much has been said in the past few days about the playing of the national anthem at the final of the Irish Cup match on Saturday.

“Well, Alex, can they be stopped in their tracks?” The ‘they’ in question was Sinn Fein and the questioner was an old friend, formerly a UUP voter, but now firmly in the DUP camp.

Ben Lowry, deputy editor of the Belfast News Letter, could not be more wrong when he argues that the so-called ‘Protestant’ church leaders are right in saying that the pope should come to Northern Ireland (Protestant leaders are right: Pope should visit NI, May 5).

Scottish Premiership side Hearts have completed the signing of Northern Ireland Under-21 star Bobby Burns on a three-year contract.

Local football took centre stage last night in Belfast when the Northern Ireland Football Awards for 2018 were announced at a gala event in the Crowne Plaza Hotel.

Derry City 7, Shelbourne 3