Second Captains @ The Irish Times

Michael Conlan is our first ever male world boxing champion, a fact overshadowed in recent weeks by the Billy Walsh farrago. We went to the National Stadium to talk to our choice as Irish Sports Personality of the Year about turning pro, Rio, and the Conor McGregor template.The English Rugby World Cup farce shows no sign of losing momentum - with Sam Burgess on his way back to rugby league, and players embroiled in a financial controversy, Shane Horgan talks to us from London. Plus Murph quotes Garth from Wayne's World, we have Jim McGuinness' Good Wall choices, swing confidence, and TV3's Six Nations coup. See acast.com/privacy for privacy and opt-out information.

The reaction to Ireland getting Bosnia in our Euro 2016 qualification play-off was cautious optimism - but with injuries and suspensions taking a heavy toll, many Irish fans would take any result tomorrow night that gives us a fighting chance on Monday evening at the Aviva. Ken talks to us from Heathrow, and we have Richie Sadlier in studio ahead of another seismic few days for the Ireland football team.Missed flights, bullet-proof self-confidence and phenomenal d******** also feature prominently. See acast.com/privacy for privacy and opt-out information.

WADA have recommended that Russia be banned from international athletics in an extraordinary story which leads all the way to the cabinet of the Russian government. David Epstein, author of 'The Sports Gene' gives us his reaction. Gerry Thornley looks ahead to the start of the European Champions Cup, and we talk mighty Russian sturgeons, an inconvenient draw in Kerry, and whether the last two months of 2015 could finally kill off sport altogether. See acast.com/privacy for privacy and opt-out information.

Eoin, Ken and Murph talk about Cristiano Ronaldo - who this week finds himself the subject of an authorised film spectacular, and an unauthorised biography. Would he have been better off remaining at Manchester United? And which animal has he come to resemble? Jonathan Wilson tries to explain why Chelsea suddenly seem so reluctant to sack their manager. It's never been a problem for them before.And Kieran Canning joins us from Spain to discuss the departure of David Moyes from Real Sociedad. See acast.com/privacy for privacy and opt-out information.

Eoin, Murph and Ken discuss the Web Summit's wanderly wagon, watching sport in pubs, how to become a Viscount and America's Pepe Reina. US Murph tells us about the Kansas City Royals' World Series party and the return of the 'gut' guy.Plus we talk about the scandal enveloping the IAAF, as a former President is investigated for taking money to suppress positive drug tests. See acast.com/privacy for privacy and opt-out information.

Eoin, Ken and Ciaran discuss Somali pirates, Viking tattoos and delve into the deathless memory banks of the internet to analyse Jose Mourinho's love-hate relationship with the Chelsea fans. Richie Sadlier joins us in studio to discuss dressing-room treachery and whose criticism to take seriously.And Ken interviewed Liverpool CEO Ian Ayre at the Web Summit. See acast.com/privacy for privacy and opt-out information.

Jim McGuinness' new memoir has already attracted its first controversy, with current Donegal manager Rory Gallagher hotly refuting Jim's version of the events that led to Gallagher's leaving the backroom staff under McGuinness in late 2013. Can high-profile number 2's ever work, and should we sit back and open the popcorn ahead of Davy Fitzgerald and Donal Og Cusack's partnership with Clare next year?Shane Horgan gives us his thoughts on another World Cup triumph for New Zealand, and Ireland's RWC 2023 bid.We discuss Steve Williams and his unique view on the role of golf caddy, Big Sam's disciplinarian dad and Jose Mourinho's mental walls. See acast.com/privacy for privacy and opt-out information.

Eoin and Ken discuss the weekend's Premier League. Vardy and Mahrez continue to rip it up while the walls close in on Jose.Dion Fanning was there to see Liverpool's 3-1 win at the Bridge.And John Brewin joins us to discuss whether Manchester United's goalscoring problems lie with the players or the philosophy. See acast.com/privacy for privacy and opt-out information.

Eoin, Ken and Ciaran talk about Sepp Blatter's Russian interview, Michel Platini's courtly metaphors and Paul Scholes' ongoing onslaught against Louis van Gaal's revolution.Gabriele Marcotti joins us to discuss Blatter's revelations. And Sid Lowe talks to us about the contrasting images of Rafael Benitez and Cristiano Ronaldo See acast.com/privacy for privacy and opt-out information.

It's World Cup final weekend, and against all our better judgement we're very excited. Mattie Williams is in studio, and we try to forget that there hasn't yet been a good showpiece game since this tournament began in 1987.John Leonard joins us to talk about his new book "Dub Sub Confidential" - from sexual abuse as a child, to a spell in his life in his early twenties when he went completely off the rails, to a stint behind Stephen Cluxton as Dublin goalkeeper under Pillar Caffrey, it's an amazing story. Plus there's plucky underdog NZ killing rugby as a sport, Big Sam's dress, and Ken's love for David Pocock. See acast.com/privacy for privacy and opt-out information.

Proud finisher Eoin McDevitt, fresh from the Dublin Marathon, takes the helm for a discussion with last year's marathon winner Eliud Too, who tells us how he spent his winnings and why he named his two cows Ken Early and Ciaran Murphy.Gerry Thornley and Shane Horgan try and fail to avoid talking about Ireland while reviewing the weekend's Rugby World Cup semi-finals. And there's Eoin's Foghorn Leghorn physique, Donal Og Cusack joining Clare, and a 20,000 word thesis on what we've learned from RWC 2015. See acast.com/privacy for privacy and opt-out information.

Ken and Ciaran talk about committee dialogue and the difficulty of sticking by the courage of your convictions. There is also some Wayne Rooney pity-talk.Miguel Delaney was at Upton Park to see Jose Mourinho lose his dignity in the director's box. And Michael Walker saw Sunderland continue their astonishing winning streak against Newcastle United. See acast.com/privacy for privacy and opt-out information.

We were live in the Sugar Club for a show in association with our sponsors Rabo Direct, and we were joined for a chat by Brian Kerr and Emmet Malone - on the agenda was Ireland's upcoming playoff with Bosnia, Jurgen Klopp and priced-out football fans.Plus there's an excerpt from Ken Early - The Marseilles Years, and a chat with John Brewin on the Manchester derby this week. See acast.com/privacy for privacy and opt-out information.

Eoin, Ken and Ciaran discuss Ireland's sad addiction to a certain dreary dirge that has become an infallible portent of doom. Meanwhile Jose Mourinho adds another pile of winger bones to his boneyard.Football man Dion Fanning joins us to try to understand why Ireland's rugby heartbreak pleased many football men. And Jonathan Wilson was at White Hart Lane to see Jürgen Klopp's managerial debut in the Premier League See acast.com/privacy for privacy and opt-out information.

Ireland have fallen short again – Shane Horgan and the lads talk through another heartbreaking, deflating defeat at a Rugby World Cup.Billy Walsh has left his position as the head coach of the IABA’s High Performance Unit - Bernard Dunne gives his reaction. If that wasn't enough, we talk to the Scots about their heartbreaking defeat to Australia. Plus there's England poaching Joe, Six Nations revisionism, and the fallacy of four year plans. See acast.com/privacy for privacy and opt-out information.

After three years of build-up to our seismic game against France last Sunday, it seems we barely have time to draw breath before our World Cup quarter-final against Argentina.Matt Williams tries to temper the fatalism, while Diego Albanese, try-scoring hero from Lens in 1999, gives us the Argentinian view. Plus there's US Murph on the Chicago Cubs, Boris Johnson is at it again, and we take a trip to Franno-land. See acast.com/privacy for privacy and opt-out information.

Eoin and Ken discuss the sensitive soul of Big Sam Allardyce. He bruises easily but he's got a good heart. There is also talk about Brentford and the reasonable-sounding revolutionary who owns them, Matthew Benham.Raphael Honigstein joins us to chat about his book, Das Reboot: How German Football Reinvented Itself and Conquered the World. See acast.com/privacy for privacy and opt-out information.

Eoin and Ken talk about Ireland's defeat in Warsaw, the Wes mystery, Robbie Brady's best position, playoff positivity, and how the Euro qualification picture looks now.Dion Fanning and Miguel Delaney comb through the wreckage of a nation's dream. See acast.com/privacy for privacy and opt-out information.

Super Sunday finished with Ireland safely through to the World Cup quarter-finals in rugby, and our football team consigned to the playoffs... a place we'd have gladly taken 5 months ago, 5 weeks ago, and in truth, even 5 days ago.Shane Horgan gives us his reaction to a brutal, gripping satisfying World Cup win and Gerry Thornley reports from the field hospital that is the Irish camp in Cardiff. Richard Escot of L'Equipe tells us how the French team feel they have betrayed the nation, and Ken is fresh off the plane from Warsaw. See acast.com/privacy for privacy and opt-out information.

A joyous, stunned and emotional podcast celebration of Ireland's 1-0 win over Germany with Eoin, Ken and Murph. Also includes hugs with strangers, Ken getting harassed by a 9 month old baby, why we love Shane Long so much, and why Stephen Ward's performance against Port Vale was a clear sign he would shut out Thomas Muller. See acast.com/privacy for privacy and opt-out information.