On episode 178 I am delighted to be joined by former tennis professional, a former world top 130 player, the most successful Irish tennis player in the open era, Conor Niland. He is also known for his award winning book, The Racket, which was awarded the prestigious William Hill Sports book of the year in 2024, becoming the 3rd Irish author to win the award behind Paul Kimmage (Rough Ride in 1990) and Paul Gibson and Eamonn Magee (The Lost Sould of Eamonn Magee)

Within the first 30 minutes of reading The Racket, Conor was on my (hit) list to interview and I was delighted to sit down with him (virtually) and unpack one of my favourite books of all time. 

Tune in for an honest account of the life of a professional athlete on the world stage. We discuss his career that began in his back gaeden in Limerick, to the UK for secondary School, California for college and around the world for professional competitions including 2 grand slams. 

We also delve into his book and dissect his work including chapters on  Wimbledon, winning v losing as a pro, identity and retirement. A love letter to sport, family and yet a reality of the cut throat nature of professional sport this is finding peace and relief in sport with Conor Niland. 

Conor is now non playing captain of the Irish Davis Cup tennis team. A key part of developing the next generation of irish professional tennis players. This September we will host games vs China including two top 50 opponents. Details to be announced online with the venue in Dublin. 

The Racket is now available to buy via paperback. If you are purchasing the book try support local or Irish independent book shops which include: (not affiliated or sponsored just promoting Irish brands)

easons.com 

kennys.ie  

hodgesfiggis.ie 

booksupstairs.ie 

Find Conor here: 

https://www.instagram.com/conorniland81/ 

https://x.com/conorniland1 

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Recorded using Samson Q2 microphone, Edited using GarageBand

Intro music, Watered Eyes by a talented Irish artist, Dillon Ward check him out ⁠⁠here⁠⁠ . 

If you are looking to set up your own podcast get in touch with the Prymal Productions team ⁠⁠⁠www.prymal.ie⁠⁠⁠ 

On episode 177 I am delighted to be joined by Shane McEntee. Former Meath captain, current St Peters Dunboyne senior footballer and GAA plus pundit. 

(Note this episode was recorded the day before the All-Ireland quarter final win over Galway)

01:00 For the first 30 minutes Shane and I debate the current rules, inter county calendar, 7s, penalties, the minor and senior double header finals and more! (Let us know your thoughts) 

31:00 We then discussed his experience as a leader in both Gaelic football as Meath captain and in the defence forces. Shane shares what it means to be an inter county captain, how the leadership group interacts and helps with the role. 

We also touched on breaking into panels, learning the ropes and facing the 6 in a row dublin team  and relishing that opportunity 

A fantastic insight into leadership, life as an inter county footballer,  analysing a game as an individual player in collaboration with an analyst and the current state of Gaelic football. A big thanks to Shane for his time! 

Find Shane here 

https://www.linkedin.com/in/shane-mcentee-8a26a4206/ 

https://www.instagram.com/shanemacnt/ 

Follow The Sideline Live Social Media channels: 

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Recorded using Samson Q2 microphone, Edited using GarageBand

Intro music, Watered Eyes by a talented Irish artist, Dillon Ward check him out ⁠⁠here⁠⁠ . 

If you are looking to set up your own podcast get in touch with the Prymal Productions team ⁠⁠⁠www.prymal.ie⁠⁠⁠ 

On episode 176 I am delighted to be joined by All-ireland winner club football manager with Cuala, Austin O’Malley. 

The former Mayo and Wicklow inter county footballer was involved in both the 2004 and 2006 All-Ireland Senior Football Championship finals with Mayo. O'Malley won the 2006 Dublin Senior Football Championship while playing for UCD and lined out with St.Vincent's in Marino. He took over as manager of Cuala Senior football team and in his 3rd season led them to the 2024 All-Ireland club football title following a first ever county football title win against Kilmacud Crokes. 

As a player he was coached by Mick O’Dwyer, Davy Billings, Micky Whelan, John Maughan, John O’Mahoney and Mickey Moran, some of the best gaelic football coaches of all time. Austin shares insights from the legends of coaching and how it has shaped his approach as a leader, coach and manager.

During this episode we discuss coaching, performance, vision, stretch goals, energy management as a coach or manager, preparing for a match as a manager and more! Plenty of takeaways for athletes, coaches, managers and those involved in elite sport throughout the chat.

A teacher by trade he moved into performance coaching working with Enda McNulty and completed multiple academic qualifications before setting up his own business Hexagon performance where he works with individuals in sport and business. 

His work includes improving human performance, building High-Performance teams, Culture Coding, and is a skilled Health & Wellbeing practitioner. Qualifications include BBS Degree in Business Studies, Hdip In Education, BSC in Strength & Conditioning, Diploma in The Science of Wellbeing, MSc in The Science of Performance Coaching and a Certificate in Sport and Performance Psychology. 

Find Austin here: 

https://www.linkedin.com/in/austin-o-malley/

https://hexagonperformance.ie/ 

Follow The Sideline Live Social Media channels: 

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⁠⁠⁠https://www.instagram.com/thesidelinelive/⁠⁠⁠ 

Recorded using Samson Q2 microphone, Edited using GarageBand

Intro music, Watered Eyes by a talented Irish artist, Dillon Ward check him out ⁠⁠here⁠⁠ . 

If you are looking to set up your own podcast get in touch with the Prymal Productions team ⁠⁠⁠www.prymal.ie⁠⁠⁠  

On episode 175 I check in with one of Ireland’s biggest college signings and one of 9 Irish girls entering Division 1 college basketball Emma Tolan. 

Emma recently signed with the University of Oklahoma, one of America’s most well known sports programmes they compete in the SEC and are ranked 7th in the nation. From Cavan to the SEC she learnt her trade at Cavan Eagles and Virginia College winning 5 All-Ireland schools titles and Women's Division 1 (national league) young player of the year.

Emma enters as a sophomore following one year at DCU and will join the Sooners fresh off their sweet sixteen appearance in the NCAA tournament loss to UCONN. 

During the basketball off season she has won a handful of ulster titles and a minor All-Ireland title in 2024 with underage cavan ladies football teams and county titles with her club and county including an Ulster Ladies Football all-star award.

The ultimate super siblings trio, she shares the court and pitch with older sisters Niamh and Ciara, who have both represented Ireland and Cavan at international and county competitions. While their Dad Graham, helps run the club in his role as chairman which has grown from strength to strength entering the national league in 2022 and securing promotion to the super league for the 2024/25 season. 

Success continued for Emma on the international stage with a 6th place finish at the U18 Euros in 2023 where she was shortlisted for a MVP fan vote. She will face international team mate Grace Prenter next season as she suits up for the University of Texas who also compete in the SEC.

The Sooners are a stacked squad with highly ranked players including four McDonald's All-Americans: All-SEC picks Reagan Beers and Payton Verhulst, Sahara Williams, and the number 1 ranked recruit in the class of 2025 Aaliyah Chavez. Coach Jennie Baranczyk enters her 4th season and has built a strong foundation so far, with her sights clearly on bringing a national championship back to Norman, Oklahoma.

“Going from the wee show center in Virginia out to that big of a stadium is a bit mad to think about”

From the Virginia Show center with give or take a max capacity of 600, to the Lloyd Noble Center with over 10k, an exciting year awaits the talented Tolan. 

Follow Emma:

https://www.instagram.com/emma_tolan1/

Follow Oklahoma Women's Basketball

https://www.instagram.com/ou_wbball/

Follow The Sideline Live Social Media channels: 

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Recorded using Samson Q2 microphone, Edited using GarageBand

Intro music, Watered Eyes by a talented Irish artist, Dillon Ward check him out ⁠⁠here⁠⁠ . 

If you are looking to set up your own podcast get in touch with the Prymal Productions team ⁠⁠⁠www.prymal.ie⁠⁠⁠ 

On episode 174 I am delighted to be joined by a legend of athletics and para sport Jason Smyth.

The fastest Paralympian in history — a six-time Paralympic gold medallist and the only athlete to ever run 100m in under 11 seconds in the T13 classification for visual impairment he is a legend of the sport. But above all that Jason went unbeaten throughout his ENTIRE 19 YEAR CAREER. He dominated the global stage with 21 gold medals across Paralympic Games, World, and European Championships.

We discuss his career, how he nearly didn't compete in athletics, purpose, finding your flow state, committing yourself to a goal, and elite-level consistency.

Jason shares his journey from local tracks in Northern Ireland to becoming an international sprinting legend and how he dealt with missing out on qualifying for the Olympics in 2012 by hundredths of a second. Jason’s insights go beyond the medals and the track— this is a conversation about purpose, pressure, and chasing your potential.

A legend of the sport, trailblazer, role model, ambassador, gentleman and a great dancer too, tune in to learn from Jason Smyth.

Find Jason here:

https://www.linkedin.com/in/smythjason/

https://www.instagram.com/jason.smyth100/

Follow The Sideline Live Social Media channels: 

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⁠⁠⁠https://www.instagram.com/thesidelinelive/⁠⁠⁠ 

Recorded using Samson Q2 microphone, Edited using GarageBand

Intro music, Watered Eyes by a talented Irish artist, Dillon Ward check him out ⁠⁠here⁠⁠ . 

If you are looking to set up your own podcast get in touch with the Prymal Productions team ⁠⁠⁠www.prymal.ie⁠⁠⁠ 

On episode 173 Off the Ball journalist Eoin Sheahan joins the podcast to unpack his captivating podcast series, Diverted, chronicling his travels across Latin America through the lens of sport, culture, and personal discovery. 

We dive into the creative process behind crafting a documentary-style podcast on the move, exploring stories from Palestine football in South America, basketball in Guatemala - where their average height is 5 feet, Alexis McCallister and his family football academy, Juventus in Belize where they all speak German, Mayo hurling (yes Mayo hurling), interviewing the Belize senior men’s football manager in his house and more. 

Eoin shares the challenges of capturing authentic audio in unpredictable environments, immersive storytelling, sport as a method of connection and understanding culture. 

We also discuss tailgating at GAA games and bringing an American style to the All-Ireland final weekends. Halftime show? Tailgating? Saturday evening games like the 2019 football replay under sunset/night sky? 

Tune in for a rich conversation about South American sport through an irish lens, obscure sports, an international influence on local teams, culture,  creativity, hitchhiking, and the art of narrative in a world of constant change.

Listen to diverted on Spotify - https://open.spotify.com/show/6rjuEV2OLCMSahhGJYD8n2?si=8bcb8b27f6e44f10 

Find Eoin here 

https://x.com/EoinSheahan 

https://www.instagram.com/eoinsheahan/ 

[email protected] 

Follow The Sideline Live Social Media channels: 

⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠https://twitter.com/thesidelinelive⁠⁠⁠ 

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Recorded using Samson Q2 microphone, Edited using GarageBand

Intro music, Watered Eyes by a talented Irish artist, Dillon Ward check him out ⁠⁠here⁠⁠ . 

If you are looking to set up your own podcast get in touch with the Prymal Productions team ⁠⁠⁠www.prymal.ie⁠⁠⁠  

On this episode of The Sideline Live Podcast, Orla sits down with renowned Irish athletics coach Jeremy Lyons for an in-depth conversation on the art and science of coaching.

From developing young talent at grassroots level to preparing athletes for the biggest stage in sport; the Olympic Games.

Jeremy has been a key figure in Irish track and field for over two decades, bringing a wealth of knowledge, experience, and calm leadership to his athletes. In 2009 he founded the Dublin sprint group in Santry and coached 3 athletes to the olympic games. As part of the coaching team behind Sophie Becker and the Irish women’s 4x400m relay squad, Jeremy played a central role in preparing her for the stunning run to the Olympic final — a historic moment for Irish athletics.

Jeremy stepped away from high performance coaching to focus on grassroots and in this episode explains why. We also discuss improving support for coaches and his in depth planning for his athletes. A big thanks for Jeremy for his time.

Find Jeremy here:

https://x.com/Jeremy_P_Lyons

Follow The Sideline Live Social Media channels: 

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Recorded using Samson Q2 microphone, Edited using GarageBand

Intro music, Watered Eyes by a talented Irish artist, Dillon Ward check him out ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠here⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠ . 

If you are looking to set up your own podcast get in touch with the Prymal Productions team ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠www.prymal.ie⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠ 

On this episode of The Sideline Live, Orla Keeling sits down with Irish boxer Gráinne Walsh for a powerful conversation on identity, mindset, and the craft of elite performance.

From her early days in Offaly sport to competing on the international stage, Gráinne opens up about the moments that shaped her — both in and out of the ring. We explore the psychology of pressure, details that make a smart fighter, the nuances of preparation, and the resilience needed to keep showing up.

Heart, hard work, and a whole lot of honesty from one of Ireland's top athletes!

Find Gráinne here:

https://www.instagram.com/w_grainne/

Follow The Sideline Live Social Media channels: 

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Recorded using Samson Q2 microphone, Edited using GarageBand

Intro music, Watered Eyes by a talented Irish artist, Dillon Ward check him out ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠here⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠ . 

If you are looking to set up your own podcast get in touch with the Prymal Productions team ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠www.prymal.ie⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠ 

On episode 170 I am delighted to be joined by Sharon Madigan Head of Performance Nutrition at Sport Ireland Institute. Sharon also sits on the committee for the Olympic Games on nutrition for the Olympic village. She is a proven leader and innovator in the space of nutrition.

We discuss her career from a part time role with the Irish boxing team to leading a department, making sushi and €300 melon in Japan, learning from elite championships, what makes a good coach and so much more!

"Elite sport is not healthy" - a statement that Sharon repeats throughout. Find out why in this episode.

Follow The Sideline Live Social Media channels: 

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⁠⁠⁠https://www.instagram.com/thesidelinelive/⁠⁠⁠ 

Recorded using Samson Q2 microphone, Edited using GarageBand

Intro music, Watered Eyes by a talented Irish artist, Dillon Ward check him out ⁠⁠here⁠⁠ . 

If you are looking to set up your own podcast get in touch with the Prymal Productions team ⁠⁠⁠www.prymal.ie⁠⁠⁠ 

On episode 169 I am delighted to be joined by Kilmacud Crokes chairperson Joan Kehoe. Joan is a successful business woman with experience across many roles from founding two companies, to a global leadership role at JP Morgan, to CEO, and more.

Originally from Wexford she moved to Stillorgan and joined Kilmacud Crokes and filled a number of roles within the club before becoming chairperson. She is also a member of the Coiste Bainistí, The Management Committee of the GAA and former executive member of the club players association.

We discuss integration, gender in gaelic games, leadership, Kilmacud Crokes, implementing a one club model, the promotion of gaelic games, and so much more.

Joan is a proven high achiever with great knowledge of Strategy and Structures from her professional career. She offers an honest account and insight into leadership, integration and one of the biggest GAA clubs in Ireland.

Thanks to Joan not only for her time but for welcoming me to the Kilmacud Crokes clubhouse to record the episode in person.

Follow The Sideline Live Social Media channels: 

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Recorded using Samson Q2 microphone, Edited using GarageBand

Intro music, Watered Eyes by a talented Irish artist, Dillon Ward check him out ⁠⁠here⁠⁠ . 

If you are looking to set up your own podcast get in touch with the Prymal Productions team ⁠⁠⁠www.prymal.ie⁠⁠⁠