Second Captains

Clare and Kilkenny are in the National Hurling League final, and Jamie Wall is back on the pod for the first time as the reigning 2024 Fitzgibbon Cup winning coach to talk us through their semi-final wins this weekend.

Limerick were abysmal, according to their own manager John Kiely, and they’ve also been wrestling with the Kyle Hayes court case.  We discuss what likely impact the case will have on Limerick’s Drive For Five.

We also find time to outline just why jersey-ripping has become such a key part of our Gaelic football consumption, and Eoin and Murph admit their complete ignorance when it comes to what exactly it is that insurance companies do to turn a profit.

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Cold? Boring? Meaningless? Not from the point of view of the manager for whom the game was a top-level debut. John O'Shea saw a lot to like in Ireland vs Belgium on Saturday evening.

We talk through the details of the game and wonder if we are about to see a second interim coaching appointment transform into a permanent one.

Germany produced a shock 2-0 victory away to France on Saturday night; six months after taking the national team job, Julian Nagelsmann is winning people over. We talk to Archie Rhind-Tutt about the state of play for the host nation just a few weeks out from the Euros.

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It's been a week to remember on the World Service, for none more so than our own proud Galweigen and 'Top Red' Ciaran Murphy.

We were delighted to chat with hurling legend Joe Canning on the latest edition of our 'I'll Tell You Who Wrote It Second Captains Book Club. Joe spoke to us about John Feinstein's A Good Walk Spoiled, his own impressive golfing CV and how now living in Limerick brings him into contact with a lot of, well.. Limerick people.

Back in Dublin, Ken's attention over the long weekend was dominated by, of all things, the FA Cup. Specifically, the classic that played out between United and Liverpool at Old Trafford.

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Ireland have won back-to-back Six Nations and have been a very consistent team over a long period of time now. We put their achievements into context while also examining their form, which has tapered off since the Italy game.

We chat to Chris Jones of the BBC, former 6N winner Andrew Trimble, and Tom English of BBC Scotland about Ireland's second-half power show against Scotland, if their attack needs a re-think, how they will cope if Peter O'Mahony retires, Central Gibson Park, and how Jack Crowley has settled in at 10.

We also examine the quality of this year's Six Nations, if mid-table England will in fact be the most satisfied of all, Italy's rise and Wales having as much of a nightmare off the pitch as on it.

Plus there's the greatest ever Galway sports person, Murph wilts under the McGeeney Gaze and Farrell bites back.

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The secret to any truly great sporting rivalry is some genuine animosity between the two parties, and when it comes to Ireland and the Scottish rugby team - these two straight up don't like each other. Even if one of them keeps beating the other time & time again.

Elsewhere, the Champions League knockouts have finally caught fire. We chatted to Rory Smith of The New York Times and Nick Ames of The Guardian about Arsenal's progress and ask what is driving the trend of multi club models.

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The Irish team didn't perform and the Irish media got this one badly badly wrong, except for a humble GAA man from Galway.

We chat to Rob Kearney, Shane Horgan and Gerry Thornley about England's powered-up attack, Ireland's end game, O'Mahony's yellow, the lineout issues, the 6-2 split and what a 6N Championship would mean, and what a loss to Scotland might mean!

We also discuss our various scapegoat options, Murph's Turph, Italy's win over Scotland, and Ken's admiration for Rob Kearney.

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Liverpool and Manchester City played another great game at Anfield and the big winners were Arsenal. The league leaders earned another important win against Brentford on Saturday evening. We discuss the edge of ruthlessness Mikel Arteta's players are showing as they chase a first title in 20 years.

Dion Fanning and Gavin Cooney join us to talk over the Liverpool-City game and other Premier League weekend business. Klopp and Guardiola have defined the Premier League, their teams pushing each other to greater and greater heights, but there is ultimately only one question anyone cares about: who is better? Has Caoimhín Kelleher's decision to stay at Liverpool been vindicated? And how do they interpret Evan Ferguson's 19-game goalless run?

We also get Branno's thoughts on who should be taking over from Declan Devine at Bohs.

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It's the year 2024 and ex Scottish Rugby International's are backing humble England over arrogant Ireland. Is this the future we wanted? Well, it's the one we have and this weekend could see Ireland push even closer to a back-to-back Grand Slam with victory in Twickenham. But first, Eoin is here to warn you with tales from the past.

Yesterday Miguel Delaney and Jonathan Wilson put their thinking caps on about why the Champions League has lost its appeal in recent times, and what could be done to get it back

After being one of the first GAA players to take part in the NFL combine we caught up with Rory Beggan, by which time he was supposed to be back in Ireland, but there was a bit of a change of plans.

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The FAI formally unveiled new interim manager John O'Shea at a press

conference at the Aviva Stadium this afternoon - Ken reports from the

scene...

...and if you want to listen to that straightaway scroll to the end.

First we talk through some of the action from a weekend that saw

Nottingham Forest's refereeing lobbyist Mark Clattenburg swing into

action.

Mark Critchley and John Brewin join us to talk about the Manchester

derby. Is it really too much to expect Man United should be able to

give City more of a game than this? And if the future is looking bleak

for Erik ten Hag, how is it looking for Marcus Rashford?

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Ireland are once again raging hot favourites to win a 6N game, which may sit ok with us when it's Italy or this 2024 Wales team, but this time it's England, in Twickenham! We're not in Kansas anymore.

We talk to Gerry Thornley about the dynamics at play including a warning from 6N history, Hugo Keenan's knee injury, Steve Borthwick's reputation, and Ryan Baird's red-hot form.

Plus there's Sam Warburton's tackle power, Beggan's boot, and Jim McGuinness bemoaning the rampant use of the 'Rodri Foul' in Gaelic Football.

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