Second Captains @ The Irish Times

The opening weekend of the All-Ireland Quarter-Final Group Stages, otherwise known as the Super 8s, was supposed to be, well... super. But that's not quite how it panned out. Can we blame Murph?It was overshadowed entirely by a six-goal World Cup final, and by Limerick's thrilling 2 point win over Kilkenny in the All-Ireland hurling quarter-final. Michael Duignan pays tribute to Limerick's new-look team, and to Kilkenny, who lost nothing in defeat but are now reduced to being a significant staging post in other teams' development. Oisin McConville and Mike Quirke join us to talk about wins for Tyrone, Dublin, Monaghan and Galway, and why we should probably withhold judgement until at least week 2 of this grand experiment. Plus there's Ken's latest travel woes, Dublin's two-finger salute, Oisin's travel-guide to the full Ulster GAA experience, and why we need more Lothar Matthaus in our lives. See acast.com/privacy for privacy and opt-out information.

Here ends a bizarre, uplifting, brilliant, outrageous World Cup - France are champions after a 4-2 win against Croatia, in a game where bafflingly they managed to play poorly for large stretches, and still win comfortably. Ken was there to witness Pogba, politicians and a penalty decision that shaped the game. For this latest VAR controversy, Ken peaks into the mind of the ref during the World Cup final.We speak to Philippe Auclair about this French team, their cautious, under appreciated, ridiculously-garlanded manager Didier Deschamps, and a beautiful 20 years of success. We talk to Dario Brentin in Zagreb about Croatian pride in defeat, Modric's perjury charges, and how politics has always been a murky force in their football, and will continue to be despite this magnificent month. Plus there's reaction on the streets of Dublin to the World Cup final, Vladimir Klitschko, Putin's poodle Conor McGregor, umbrellas, and Ken's team of the tournament. See acast.com/privacy for privacy and opt-out information.

It was a brilliant weekend for the Irish girls at the European u-18 championships with four medals from three athletes, and some championship records and PB's to boot. Sarah Healy was the star of the show, winning a 1500/3000m double, but there was also gold in the 200m for Rhasidat Adeleke, and a silver for Sophie O'Sullivan, daughter of Sonia, in the 800m. Derval O'Rourke is in Finland at the World Under 20's and she tells us why we should both be excited and patient with this extraordinary new crop of potential stars. We ask where all this success has come from and what the path from underage to senior is like in athletics. Oisin McConville and Michael Foley join us to talk about the last round of qualifiers, and the annual post mortem on the Cork footballers - this year's looks particularly gruelling. Plus there's sprinter's choice, the Leinster hurling final replay, Sarah Healy asks Europe to inspect the damage, and Sonia the supportive, stressed-out mum. See acast.com/privacy for privacy and opt-out

It was, for a change, quite routine on Saturday afternoon (by England tournament knockout game standards) as a 2-0 win over Sweden saw them qualify for only their third ever World Cup semi-final, and their first since 1990. Ken is a journalist, and so is unmoved by those who would suggest that he's not exactly embracing this England team... even if news that he was watching "The Wind That Shakes The Barley" on Saturday night leaked out online. Jonathan Liew of The Independent in London and Rory Smith of the New York Times talk us through England's impressive win, Pickford magic and look ahead to their match against an increasingly leggy-looking Croatia.And we discuss Waddle's lip wobble, self aware Ross Kemp, Harry Maguire's slab-head, Stuart Barnes on Neymar, Richard Clayderman, and Didier Deschamps' "that'll do" management which has gotten them all the way to the World Cup semi-final. See acast.com/privacy for privacy and opt-out information.

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Another weekend, another barely believable series of storylines. We said goodbye to Messi AND Ronaldo on the same day, clearing the way for the supporting cast to take centre-stage. Luis Suarez and Edinson Cavani are long-established in their own right, but Saturday felt like Kylian Mbappé's coming out party. We talk to Philippe Auclair about the French sensation who appeared in the football world apparently fully grown and self-assured. Ken was in the Luzhniki Stadium yesterday and spoke to Sid Lowe and Barney Ronay after Spain departed limply at the hands of the hosts. And today Ken speaks to us live from the cobblestones outside a boiling hot Samara Airport before heading to Brazil/Mexico, as he bemoans Mexican airplane etiquette, squashed sombreros, Cavani's cheekbone and Kasper Schmeichel's Zaire 1974 impersonation. See acast.com/privacy for privacy and opt-out information.

Mayo have illuminated the last decade of football, but they were dumped out of the championship last Saturday night when they lost a classic All-Ireland football qualifier to Kildare in Newbridge. Oisin McConville is in studio to talk about the structure that Mayo's players need in order to get them over the line, why they might not get that with this manager, and why they're still the GAA story of the decade. Michael Duignan is with us as well as we look back on the Munster and Leinster finals from yesterday, and the essential differences between hurling in the two provinces. Plus there's Cork's belief, Boris Becker's diplomatic immunity, and Kildare winning the battle and then winning the war. See acast.com/privacy for privacy and opt-out information.

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There may have been a few dissenting voices prior to this weekend, but be in no doubt now - this has been a brilliant World Cup. 27 goals in 6 games meant the tournament went turbo-charged in the last two days. Ken was on hand to see England's hammering of Panama Was he impressed? Raphael Honigstein tells us about the German reaction to Toni Kroos' impossible, magnificent last-minute goal to beat Sweden. And ahead of the last round of matches, we catch up with Oluwashina Okeleji as Nigeria's Super Eagles face Lionel Messi's Argentina. Plus there's Maurice Fitzgerald, sending referees to The Hague, and unflattering Second Captains player ratings. See acast.com/privacy for privacy and opt-out information.

Ulster final day is always pretty special, and Oisin McConville has been there for a few of them over the years. Leader of the DUP Arlene Foster was in Clones yesterday for her first, and we ask Oisin about the special significance of her decision to attend. Oisin and Mike Quirke cast their eye over the action on the field, as Dublin, Kerry and Donegal all completed routine provincial title wins. Shane Horgan joins us to talk about Ireland's dream rugby season - rounded off on Saturday morning with a gutsy series win against one of the Big Three Southern Hemisphere teams. We ask what's been learnt about Ireland's gameplans, and Ireland's players, on this tour?Plus there's Ryan McHugh's fly in a jam-jar impersonation, the potato-eaters' win over Phil "Crocodile" Kearns' men down under, and Felipe is on his way to educate Leinster! See acast.com/privacy for privacy and opt-out information.

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Ken goes to Russia tomorrow battling accusations that he has been spreading orientalist brain-rot via the pages of the Irish Times. Has he anything to say for himself? Has Putin got to him? Then Tim Vickery and Jonathan Wilson join us for our big World Cup preview. After finding out their respective earliest World Cup memories we turn to what we can expect on the field. Can Brazil rescue the reputation of South American international football? Can Argentina shake off their fatalism and prove themselves worthy of Messi? Are Germany and Spain getting enough respect? What would Jonathan's Auntie Doris have made of it?And can England find a new way to disappoint? Getting ready for Russia, good luck! See acast.com/privacy for privacy and opt-out information.

The All-Ireland hurling championship was always going to claim a few high-profile early exits, but it's still hard to believe that two of last year's All-Ireland semi-finalists, Tipperary and Waterford, are gone already. Michael Duignan is in studio to help us look back over Clare's seminal win over Tipperary in Thurles, and Kilkenny's ten-point turnaround against Wexford which saw them come back from the brink and land in a Leinster final. Shane Horgan watched Ireland against Australia, and has reasons to be cheerful despite the fact we got schooled in the air, at the breakdown and in contact. It's going to be an interesting week for Joe Schmidt, but Shane has a specific solution in mind for the threats posed by Folau, Beale and Pocock. Plus there's Ken's Presidential Time, the GAA's World Cup survival strategy, MO Salah goes down Grozny way, and bad news for Eddie Jones and his acolytes (Ken, for example). See acast.com/privacy for privacy and opt-out information.

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We were in Kilkenny at the Cat Laughs Festival this weekend, and took two of our favourite comedians, David O'Doherty and Adam Hills, for a walk on the mild side. With the World Cup starting in Russia in a few days and sports fans everywhere about to take a break from real life, we asked them why does sport get so much attention/love/hatred? David also has some breaking news on the Real Madrid job, Adam tells us about his Rugby League career, and we explain the Socceroos World Cup curse.Plus there’s Roseanne’s racism, the problem with gyms, and a very special live edition of Ken’s Champions League voice. See acast.com/privacy for privacy and opt-out information.

At half-time in Thurles yesterday, it looked like Tipperary's hurling world was falling in around them. Nine points down, at home to Cork, and with the criticism of the previous week's defeat to Limerick still ringing in their ears they somehow managed to resurrect their season, coming back to draw a thriller.Michael Duignan and Malachy Clerkin were there, and join us to talk about that, Waterford's horror opener, and Murph reports from Pearse Stadium as Galway's physicality and superior skill finally wore down Kilkenny.The big story in the football championship was Carlow's brilliant win over Kildare, and we speak to their manager and Svengali, Turlough O'Brien about why this is important for Carlow's self-image as a county, beyond sport.Plus there's Ed Sheeran, Linford Christie, the death notices on Shannonside FM, and Sean Óg de Paor. See acast.com/privacy for privacy and opt-out information.

We expected a dramatic Champions League final, and it didn't disappoint. Real Madrid are three-in-a-row champions of Europe, and Liverpool are left to rue Loris Karius' extraordinary, unprecedented performance, and Mo Salah's first half injury.Ken was there for us, and saw Karius' horror display, and the greatest goal he's ever seen, in the flesh. There's also his thoughts on Sergio Ramos being the exact opposite of a master of the dark arts, and we get reaction from all quarters, including the European Judo Union.Ken spoke with Miguel Delaney, Jonathan Wilson and Mark Critchley in the stadium after the game, and we also have time to talk about Tana Umaga's tip tackle on Brian O'Driscoll, Gareth Bale's 'come and get me' plea, and how sport is cruel, God doesn't exist and the Champions League respects no moral code. HAPPY MONDAY EVERYBODY!! See acast.com/privacy for privacy and opt-out information.