Second Captains @ The Irish Times

Tyrone are the All-Ireland football champions... so why is everyone still banging on about Mayo? We bang on about Mayo for a little while, before Oisin McConville and Paul Flynn make sure to give Tyrone their due for their skill-level, their finals mentality, and their opportunism. But why does this keep happening? There were tactical, technical and psychological flaws shown up on Saturday, and we delve deep into them all. Elsewhere there was a magnificent Galway surge to win the All-Ireland camogie title, we heard some serious GAA fast talkers, and we salute Britain's first billion-pound athlete. See acast.com/privacy for privacy and opt-out information.

Ken pitches a concept for new Premier League branding. The "mercury effect lion wearing a crown" is a non-symbol, it doesn't transmit anything. It's time for a new logo that encapsulates the league's rugged values.We also talk about Ronaldo's return and mass hysteria as the Kathryn Mayorga case hovers above. See acast.com/privacy for privacy and opt-out information.

So far on the World Service this week, we've had one hell of an All Ireland final preview with Paul Flynn and Oisin McConville, we've basked in the warm glow of the Bazunu and Omobamidele Show, and, most importantly, we've seen Murph and Ken let bygones be bygones and hug it out. Sign up to the World Service now for just €5 + VAT a month for independent, member-led broadcasting with a minimum of inter-presenter beef at secondcaptains.com/join See acast.com/privacy for privacy and opt-out information.

It was a classic All-Ireland women's football final in Croke Park yesterday, which saw Meath stun the four-in-a-row champions Dublin in a major shock. It was however no shock to seasoned watchers and admirers of Meathness - Murph gives us a run-down on just what makes the Royallers tick. Leona Maguire is the first Irishwoman to play in the Solheim Cup, but she wasn't content to get there - ever since the competition began on Saturday morning, she's been a revelation. Her singles match this evening could be pivotal, and with Katie Taylor winning on Saturday evening as well, it was a very, very good week to be an Irish sportswoman. See acast.com/privacy for privacy and opt-out information.

Ireland were behind to Azerbaijan with 4 minutes to go at home to Azerbaijan. A Shane Duffy equaliser spared Ireland's blushes somewhat, but some people have run out of patience. Richie Sadlier and Damien Delaney join us on the show today to discuss just how quickly we can expect an upturn in results on the pitch, how much responsibility Stephen Kenny bears, and what we can expect from Serbia tomorrow night. Fault-lines within the Second Captains team also reveal themselves, as Murph accuses Ken of attempting to gaslight the nation. See acast.com/privacy for privacy and opt-out information.

The main event on the World Service so far this week was Ireland's visit to Faro to play Portugal where a record-chasing Ronaldo lay in wait. Today, we've been grieving the loss of something that was very nearly beautiful, with the help of Richie Sadlier. Sign up to the World Service for independent, member-led, ad-free broadcasting now for just €5 + VAT a month at secondcaptains.com/join See acast.com/privacy for privacy and opt-out information.

Another dramatic weekend of GAA action will be picked apart in full by Oisin McConville and Paul Flynn tomorrow - they did see this Tyrone ambush coming on Saturday afternoon, they just didn't foresee Kerry not foreseeing it.With Sean Cavanagh and Pat Spillane clashing on live telly, the call has come again to move away from having analysts from the counties involved on broadcasts... we are not so sure that's a good idea.Meath are the All-Ireland minor champions for the first time in 29 years, and Nicole Turner won silver at the Paralympics this morning - before charming the nation with a post-match interview for the ages. See acast.com/privacy for privacy and opt-out information.

He’s back baby and the global Manchester United family is celebrating harder than ever.But if United signing a 36 year old Ronaldo and making him the best paid player in the league is obviously such a good idea, why did they wait until Man City seemed about to close the deal before making their move?Laurie Whitwell joins us to analyse the makings and implications of the mega deal. Will Greenwood improve under CR7, how does Bruno feel about this, is it a football signing, how did Fergie influence things and can he do a Tom Brady and play into his 40's?We also talk about Messi's PSG pro-am, Rio the matchmaker, Roy's selfies, Chelsea's band of brothers, Thiago Time, Arsenal's bad marriage and patronising Pep. See acast.com/privacy for privacy and opt-out information.

Pep Guardiola is heaping over-the-top praise on Gabriel Jesus, which means he’s probably gonna get rid of him at the end of the season. Ken also takes a look at the Marseille brawl, how Rafa Benitez motivates his players and big Shane Duffy's return to form. See acast.com/privacy for privacy and opt-out information.

Was this the greatest ever performance in an All Ireland hurling final? Maybe. Did we see the greatest half of hurling ever? Possibly. Are Limerick the biggest strongest hurling team ever assembled? Definitely.We talk to Jamie Wall and Malachy Clerkin about the perfect plan executed to perfection, how they seem to peak in finals, how much joy they take in their style of play, and the lessons rivals need to learn if they're ever going to beat them.Plus there's glassy-eyed stick-wielding fans, angry Brian Murphy, McConville V Flynn and Clash Of The Ash. See acast.com/privacy for privacy and opt-out information.

Hola! On this week’s World Service Ken speaks Spanish, speculates about Kane transfer speculation and admires the unique El Chiringuito formula for success - WWE, Love Island and old Spanish men talking nonsense about football. Meanwhile Murph and Eoin watched on as the best GAA punditry team in the biz, Oisin McConville and Paul Flynn, went at it over John Small and a hypothetical "anti Dublin bias", and Jamie Wall came up with a masterplan for Cork to beat Limerick.All these shows are at your fingertips IF you’re willing to part with just 5 euro a month. No minimum contract, no hidden extras, no ads. Go to secondcaptains.com/join. See acast.com/privacy for privacy and opt-out information.

We've assembled a crack punditry outfit for our analysis of Dublin/Mayo tomorrow, but there's no doubt this was the sporting event of the weekend. Ken bemoans some refereeing decisions that went against the Dubs, while Eoin eats some humble pie for laughing off the demise of his beloved boys in blue. Murph on the other hand is on top of the world - the Dubs' dominance is over, Offaly and Roscommon were both in an All-Ireland final, and a Meath team came back from the dead in classic Royaller style to qualify for their first ever women's football final yesterday. "We've gone back to the future and it feels sooooo good...." See acast.com/privacy for privacy and opt-out information.

The Premier League is back and so are Richie Sadlier and John Brewin to talk through the opening weekend. Do City need Harry Kane more than Spurs do? How is Jack Grealish going to fit into this system? And are Manchester United credible title contenders? Plus there's The Eagle Eye with Eoin McDevitt, polite Ken, and VAR, but not as we know it. See acast.com/privacy for privacy and opt-out information.

Ahoy podcasters! This week's World Service was all about Messi, Neymar, PSG, Barca, the return of the premier league, the Dublin Mayo rivalry and The GAA/GPA's handling of Tyrone's covid outbreak – available now IF you’re willing to part with just 5 euro a month. Go to secondcaptains.com/join. See acast.com/privacy for privacy and opt-out information.

Kellie Harrington is an Olympic champion, after what must have been one of the most emotionally draining Sunday mornings of all of our lives. We speak to former world champion Andy Lee and Gavan Casey of the42.ie about an extraordinary Irish sporting achievement, by an extraordinary Irish athlete - how she got there, what she did to get over the line, and what she needs to guard against for the next few months as her life gets turned upside down. We salute the joy and spirit of her family, Eoin pens a very special (terrible) poem memorialising the moment in verse, and, of course, there's a Mark Horgan audio-bed for Kellie Harrington - the woman who rocked the machine. See acast.com/privacy for privacy and opt-out information.

Today's football minipod takes on the big issues in a short time. Was it OK for Lionel Messi to cry? Should he play for free? And why do managers think Jack Grealish is simply too sexy to risk sending on to the field of play?And Ken tells us how pumped he is for the start of the new Premier League season. See acast.com/privacy for privacy and opt-out information.

We were all so full of hope on Saturday night - we could go to bed, and when we awoke, maybe Kurt Walker would have won a bronze medal at least, Aidan Walsh could have progressed to an Olympic final... maybe Shane Lowry and Rory McIlroy could do something at the golf, and Rhys McClenaghan could win us gold while we ate our breakfast? As it turned out, none of those things happened - we talk to Sinead O'Carroll and Cathal Dennehy live from the Olympic stadium in Tokyo, about a really disappointing day for Team Ireland, why Rhys McClenaghan deserves more than just platitudes, the lessons he can learn and the armchair psychology he can ignore, for Paris in 3 years time. Plus there's the return of Hoggwatch, why a 7-way playoff is such good telly, the night of nights for Italy, and why mixed team events in the Olympics are so much fun. See acast.com/privacy for privacy and opt-out information.

The first weekend of the Olympics has had it's usual mix of brilliant Irish displays, disappointment, ecstasy, beautifully upbeat post-race interviews and heartbreaking (and unnecessary) apologies to a nation. Mona McSharry became only the second Irish swimmer to make an Olympic final in a breathtaking achievement, and her final tomorrow will be a huge highlight for the country regardless of where she finishes. Michael Cheika and Shane Horgan tell us what happened at half time in the Lions South Africa game, how Warren Gatland played the refs like a piano, why the Lions can win it better and if South Africa can continue to trust the gameplan that won them a RWC.Frances Murphy gives us the TV guide to the overnight action, and there's Hoggwatch, as our hero contemplates what it means to even be Stuart Hogg any more. See acast.com/privacy for privacy and opt-out information.

We saw 'the greatest half of hurling ever played by any team', with a goal that 'no other player in the history of the game could have scored' yesterday, so it's safe to say that Limerick's second half performance got some tongues wagging.Derek McGrath and Jamie Wall are on form today as they discuss where Limerick's revival came from, the clinical way Kilkenny went about winning the Leinster final on Saturday evening, and the latest twists and turns as Davy Fitzgerald's Wexford are out of the championship at the hands of Clare for the second year in a row.Plus there's US/Italian Murph, side-feuds, excitable local GAA commentaries, and tasty qualifier draws - all the meats of the Irish summer stew. See acast.com/privacy for privacy and opt-out information.

Ahoy Monday only listeners! Today's World Service show was all about Messi, Neymar and Argentina - available now IF you’re willing to part with just 5 euro a month. Go to secondcaptains.com/join.We also had Paul Flynn, a new addition to our GAA punditry team, having a pop at Dessie Farrell for his handling of the questions around Stephen Cluxton’s future, Shane Horgan on the Lions, there's loads of Olympics next week and football will keep on footballing. See acast.com/privacy for privacy and opt-out information.