Second Captains

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.

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.

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?

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.

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.

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.

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.

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.

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.

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.

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.

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.

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.

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.

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.