Second Captains

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Patrick Reed won his first major title last night at the US Masters, seeing off a seriously off-colour Rory McIlroy, and rather more serious challenges from his American compatriots Rickie Fowler and Jordan Spieth. But why does everyone dislike him so much?Golf writer Lawrence Donegan joins us to explain the complicated backstory, from allegations of cheating during college, to arrests, arrogance and family drama.Michael Duignan said in February that Kilkenny wouldn't win another All-Ireland under Brian Cody - Michael is in studio today wondering if he might live to regret that remark. We look back on their crushing league final win over Tipperary yesterday.Plus there's another year of Masters betting woes, Rory's caddy, and a few bars of Ken's favourite song to swim along to...

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As one bald fraud to another, Eoin McDevitt has pity for Pep's pain. Saturday was a good day for the Hairy Man, who heaped indignity upon the Smooth Man. Is there still hope of redemption for City after their nightmare week?As for the matchwinner Paul Pogba, where has this player been until now? And can we expect to see more of him in the future?We analyse the game with Jonathan Wilson: why have Pep's teams developed this unfortunate habit of conceding several goals in several minutes?And Kieran Canning reports on City's mood from their pre-Champions League press conference.

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So it's never happened before, but after this weekend a first Munster-Leinster European Rugby Cup final is looking perhaps more likely than at any previous stage in this competition's history.Matt Williams and Gerry Thornley talk us through Leinster and Munster's thrilling wins over Saracens and Toulon, who between them had shared the last 5 titles. From Andrew Conway's miracle run, to Dan Leavy's almost supernatural performance in the back-row, it was an exceptional weekend of Irish rugby.Oisin McConville is in studio to tell us how Dublin have managed to keep the show running despite blooding another batch of young players, and we all think it's time we started to take Galway seriously as contenders.Plus there's Dele Alli's Renaissance painting, not being able to hit your driver, and Conor Murray in the boardroom.

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**NOTE: Our members have requested that this podcast be made free-to-air and we're happy to do so. This was initially a World Service members-only show broadcasted first on 29th of March 2018. The podcast was re-published for all today, the 30th of March. For independent, member-led journalism like this in the future, please join the Second Captains World Service. Enjoy the show and thanks to all our members as always for their support.**The 'not guilty' verdicts in the Belfast rape trial yesterday sent shockwaves across the country.  It was described on national television last night as 'one of the most high profile trials in the history of this island', and today we discuss the fall-out from it, and the lessons sport - and wider society - can learn.Sinead O’Carroll of thejournal.ie and Richie Sadlier are in studio to discuss the privilege of sportsmen, and their attitudes to women. Is the dressing room a breeding ground for toxic masculinity?And we ask what can be done to educate young people, particularly young men, about sex and sexual consent.

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Mayo needed a win or a draw against Donegal in Ballybofey yesterday, and by hook or by crook, a draw is what they got.We talk to Footballer Of The Year Andy Moran about Kevin McLoughlin's wonder point to save their bacon, why their league form has been so patchy, and what we can do to get cynicism in the final moments of a game out of the sport for good.We also speak to Michael Duignan and Malachy Clerkin about the weekend's hurling, which saw Wexford inflict a first defeat in knockout hurling since 2016 on Galway, and Pat Gilroy's Dublin endure another long day of learning at the hands of Tipperary in Croke Park.Plus there's Ken Loach's views on a united Ireland, human fallibility, and Ken (Early) vows to track down the missing Lord of Ana Livia, Diarmuid Connolly.

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An international football weekend with almost no international football on the actual weekend means that today we are forced to discuss whether rugby really is the heartbeat of the race, as some rugby pundits compulsively insist after every big rugby victory.If the oval ball game has displaced all other sports in the affections of the people, why do Irish viewers prefer Mrs. Brown's Boys?After we speak about some of the international action, Emmet Malone joins us to talk about Declan Rice's impressive international debut and ponder whether he really is locked down for the team.

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What are you waiting for? Go and listen to this interview on the Second Captains World Service. Join us at secondcaptains.com/join.

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For just the third time in our history, Ireland are 6 Nations Grand Slam champions. And this one was in a style that brooked no argument - from the moment Le Drop found it's way over the crossbar in Paris Ireland were the best team in the championship, accomplished front-runners, comfortable wearers of the favourites' tag and worthy champions.Sean Cronin gave us that image of a bruised and beaten Mike Brown sitting on the Twickenham turf with three minutes to go - a fine, last-ditch tackle extinguishing the last faint hope of an English comeback, and Sean joins us on the show to tell us about his worst ever bout of pre-match nerves, post-match joy and meeting Shane Ross.And Shane Horgan and Gerry Thornley are on hand again to salute this fine Irish team, smokin’ Joe Schmidt, and talk about why the 2009 Grand Slam was the end of a journey, and this year can be the start of one.Plus there’s Tadhg the magnificent, Jacob and the young un’s, how to Borg the All Blacks, why Le Drop is different to every other moment in Irish sports history, and have Ireland outgrown European rugby…

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Many managers have spoken about the risks of criticising players in public. The players know when they've messed it up, they say. No need to labour the point, they say. Keep the criticism behind closed doors, they say.As his treatment of Luke Shaw demonstrates, Jose Mourinho takes a different view. But why? Is there a higher purpose to this, beyond making it clear that certain squad members will be available this summer at a discount price?Jonathan Wilson joins us to analyse Mohamed Salah's sensational form. Why should many wide forwards now be scoring more goals than orthodox strikers? What does the ideal false nine look like? And now that Liverpool's attacking set-up is paying off so brilliantly, will other clubs copy the template?

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