The Second Captains Podcast

If you felt some almost imperceptible shift in the world this weekend, the minutest tilting of the Earth on its axis, perhaps, there can only be one coherent explanation: it was the county of Cork and the province of Munster reclaiming their positions at the centre of the sporting universe. The first righting of the celestial wrong came in the Stade Marcel-Deflandre on Saturday evening, as Jack Crowley did what Cork-born Munster outhalves do: stepped into the pocket and slotted a drop goal to put Munster two scores ahead of ROG's La Rochelle. Twelve minutes and a whole lot of drama later, the full-time whistle blew with Munster victorious. Shane Horgan and Gerry Thornley join us in studio to chat through an incredible game full of heroics, emotion, atmosphere, momentum swings, 50/50 ref calls and nostalgia.On Sunday the Cork hurlers thumped Tipperary in Páirc Uí Chaoimh to seal their first league title since 1998, with a good old-fashioned pitch invasion thrown in for good measure. Plus there's Mick O'Dwyer myths busted, Coombes' block, Mick Galwey on a JCB, and Leinster's 62-0 win in Croker. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

Ken, Branno and Mark went to Dalymount Park in search of vitriol - and they found it - but also nearly all of the other emotions on an evening that veered wildly between blind rage and helpless laughter. If everyone can agree the LOI is in a good place the same is not universally said of the Premier League where most of the teams are giving the impression that they would quite like to be on holidays already.Mark Critchley and Jack Pitt-Brooke join us to talk about the weekend's PL football. Did we just witness the worst Manchester derby of all time? If so, who is to blame? Where does Kevin de Bruyne stand in the pantheon of football greatness? And what chance remains of Ange fulfilling his cursed second-season prophecy?  Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

Welcome to our weekly World Service taster menu.Join in the fun for just a fiver a month – no contracts, no sign-up fee, no minimum stay, no hidden charges, and no ads. Head to secondcaptains.com/join for more details. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

The most cinematic moment in world football this weekend happened at Dalymount Park as Moses Dyer hammered in a killer second goal for Galway United to plunge Branno, among many others, into a world of pain. Today he takes us behind the veil of darkness as we try to reckon with Bohemians' 5 defeats in their last 6 games. We also discuss Newcastle's JFK moment, the latest developments in Robbie Keane's chase for the Hungarian championship, and the reaction to a controversial tweet in which somebody claimed to have quite enjoyed their six-week stay in Dublin. Is this a shark-jumping point for Ken's favourite app? Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

It was a positive weekend for Irish rugby with the women's team getting a near flawless 8 try victory in Italy, Leinster's B / C team taking down Siya Kolisi's star studded Sharks in Durban, Ulster showing further signs of life against the Stormers, and Munster's halfbacks steering them to a win over Connacht. And even Connacht, as bad as they were at times, can feel they got something out of the game with two losing bonus points, a sellout crowd and a small footprint made in GAA territory.We chat to Shane Horgan and Gerry Thornley about the occasion in Castelbar, Connacht's great attack and terrible defence, Jack Crowley's contract situation, Leinster's defiance in Durban ahead of Quins in Croker, and the total transformation in the Irish women's team over the last 12 months.Plus there's "Lunnachts", Murph's Leaving Cert drinks and Munster's trip to ROG country. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

We have a special edition of the show for you today; we’re putting yesterday’s conversation with David and Chantal Sneyd about their son Dylan, out free to all. There was a phenomenal reaction from our members and we felt this one should be shared as widely as possible.When Dylan was two David and Chantal grew concerned that he hadn't yet started to speak. They spoke to their GP who referred Dylan for further assessment, and so began the Sneyds' long and still ongoing struggle to navigate the Irish healthcare system.Dylan has since been diagnosed with autism, a diagnosis which brought David and Chantal some relief, but it was hard-won: interminable HSE waiting lists meant they eventually had to opt for a private assessment, years after that initial GP visit. David and Chantal joined us in studio to describe what life over the last four years has been like for them, the huge frustration that they and thousands of other families around the country feel in trying to access basic services for their children, and what they think the future holds for Dylan.  Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

Mayo and Kerry both spent time yesterday in the relegation zone, but they’ll spend this week looking ahead to a Division 1 final in Croke Park after a daft last day of the National Football League.Paul Flynn and Conor McManus look at this strange, fun, league campaign in full, with some flowers for newly-promoted Monaghan, and we go down through the divisions in search of possible championship bolters to put up a challenge to a faltering Dublin in Leinster.We also discover the truth behind Paul Flynn’s history with the shin-pad, courtesy of a listener, and Eoin tells us about the time he met the late, great George Foreman. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

Two comeback wins in four days, new options announcing themselves all over the pitch - just a couple of months on from getting wiped out 5-0 by England, it feels as though things are going... well?Damien Delaney and Richie Sadlier join us to talk about the playoff victory against Bulgaria and where the Irish team is at, eight matches into Heimir Hallgrimsson's tenure. For Damien in particular, this is a big moment. He is ready to love again.Plus there's Evan Ferguson's parking, Good Will Hunting and have we got Ronaldo rattled? Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

Let us take you by the hand and guide you through another week of independent, member-led broadcasting on the Second Captains World Service.This week we had Ken on victory in Plovdiv, Murph and Branno on The Moose's caboose, we discussed the ultimate "conesman" Anthony Barry and his 5,000 throw-ins, and with Ireland's recent slide in standards we asked Gerry Thornley and Chris Jones of the BBC what impact Andy Farrell's absence and Nienaber's coaching style at Leinster may be having on the national side.For all this and more, visit secondcaptains.com/join where you can sign up now for just €5 a month, with no minimum stay, no sign up fee and no ads. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

Dan Burn, Eddie Howe, Yasir Al-Rumayyan: they dream the same dream, they want the same thing. At least they all did at Wembley Stadium yesterday evening. As for tomorrow, who can say... Rory Smith of the Athletic joins us to talk about the game. How did Newcastle so comprehensively get the better of the league leaders? And how does the result affect the perception of Liverpool's season, which still looks likely to end with a Premier League title? James Montague, who has a new book coming out next week on Saudi Arabia's takeover of world sport, was also at Wembley to witness Newcastle's day of destiny. We talk about what the victory meant for the Newcastle fans, the commitment of the PIF to further successes with Newcastle, and the rhetoric of human rights in the age of autocracy. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.