The 42 GAA Weekly

Fintan O’Toole and Declan Bogue join Ronan Early to review the hurling weekend.Declan explains why Cian Lynch should remain in midfield. Fintan ponders Cork’s options for full-back as the Munster championship countdown continues.The Rebels are off to Portugal now, where they may make progress on deciding their championship XV. But what happens on these training camps? Declan gives us the lowdown.Galway’s tide continues to rise. What can this team achieve in 2026? And how worried should Kilkenny be following their heavy defeat in Salthill? Very, going by Derek Lyng’s post-game comments.Also, are Clare building nicely in 1B or could they be undercooked for Munster?Has Wexford’s league campaign been a qualified success so far, and how will Kildare do against them in two upcoming meetings?A bit of football chat is in the mix too, will we get a Kobe-Clifford shootout, and who wins the Dublin-Armagh relegation four-pointer? Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

Fintan O'Toole and Denis Hurley give their immediate analysis from the Gaelic Grounds as Limerick get the better of Cork. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

Pádraig O’Hora tells Declan Bogue about climbing Everest and joy and regrets with Mayo in a searingly honest conversation. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

Fintan O’Toole and Declan Bogue join Ronan Early ahead of a big league hurling weekend.Cork and Limerick hurlers can meet a maximum of six times in 2026. That’s a lot of familiarity to add to the already close relationship the counties have shared in recent seasons.The Rebels struggled to get close to John Kiely’s all conquering team for years, but since 2023 there has usually been little between these sides - with many of their games bestowed with instant classic status.But how desperately will either want to win on Saturday night in the Gaelic Grounds? Future meetings between the teams, some real, some possible, all more important, are stacking up: league final, Munster Championship tie, Munster final, All Ireland series.If either of these sides are to win the Liam MacCarthy in 2026 then they’ll have to go through the other, more than once. It’s not proved easy in the past.Also, are Galway building serious momentum as Micheál O’Donoghue’s second reign begins to take shape? Can they upset Kilkenny in Leinster this year? Saturday’s league game might give us an idea.And at the other end of the hurling pyramid, Fermanagh are struggling in Division 3. Declan outlines how difficult it has been for them to get to the next level following their Lory Meagher Cup triumph in 2024. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

Declan Bogue and Fintan O’Toole join Ronan Early to chat about the Mayo prodigy’s debut and imminent move to Australia.Where does Kobe stand on the hype scale next to the likes of Eoin Kelly, Joe Canning and David Cliffird?What’s it like for teenagers to shoulder that level of expectation? And in McDonald’s case, how much is his talented and enigmatic father Kieran a factor in the wonder surrounding the 18-year-old?Also, should AFL clubs pay GAA clubs compensation for players? As things stand, is recruiting lots of young Irish players just a low-stakes gamble for Australian sides? Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

Fintan O’Toole and Declan Bogue join Ronan Early to explore what motivates players who manage to keep their intercounty careers going for almost 20 years.Also, the masters of two-point shooting and why there should be more of them.Plus, Kieran McGeeney thinks the contest for kickouts has descended into piggery. Should we be more worried if coaches, who will always seek control, like the new rules? Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

Ronan Early is joined by Shane Keegan to discuss his role as the Wexford hurling coach under manager Keith Rossiter.The 42 listeners will be familiar with Shane from the Football Family podcast and How to Win at Dominos.Shane made his name as a soccer coach with Wexford Youths and has managed at Galway United and Cobh Ramblers.For the past couple of years he’s been the football and hurling manager of Tipperary club JK Brackens.Now, he is part of the ticket for the Wexford senior hurlers. Today, Shane talks about coaching across different sports, his love of the game-based model pioneered in GAA by Paul Kinnerk and expresses his long-held misgivings about straight line drills and ball alley sessions. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

Declan Bogue and Fintan O’Toole join Ronan Early to discuss two big personalities in two big jobs: Ger Brennan with the Dublin footballers and Ben O’Connor in Cork.Is O’Connor’s invigorating brand of straight-talking going to endure? Or will he look to curb it slightly so as not to antagonise the faceless power brokers of the game above in Dublin?Can Brennan keep his side in Division 1, win back Leinster and make a run for Sam Maguire? Or, are Dublin set for a period of decline? If so, what would relative decline look like for them? Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

Fintan O'Toole is joined by Denis Hurley from The Echo as the lads give their immediate reaction from Pairc Úi Chaoimh to Cork's League win over Tipp. Rebels boss Ben O'Connor was displeased with the red cards, one for either side. The conversation starts there . . . Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

Fintan O’Toole and Declan Bogue join Ronan Early to consider whether revenge is ever worth it in the short or long term - and swiftly come to the conclusion that, yes, it is.But is a league game in February the right stage for acts of vengeance? Well, judging by a likely record crowd for the league, tens of thousands believe it will do, for now.Will we see a cracker between last year’s All-Ireland finalists? Or could a red card again skew the balance of an even contest? Or, if the rain refuses to stop, could this match be played under the rising Lee?Also, the lads take a look at Limerick and Kilkenny ahead of their clash in the Gaelic Grounds, and make some predictions for the hurling year ahead - which they reserve the right to change several times between now and July. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

Fintan O’Toole and Declan Bogue look back on the first weekend of the National League campaign, before turning their attention to big upcoming battles between Donegal and Kerry, and Mayo and Dublin. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

Ronan Early, Fintan O'Toole and Declan Bogue look ahead to the beginning of the GAA National Leagues this weekend. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

Fintan O'Toole and Declan Bogue provide immediate reaction to today's two All-Ireland club finals live from Croke Park. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

Declan Bogue and Fintan O’Toole join Ronan Early to discuss whether there will be a Kerry clean sweep in football titles, or whether St Brigid’s can atone for final defeat in 2024.In hurling Ballygunner take on Loughrea, with the Munster superpower keen to add to their one All-Ireland in 2022, while the Galway champions come into the decider with a sense of grievance due to the suspension of midfielder Cullen Killeen. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

Fintan O’Toole and Declan Bogue tell Ronan Early about their standout memories of 2025: best games, players, moments and also their biggest disappointments and hopes for next year. Fintan reviews Ballygunner’s win over St Martin’s. And the lads discuss the chances of a successful appeal for Loughrea’s Cullen Killen, who was red carded in the closing moments of his side’s decisive win over Slaughtneil.     Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

Declan Bogue sits down with National Head of Hurling Willie Maher this week. The Tipperary man talks openly about the injury that prematurely ended his playing career, his enduring love of the game and his sense of mission to make sure as many people as possible have the chance to play it. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

Fintan O’Toole joins Ronan Early to delve into the talking points of the weekend, the main one being the controversy over the conclusion of Dingle versus St Finbarr’s.The lads examine the letter of the law and how it was interpreted in those final frenetic moments in a thrilling Munster final in Thurles. Has there been a more stark example of the punishment exceeding the adjudged crime? Is the rule fair? Is it unfair to put officials in a spot where they have to make disproportionate and game-swinging calls in crucial moments?Also, the lads talk about the grace of St Finbarr’s and Jimmy Barry Murphy, who showed their essence in the minutes after a most gut-wrenching outcome.St Martin’s thrilling victory over Ballyhale Shamrocks is dissected, while Emma Duffy joins the pod to preview the weekend’s LGFA and Camogie finals at Croke Park. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

Fintan O’Toole joins Ronan Early to look ahead to the weekend’s big games: Ballyhale against St Martin’s, Athy v Ballyboden and the showdown of Dingle and St Finbarr’s.After a couple of hurling weekends which lacked shocks or pulsating contests, Fintan expects an improved spectacle in Croke Park as the Wexford champions try to derail Ballyhale. Awaiting the winners are Ballygunner, who gave an exhibition of control and poise in unsympathetic conditions at Semple Stadium last weekend. The lads marvel at their skill level and decision-making under pressure.Can Athy do what Kildare rivals Naas struggled to do over the previous four seasons and eliminate a Dublin opponent? And, in Munster, Dingle take the long road to Thurles where the Barrs await. Are the Kerry champions right to feel hard done by on the venue choice?Also, does football need further rule tweaks to address lateral passing, possession hoarding and suspense-killing tactics which can still be deployed at any moment? Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

Declan Bogue and Fintan O’Toole preview Thursday’s draw for the 2026 provincial championships, and look ahead to the Munster hurling, Connacht football, and Ulster hurling club finals Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

Following David Clifford’s shimmy into the world of apparel, Declan Bogue and Fintan O’Toole join Ronan Early to discuss the big questions: Is Clifford cool enough to sell hoodies? If not, then which GAA players are?Is it ever acceptable to wear initialled club gear in non-club settings? Why do managers need to have their job title scrawled on their back? What would happen if they went rogue and wore normal clothes?Also, Fintan chats us through following Ireland-Hungary on a delayed stream in Sixmilebridge. We discuss why a boom for soccer has never meant a bust for GAA.We reflect on the words of Jimmy Barry Murphy and Shane O’Donnell, who have achieved everything but are in dreamland as their clubs head towards a provincial final. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.