Second Captains @ The Irish Times

The All-Ireland club finals don’t always deliver quality games, but they are usually good for a narrative arc or two… and in 2024, we managed to get the best of both worlds.  Maurice Brosnan of the Irish Examiner talks to us about Éanna Burke’s last-minute wizardry that won it for St Thomas’, and we discuss Conor Glass’ mastery of the big moments which will be the stand-out memory of Glen’s maiden All-Ireland club final win. Ken weighs in on what hurling can do to improve itself - and his findings may enrage traditionalists - and Eoin makes the argument for wet-weather-only fixtures.  Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

Ivan Toney seems to have made good use of his time away from the game, learning how to use his mind to manipulate and control the Universe. With this new skill in his locker it's looking like a big 2024 in prospect for the big man.We also talk about new developments in game management, Darwin's 10/10 and Manchester United's latest stunning boardroom "coup".Then Samindra Kunti joins us from Doha to report on the Asian Cup, where Palestine still have a chance of qualifying for the knockout stage after drawing with the UAE in their second match.  Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

US Murph joined us on the World Service for a round-up of the NFL Playoffs, a hearty laugh at the Dallas Cowboys and to give credit to the punting abilities of The Wicklow Whacker - Dan Whelan. Elsewhere, Jose Mourinho's time at AS Roma has come to a close in his customary third season at the club. We ask where next for the self-proclaimed 'Little Magpie'?Plus, there's Ken's beef with the Germans over Jadon Sancho and a return to pedant's corner. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

Munster were on a bad run of results, injuries and performances, hadn't won away from home all season, and were 10-0 down away to Toulon in a must-win tie.... so naturally they shot the light outs, got a 4-try BP win, and changed the entire complexion of their Champions Cup campaign.We chat to Ruaidhri O'Connor about Munster marrying the old and the new, the impact Peter O'Mahony's return had on the team and why, almost 30 years into professionalism, big characters can still make all the difference.We continue to put grit into Murph's gears, take a lift to the top floor of the Lions experience, have a peek at the 6N form guide, seek the help of Permutations Man, and Ronnie O'Sullivan wins an 8th Masters title while also goading and chastising everyone around him. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

If Jadon Sancho feels a bit hard done by after his treatment at Manchester United maybe he should take a look at what is happening at Forest Green Rovers, where charismatic young coach Troy Deeney is showing what can happen when managers are prepared to take off the kid gloves and start dealing out some harsh truths. Jack Pitt-Brooke and Mark Critchley join us to talk about the weekend’s PL action. How can Ange Postecoglou get his B-team to play the same way as the injured first-teamers? Will Dave Brailsford succeed in putting Manchester United into a challenge-state after a decade of threat-state? And would football be better if it cast off the shackles of regulation and allowed the richest owners the freedom to express their visions and dreams to the max? Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

Welcome to our regular world service highlights show. For our second week of podcasting in 2024 we covered Mo's rep in Egypt, Darwin Nunez's misses in slow mo, BCM (?), Taylor Swift's impact on the form of the Kansas City Chiefs, Andy Farrell taking a break from the Ireland job to do the Lions job, an Irish football managerial update and Ken's reflections on teflon Beckenbauer. Plus there was ugly Chelsea, America's assholes, Aaron Rodgers V Jimmy Kimmel, Nienaber's Leinster deadline, the Mack Hansen hole in our 6N squad, Carbery's career, Jim McGuinness' ban, and Ronan Finn in studio on his glorious career.To join go to secondcaptains.com/join – it’s a fiver a month with no contracts, no minimum stay, no sneaky fees, no obligations, no ads and you can listen to us on Spotify or any normal podcast app on your phone, laptop or tablet, or on our website. Email members@secondcaptains.com with any questions. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

The All-Ireland club final between Watty Graham's Glen and Kilmacud Crokes was one of the most controversial sporting events of 2023... and 7 days into 2024, they got a chance to go at it again. This time around, in yesterday's semi-final in Newry, the action on the field was completed to everyone's satisfaction... even if it was enshrouded in fog. Oisin McConville saw as much of it as the rest of us, and we talk to him about Glen's resilience, Jim McGuinness' return to GAA management... and why he could be about to lose his Wicklow goalkeeper to the NFL. We also discuss Eoin's newly bald jawline, Fog On The Tyne, and who might overcome their hangover to win the Dioralyte O'Byrne Cup.  Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

Every year it becomes more culturally embarrassing for us to talk about the third round of the FA Cup, and yet... here we go again. This time - the Sunderland-Newcastle damp squib, the latest gut-punch for Arsenal, and plaintive cries from the Saudi coast suggesting one more possible reason for Liverpool's successful transformation. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

HNY and welcome to our regular Second Captains snifter. For our first week back in 2024 we covered Darwin Nunez's net positive contributions, the poor man's Todd Boehly (Garry Cook), Wayne Rooney and the golden generation's hapless coaching careers and what challenges a teenage sports star such as Luke Littler faces after they make their first breakthrough. To join go to secondcaptains.com/join – it’s a fiver a month with no contracts, no minimum stay, no sneaky fees, no obligations, no ads and you can listen to us on Spotify or any normal podcast app on your phone, laptop or tablet. Email members@secondcaptains.com with any questions. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

Happy New Year from all of us at Second Captains! To celebrate we've decided to dip into the vault and dig out our favourite interview of 2023, an all-timer with Ronnie O'Sullivan live in our Dublin studio.Ronnie O’Sullivan joins us to talk about anxiety, his childhood, his relationship with his father before and after his father went to jail, his relationship with Snooker and why he looks to Messi, Jordan and Tiger for lessons on how to get better. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

A feast of festive football games, coaches who can’t read the room, ref nixers, viral fakes, the Thirty Years War - it must be the annual post-Christmas football pod with Jonathan Wilson. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

Welcome to our weekly Second Captains snifter. To join go to secondcaptains.com/join – it’s a fiver a month with no contracts, no minimum stay, no sneaky fees, no obligations, no ads and we’re independent and Irish owned. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

Munster appeared to be in a winning position away to Exeter, before some bad kicks, bad bounces, poor refereeing decisions and an intercept turned 5 game points into 1, putting a big hole in their European campaign in the process. On the back of the draw with Bayonne and the news that RG Snyman will likely be moving to Leinster next year, it's been a rough week for the URC champs.We chat to Ruaidhri O'Connor and Shane Horgan about Munster's slick attack and weak basics, the rights and wrongs of RG"s move, Leinster's good cap bad cop routine, Ulster's tap dance and Connacht's miserable defence.Plus there's Figo's flip, club hurling's screen battle and the best talker in Irish sport. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

With the action at Anfield making for slim pickings, we turn to the spreadsheets in search of fresh narrative. The results MIGHT surprise you...There's also Ollie Watkins and Emiliano Martinez, Peter Walton's idea of acceptable dissent, Phil Foden's latest betrayal of Pep Guardiola and a clash of fire and ice in prospect on the shores of the Red Sea. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

Liam Brady brought the house down at our end-of-year live show last week, arriving with anecdotes full of insight, levity and physical comedy that were warmly received by the Liberty Hall crowd and our World Service members alike. Elsewhere, Ken has been marvelling at Manchester United's ill-fated Champions League campaign which has served us up a six-part series of appointment-television, dramatic perfection fit for an Emmy Award.To join go to secondcaptains.com/join - it's a fiver a month with no contracts, no minimum stay, no sneaky fees, no obligations, no ads and we're independent and Irish owned. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

Leinster went to war in La Rochelle, and at the fourth time of asking against ROG's team, got the win they craved. It won't make up for the last three seasons in Europe, but it was a deeply satisfying win.We chat to Shane Horgan and Murray Kinsella of The42 about Frawley's monster kick to seal it, the levels of animosity between these two teams, and Leinster's toughness, tackle technique and lineout masterclass.There's also Munster's weak set piece, Connacht taking a hammering at home and Ulster's roll of the managerial dice.And Ken gives us his take on Wiffen's short-course world record. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

A great weekend for Unai Emery and Lewis Dobbin, not only because they were winning but because they were celebrating in the right way, according to the people who pay attention to these things.Manchester United's 0-3 defeat to Bournemouth came as no surprise to Mystic Murph - but Erik ten Hag's team selection did. Still, if the title of Sir Big Jim's new book is anything to go by, help is on the way.Lars Sivertsen and Gavin Cooney join us to talk about the weekend's football. Is Emi Martinez emerging as Mikel Arteta's biggest transfer mistake that nobody really noticed at the time? Why might Martin Odegaard be struggling to hit the levels of last season? And how long can Chelsea hide in the shadows from their own reckoning?Gavin also brings us up to speed with some of the happenings of the FAI AGM on Saturday. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

After what could be considered one of the greatest performances in the club's storied history, it’s time to welcome a new force into the world of Premier League superclubs - Unai Emery's Aston Villa. Miguel Delaney and Rory Smith joined us to delve into their past and ask if they truly are contenders for this year's title.Plus, Malachy Clerkin and Sinead O'Carroll were in studio this week to review the best sports books of 2023. This time around, with the added wrinkle of having a book written by one of our judges on the shortlist.It's been a mega week on the World Service and there's so much more to come. To join go to secondcaptains.com/join - it's a fiver a month with no contracts, no minimum stay, no sneaky fees, no obligations, no ads and we're independent and Irish owned. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

In front of 8,100 fans in a packed out Sportsground, Connacht had Leinster beat; until the very death when Ciaran Frawley broke their hearts. We discuss the many ebbs and flows of psychic energy in this game and whether the pain will linger for Connacht.Gerry Thornley was in Galway to witness a deeply flawed Leinster display and a thrilling Mack Hansen comeback. We also discuss Munster's magic attack, Ulster's internal strife and big Thomas Ahern's shot at being a starter in Europe.Plus there's Match Of The Day McDevitt, Big Sam's hat and Ronnie O'Sullivan's numbers. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

We can be sure that Friday's live show guest Sam Allardyce would have been appalled at the spectacle of City 3-3 Spurs.For the rest of us it was pretty good. Spurs' devotion to their apparently suicidal gameplan, Kulusevski arriving at the back post like the wrath of god, Haaland screaming at the ref for calling it back as Grealish ran through - and Pep revealing in his post-game comments that he is a Master & Commander guy. John Brewin and Rich Jolly join us to talk about some of the weekend's action. Has Ange Postecoglou proved he is the real deal? What has gone wrong for Jack Grealish this season? Why is there such a wave of anger towards Marcus Rashford from Manchester United fans? And will Jadon Sancho succeed in outlasting Erik ten Hag?  Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.