Second Captains @ The Irish Times

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.

The Ireland France is finally here. Matt Williams and Shane Horgan give us their thoughts on the Sexton, the French media assault, and where it will be won and lost.And as the Ireland football team prepare for a huge couple of days, FIFA has had another turbulent day - the latest man in the firing line is Michel Platini. Plus there's Samuel Beckett and Second Captains, Eoin's hazy, crazy college days in Belfield and Ken's hatred of motivational speakers. See acast.com/privacy for privacy and opt-out information.

Eoin, Ken and Ciaran look forward to Ireland v Germany, and discuss the Klopp coup and the implosion of Michel Platini's political career.Richie Sadlier believes Robert Lewandowski's form is Ireland's best hope of qualifying for the playoffs.And Packie Bonner is in studio to talk about his new autobiography. See acast.com/privacy for privacy and opt-out information.

Eoin and Ken talk about the Premier League title race, which is a bit like watching all your uncles playing Mario Kart. Who will blunder over the line first? Why did Liverpool decide to sack Rodgers now? And what does Jose Mourinho think he's doing?Simon Hughes and Dion Fanning join us to talk about Brendan Rodgers' leaving of Liverpool. And Miguel Delaney was at the Emirates to see Arsenal blow Manchester United away. See acast.com/privacy for privacy and opt-out information.

We discuss one of the more insane weekends of sport this year - Liverpool FC lost their manager, the Rugby World Cup lost their hosts, Ireland nearly lost to Italy, Jose lost his mind, and Galway look like losing their hurling manager.We ask Denis Hickie and Gerry Thornley if Ireland's performance against Italy was something to worry about or just a road bump on the way to the France game. Plus there's Diego Maradona V Prince Harry, managerial heaves, 4 year plans and Rodgers And Me by Ken Early. See acast.com/privacy for privacy and opt-out information.

Eoin and Ken discuss the Conroy report on the League of Ireland. Might everything get better if we all stopped being so negative? Meanwhile, Jose Mourinho appears to have a John Terry problem.Gabriele Marcotti joins us to analyse the reasons why English clubs have been so poor in Europe this season.And John Brewin was there on Tuesday to see one of Arsenal's most humiliating ever nights in the Champions League See acast.com/privacy for privacy and opt-out information.

Stephen Ferris is in studio to talk to us about his glittering career, gym V game impact, throwing javelin and why Ireland can go all the way in RWC2015. The Mayo players want their management team out, and in the midst of another GAA civil war, there are no easy ways out. Malachy Clerkin and Mike Finnerty of the Mayo News talk us through the latest chapter in the never-dull history of the county. Plus there's the correlation between lifting weights and being a good rugby player, Cameron from Ferris Bueller's Day Off, and Devin Toner's tightly-packed viscera. See acast.com/privacy for privacy and opt-out information.

Henry Shefflin is widely acknowledged as the greatest player in the game's history, and now he has written a great autobiography. He joins us in studio to discuss self doubt, Cody, Cork hurlers and the sports psychologist priest. Ireland are moving serenely through the gears in the rugby World Cup, but England lost in devastating fashion to Wales - Shane Horgan and Gerry Thornley talk us through back three conundrums and Stuart Lancaster's meltdown. Plus there's reaction to Jack Grealish, Murph's love for Kilkenny that dare not speak its name, and a sparkling Mike Brown post-match interview. See acast.com/privacy for privacy and opt-out information.

Eoin and Ken discuss feeding frenzies, Steve G's pus drainage and how September has transformed Premier League expectations.Jonathan Wilson joins us to talk about the outlook for Brendan Rodgers, who says he needs the right tools to do the job. And Dermot Corrigan tries to tell us: what kind of manager do Real Madrid actually want? See acast.com/privacy for privacy and opt-out information.

Eoin, Ken and Ciaran discuss Lewandowski's stupendous Fünferpack, Pep's office Iago Aspas' lack of physique and Alex Ferguson's latest - and disappointingly boring - book.Richard Sadlier joins us to talk about Diego Costa, Dennis Wise and the rights and wrongs of "playing on the edge".And Michiel Jongsma brings us up to date on a feud between two legendary Dutch football men who straight up don't get along. See acast.com/privacy for privacy and opt-out information.