Second Captains @ The Irish Times

For all of Conor McGregor's global appeal, the biggest star in the UFC right now is Ronda Rousey. She's sold out the 70,000 seater Etihad Stadium in Melbourne for her next fight. We discuss her unique marketing mix.It was a good couple of days there, but the age of the little guy in the Rugby World Cup is over. Mattie Williams gives us his impressions of the first week of the tournament. And there's Barry McGuigan's anti-jogging rant, Murph's tricep-less arms, and England's World Cup panic. See acast.com/privacy for privacy and opt-out information.

All-Ireland football final day was a bit of a damp squib this year - Oisin McConville and Micheal Quirke reflect on Dublin's victory and one of the worst big-match displays by a Kerry team in living memory.Ken was at Japan-South Africa in the Rugby World Cup, and he, Shane Horgan and Gerry Thornley talk us through a thrilling opening weekend. Plus there's Ken's letter from Brighton, dream finals, heartfelt apologies, and hulking superstructures. See acast.com/privacy for privacy and opt-out information.

Eoin, Ken and Ciaran talk about Diego Costa. Is Chelsea's centre forward a soul in pain? Is it time for compassion rather than condemnation?Dion Fanning joins us to analyse Costa's struggle.Paul Doyle was at St Mary's to see Anthony Martial demolish a Premier League defence for the second week running. See acast.com/privacy for privacy and opt-out information.

The Dubs-Kerry glamour myth, Paul Flynn's uncertainty, Donaghy or Geaney, Kerry curveballs, open football - Oisin McConville and Malachy Clerkin preview the All Ireland final.U.S. Murph talks serial foot-sniffers, sexscapades, Rex Ryan's big mouth, and Brady's return. And there's the French hatin' on Croydon, Ken hatin' on France, Eoin's 80's shopping trips and Henshaw's hammie. See acast.com/privacy for privacy and opt-out information.

Eoin, Ken and Ciaran talk about Luke Shaw's recovery schedule, Jose Mourinho's pronoun problem, and how Rafael Benitez has just done Leo Tolstoy up like a kipper.Emmet Malone joins us to look forward to Chelsea v Arsenal this weekend. And John Brewin was there to see Manchester City rehash some old failings at home to Juventus. See acast.com/privacy for privacy and opt-out information.

The Rugby World Cup starts this weekend, and we scientifically prove Ireland will beat France. Gerry Thornley and Denis Hickie predict our first semi-final appearance, and a win for the All-Blacks, but not without a battle or two, and Doug Howlett joins us in studio too to talk World Cup pressure cookers.Another week, another All-Ireland medal for Cork superstar Briege Corkery - she talks to us from the winner's hotel. Plus there's Roger Federer's predictable failures, head prefects, and Mark Spitz-ing it down Cork main street. See acast.com/privacy for privacy and opt-out information.

Eoin, Ken and Ciaran discuss the Henryesque technique of Martial, a difficult episode in the high school basketball career of Barack Obama, and the Gothic stylings of Steven Gerrard's latest autobiography.Tony Barrett was at Goodison to witness an implosion by Chelsea and subsequent explosion by Jose Mourinho. And Jonathan Wilson analyses Manchester United's 3-1 victory over Liverpool. See acast.com/privacy for privacy and opt-out information.

Toulon are in the middle of a doping investigation, and their PR campaign could do with a little finessing. We talk to Shane Horgan about rugby's backward approach to drugs. One of our favourite authors Donald McRae joins us to talk about his brilliant new book "A Man's World - The Double Life of Emile Griffith", the 5-time world champion who hid his homosexuality from the world, but killed the boxer who tried to make it public. Plus - it's been a very good week for Lance Armstrong, as Paula Radcliffe and Floyd Mayweather fight for their reputations, Ken turns rugby pundit, and we lambast the slothful Roger Federer. See acast.com/privacy for privacy and opt-out information.

Eoin and Ken talk about Martin O'Neill's psychological manipulations, Grealish's fateful choice, and Lionel Messi's tribute to Rooney.Richie Sadlier comes in to discuss the materialistic road our civilisation is headed down. Is there really no other way? Plus there's LOI's TV money deficit, Jonny Wilkinson's self identity and Liverpool's baseline. See acast.com/privacy for privacy and opt-out information.

Kilkenny end the season as champions again - and rather than it being the last vestiges of a great side, it could just as easily be the start of another cycle of wins. Eoin Kelly is in studio, and Kilkenny corner-forward Walter Walsh joins us on the line.Mayo's dream dies at the penultimate hurdle, and Dublin take accuracy to a new level - we pick through the bones of Dublin's win with Oisin McConville and Micheal Quirke. We talk about the Grim Reaper of RTE's sports department, hot salty splashes of Galway pain, and why Ireland/England at 90% doesn't matter. See acast.com/privacy for privacy and opt-out information.

Eoin, Ken and Ciaran are preoccupied by the Robbie Keane conundrum. Is it begrudgery to point out that Ireland's goal king hasn't scored against anyone good except Sweden in the last four years?Tom English reports from Scotland on the mess they made of their trip to Georgia, on and off the field. And Simon Kuper joins us to point some fingers after two defeats left Holland staring Euro 2016 elimination in the face. See acast.com/privacy for privacy and opt-out information.

Eoin and Ken wonder how it would feel to be 19 and cost the same as Zidane. Hopefully Anthony Martial is the unflappable type.Richie Sadlier talks about De Gea and other transfer window stories, and we also hear from Emmet Malone who's with the Ireland camp out in Portugal. And Stephan Uersfeld joins us from Berlin to talk about German football's attitude to the European refugee crisis. See acast.com/privacy for privacy and opt-out information.

Eoin Ken and Murph kill time before a gigantic sporting weekend by discussing hypnosis, Mayo's sweepers, RWC scum emails, Marshawn Lynch's skittles commercial, and Ken's piano journey.We talk to two of the greats from Galway's past, Cyril Farrell and Noel Lane, about comparisons between the 1980's sides and the current version, and why thinking too much about Kilkenny is never great preparation for a final. Serena Williams is chasing the calender Grand Slam in NYC this week. We talk to US Murph about the excitement stateside and about one of the true trailblazers, Althea Gibson, a black woman from Harlem who was winning Wimbledon and US Open titles back in the 1950's. See acast.com/privacy for privacy and opt-out information.

Dublin Mayo have to do it all again on Saturday. We talk to Oisin McConville and Anthony Moyles about Dublin's mid 2000's style mental frailties, Mayo's bouncebackability, and who will win the replay.Ireland V Wales was supposed to help decide what fringe players would make the 31 man RWC squad. Instead we learnt more about who the starting XV should be against France. Gerry Thornley joins us in studio. Plus there's the High Court case that's aiming to stop South Africa going to the RWC, the sport that ate itself, Germany's response to the refugee crisis, and Dafne Schippers - the woman who runs faster than Flo Jo. See acast.com/privacy for privacy and opt-out information.

Eoin, Ken and Ciaran talk through a weekend of Premier League action that saw Chelsea, Liverpool and Manchester United all beaten. Will any of the wounded giants unleash a transfer market Spectacular in the next 36 hours? Chris Bascombe joins us to discuss Liverpool's unfortunate new habit of conceding three to six goals at a time. And Jonathan Wilson analyses whether Louis van Gaal's possession ethos is cramping Manchester United's style. See acast.com/privacy for privacy and opt-out information.

Mayo and Dublin meet again on Sunday in a game that has the potential to be a classic. The margins are wafer thin.... but all five people in studio predict a Mayo win.Newly-crowned European champion Michael Conlan talks about the impact losing Billy Walsh would have on Irish boxing. US Murph tells us about the Australian rugby star now ripping it up for the 49ers, and we look at Schmidt's RWC squad options. Plus there's Bolt V Segway, MDMA GAA snobbery, and more urinal chat. See acast.com/privacy for privacy and opt-out information.

Eoin, Ken and Ciaran discuss the glorious new dawn of the second era of Wayne Rooney. There is also a lot of transfer and Ashley Madison dating talk today.James Corbett joins us to talk about why Everton feel they should have a chance of holding on to John Stones.And Raphael Honigstein gives us his view on the record transfer of Kevin de Bruyne to Man City, while bringing us up to date with the latest in football jargon. See acast.com/privacy for privacy and opt-out information.

Eoin and Ken discuss the weekend's football. How many more lifetime minutes has Rooney played than Pedro? And how can Tony Pulis reconcile his admiration for Napoleon with his love of tradition, order and respect?Jacob Steinberg joins us to discuss West Ham's calculated risk in appointing Slaven Bilic. And John Brewin was at the Hawthorns to see Mourinho finally get the better of Tony Pulis. See acast.com/privacy for privacy and opt-out information.

Kerry are in the All-Ireland final again - the first champions to make it back to the final the following year since they did it themselves in 2008. Oisin McConville and Micheal Quirke discuss the incredible 24 month turnaround from talk of a drought to talk of an era of dominance.Usain Bolt V Justin Gatlin pulled in the fans this weekend - David Gillick tells us if the good vs evil narrative helps the sport of athletics. And we talk the Rorschach test for Chris Bart-Williams, Daley Thompson's tracksuit and the 'footbal fan on post-game rant' youtube genre - the gift that keeps on giving. See acast.com/privacy for privacy and opt-out information.

Eoin and Ken talk about Pedro. A cut-and-dried case of Chelsea coveting their neighbour's ass? If Manchester United didn’t covet Pedro, what was Ed Woodward doing in Barcelona? And why does Jose Mourinho burn out wingers at such an alarming rate?Richie Sadlier joins us to talk through the ramifications of the Pedro deal, and whether Manchester United can feel confident about their attacking options if that’s the last action of the transfer window. See acast.com/privacy for privacy and opt-out information.