LOI Central

We are back from an international break to begin the countdown towards the climax of the season – our live show in Rascals on Monday November 3 with tickets going on sale on Wednesday. Oh, and there’s the end of a thrilling European race, the playoff battle and the prospect of an FAI Cup Final at the Aviva Stadium where the fans – and not the SHOUTY PA GUY – will hopefully provide the volume. That’s a bit of a garbage time rant in a show which is heaven for those who like permutations as the lads unpick the significance of the weekend’s results with Johnny, fresh back from Dalymount, gathering the thoughts of both Stephen O’Donnell and Barry Baggley. Johnny tackles some criticism from Shels heads with the same relish he approaches small talk at a creche, a starter to a diverse mailbag that veers from Flann O’Brien to Usher before ending up in the cycle lane. As ever, we’re trying to stay on the right track with the help of Sport Cosanta, Future Ticketing, Collar & Cuff and Rascals Brewing.

On a week where skeletons are being found lying around all kinds of closets, a squeaky clean Kevin Doherty stops by Oliver Ireland for an international break chat on the highs and lows of 2025 – so far. While hedging his bets on talented non-Drogheda players, he is quite clear about his priorities and ambitions for his current crop of Drogs as well as his plans for a guaranteed Premier Division run again next season. Inside the hand-stitched Collar & Cuff mailbag is a lot of Saint Pat’s disillusionment as Stephen Kenny’s reign comes under scrutiny. There’s the obligatory Damien Duff mention, the overlong intro monologue, and a teaser date for the next live show. It’s all a bit hectic this time of the year and the adrenaline-fuelled banter is brought to you by Future Ticketing, Collar & Cuff, Rascals Brewing(ery) and Sport Cosanta. Oh – and didn’t we mention Cork City are in the cup final?

The finishing line is in sight for everyone apart from Shamrock Rovers and Shelbourne as the closing stretch of the league clashes with the beginning of European league phase excitement. Dan and Johnny convene to discuss a busy week on a variety of fronts; and return to the familiar theme of Shamrock Rovers levels and Shelbourne’s 2024 standards, discussions that might just happen more frequently than Waterford changing managers. Our mailbag listeners do ask us to go there in the search to put respect on names, while there’s also talk of Damien Duff sightings, ungentlemanly transfer speculation and Derry dramas amongst other things. Johnny hears from Cork City’s Seani Maguire ahead of a big weekend for the final four in the FAI Cup. We couldn’t do this without our fab four; Collar & Cuff, Rascals Brewing, Future Ticketing and Sport Cosanta.

The boys are back in Oliver Ireland for a quickfire review of a double header that could prove very significant come the end of the season. Johnny has Galway’s woes on the mind, while Dan debates the potential legacy of this Shamrock Rovers side before we hear from Andrew Quinn and Joey O’Brien about another Drogheda v Shelbourne meeting where possession equals defeat. On top of that, we’ve got a mailbag searching for new words on Mason Melia, some worries about Waterford’s slump and a call for European predictions that the lads skilfully manage to swerve before Dan changes course with a big call for 2026. All of these definitive guesses are brought to you in association with Future Ticketing, Collar & Cuff, Sport Cosanta and Rascals Brewing.

We are back after an international break to forget and savouring a weekend to remember in the FAI Cup unless you happen to be from Connacht. Kerry FC's heroic exploits take top billing, but there's a heavy Sligo Rovers angle to that drama too while Johnny was down at Richmond Park to hear from Kian Leavy and John Caulfield after St Patrick's Athletic got the better of Galway. Dan details a dramatic night in Drogheda and there's a bit of Derry chat too in a crowded mailbag that includes TV statistics, Israel, the DUP and why the difficult child has become the FAI's favourite distraction. In a week of 4-3 wins, we remain grateful to our four sponsors who make this happen consistently - our friends at Future Ticketing, Rascals Brewing, Collar & Cuff and Sport Cosanta

It was a week of mixed emotions for everyone involved in Irish football with news of Ollie Horgan's final farewell coming through ahead of a historic ‘going electric’ night on the pitch for Shamrock Rovers and Shelbourne. We try and cover both bases here with Dave Webster joining to offer his reflections on the joy of working with the late, great Galwegian with Ollie also coming up in the course of Johnny's chat with Stephen Bradley about another landmark achievement for the Hoops. In addition to that, there's saunas in Saints territory, the perils of football addiction, Celje throwbacks, and a come and get me plea to Dubai property buyers. All of this above board fun is brought to you in association with Future Ticketing, Collar & Cuff, Sport Cosanta & Rascals Brewing. Safe travels Mister Horgan.

The lads take stock as Shelbourne and Shamrock Rovers are both tantalisingly close to group stage football after a quite incredible night on Thursday. Dan relays his trip to the Azores, where some locals were more interested in the staff in the chip van than whether the Rovers performance was different gravy to other LOI wins in Europe. The lads discuss that point but there is no debate around the emotional moment of the week. We're recording from JW's apartment for sale, but his last cup of tea in the old place is about as satisfying as the pitch in Drogheda, while he's alarmed at Galway's squad disintegrating in the off-season. Dan discusses the joys of a global transfer story, with the size of Victor Ozhianvuna's fee just one of the discussions arising from a crowded mailbag which includes something even more precious than the sweet taste of a jaffa cake - an actual quote from a referee! All of this and more is brought to you with our friends at Collar & Cuff, Sport Cosanta, Future Ticketing & Rascals Brewing

Our LOI family full of eccentrics is back this week, a little hoarse ten years on from a fine day involving a horse. Did Oasis hit the FAI Cup crowds? Did the Mrs. Browns Bohs fans at Oasis even know they were out of the FAI Cup? Is Liam Gallagher really just a poor man's Sean Malee? The lads butt heads on this and more before we hand the mic over to another forthright front man with Patrick Hoban dialling in to discuss the miserable end to his time at Derry and what the club needs to do to graduate from supporting act to headline artist. There's also a packed mailbag with Rory Gaffney love, the return of Dalymount doom, a five a side angle with a twist and at least one reference to Alphaville. May we stay Forever Young with the help of Rascals Brewing, Collar & Cuff, Sport Cosanta and Future Ticketing. Say it loud and sing it proud today.

It’s a two part show this week as Johnny and Dan kicks things off on location in Tolka Park, picking through the bones of a near miss for Shelbourne that sends them to the European last chance saloon. After the Shels wrap, we go back in time to Oliver Ireland for a catch-up with Conan Byrne that – amongst other things – touches on the pros and cons of punditry and coaching as he embraces a new football life. We also hear about his follow-up meeting with Patrick McEleney after THAT dive in Derry, a topical segue into a mailbag dominated by refereeing rage with a side of VAR that turned out to be a window into the very near future. Throw in another game of Bohs jersey watch, a bad Brandywell bet and an unexpected war on winking and it’s another packed show with thanks to our never late and always great friends from Rascals Brewing, Collar & Cuff, Sport Cosanta and Future Ticketing. Hopefully this isn’t a waste of your time..

It’s another remote session this week with the lads rattling through the talking points of the week and some discussion starters that have very little to do with anything from the last seven days. Can Shels, Pat’s and Shamrock Rovers extend their European adventures? What’s the story with the way Dan says Lithuania? Have European competitions become too bloated? What’s the right way to say protagonist? You can decide what the important questions are but we do look forward to more UEFA sanctioned fun – with some words over Zoom from Joey O’Brien and the nodding Evan Caffrey – before deciding that the race for Europe 2026 is going to dominate the rest of this league campaign. Our mailbag covers Drogheda delays, ticket price theories, and one listener’s exhaustive jersey search at All Together Now. All of this stopstart fun is brought to you in association with Sport Cosanta, Future Ticketing, Collar & Cuff and Rascals Brewing

We are back in Oliver Ireland this week, with the steady hands of Barry Murphy adding depth to our conversation. European matters take second billing behind a dramatic Friday night that has left a legacy of regret and recriminations. Cork City’s demise is analysed and there’s a bit of Galway United stress too before a packed mailbag is dominated by fraught events in Derry that raise big questions about the operations at the Brandywell. There’s also late transfer deals, Barry’s audacious Oasis-Dublin Marathon swap plans, recurring players to watch and an ode to the joys of Leisureland. We’re available on more than two channels and we wouldn’t be going for gold without the help of Future Ticketing, Collar & Cuff, Sport Cosanta and Rascals Brewing.

We’ve reached that glorious point of the year where the evidence of one tie makes us experts on the levels of teams from Lithuania, Azerbaijan and wherever else the European dice rolls. Chris Shields wasn’t guessing about Shelbourne when the Champions League set up a cross border clash and the Linfield midfielder dials in to give us his reflections and regrets before a bit of general LOI chat. The cup didn’t do a huge amount to float our boat this week, although Dan was still flagged for pirating offences, a prelude to a mailbag with more Cork based concerns, crisp dilemmas, and the return of the Oriel Park pitch review. Thanks as ever to Future Ticketing, Collar & Cuff, Sport Cosanta and Rascals Brewing for keeping our ship afloat.

Johnny is out of the building this week but we’ve got solid foundations visiting Oliver Ireland absence with a representative from the construction industry and an architect – neither of whom identify as ex-footballers. Paddy Kavanagh and Dave McMillan do have experience of several of the themes we discuss this week; confident attackers, the psychology of European ties and the ingredients that are needed to challenge for a title. We talk Bohs form, Sligo Rovers v Derry implications and the second leg task facing Shelbourne and St Patrick’s Athletic before there’s a slight diversion towards angry Falkirk fans and Florent Malouda’s Turkish entourage. Thanks to Collar & Cuff, Future Ticketing, Rascals Brewing and Sport Cosanta for keeping the show on the road. If you’re ever struggling to do the same, Dan can recommend a fella in Clontarf…

European football is here, a chance to learn about new teams, unknown players and exotic places. And then there’s Shelbourne v Linfield. The first section of this show is taken up by discussion of Wednesday night with a bit of Mark Coyle, Joey O’Brien and David Healy audio thrown in. Have Linfield staff attended more FAI Cup finals than your average Irish tourist in Cambrils? This week’s show might just provide the answer. We also discuss St Pat’s, the Streisand effect and the goal return in Inchicore being similar to the alcohol content in Johnny’s beverages of choice. In a crowded mailbag, we have a bit of podcast to podcast action, Dermot Usher analysis, the inevitable Derry City title race discussion and much more besides. All of this 24 hour partying is brought to you in association with Rascals Brewing, Collar & Cuff, Future Ticketing and Sport Cosanta.

Won’t somebody think of the football? After a day dominated by the latest Bohs jersey launch and another famous face performing an acting masterclass at the Cross, Dan and Johnny try to merge Tuesday’s box office activity with the oft forgotten events on the pitch. This wide-ranging session brings us from Oasis to Odubeko, and from Keane to Keena while there’s also enough there for the obsessives – be they journalists or non-Shels fans – who can still hear the sound of Duff. We hear from Joey O’Brien about a relationship that will live forever, while John Caulfield tells us the story behind Moses relocating half the world away and the lads also analyse the reasons behind Douglas James Taylor just yesterday morning letting Drogheda know he was gone. All these shoehorned song lyrics are brought to you in association with our friends at Sport Cosanta, Collar and Cuff, Future Ticketing and Rascals Brewing. Lame jokes? Yes but, by now, you should have somehow realised what we were going to do.

We've had a double header in both divisions since our last show but there's only discussion point on the agenda today; what about those goalscoring Lomboto brothers? They have their own God but our main talking point, naturally enough, is how the League of Ireland will cope without its sometime messiah Damien Duff, who interrupted the regular Sunday service to make a shocking exit to a Simply Red tune. We'll hear bits from his last press conference before pondering the chain of events that few saw coming - not even from the grassy knoll. It's not just a Duff show - contrary to predictions - as there's a bit of Bohs brilliance, and Alan Reynolds talking about a return from the dead over Easter that appears to be attracting a growing number of devotees. Johnny took his microphone to Inchicore to catch the thoughts of an under-pressure Stephen Kenny and also hear a few words from Derry's Tiernan Lynch and Liam Boyce. We also have pizza tales from Ballybofey, Hurley as Moleman, missed messages, the context to crazy scenes in Cork and Moses stepping out of line. Your weekly sermon of football opinions interspersed with Simpsons, Father Ted and Only Fools and Horses references comes to you in association with Rascals Brewing, Sport Cosanta, Future Ticketing & Collar & Cuff, all of whom will be back next week, but Damien won’t, or will he?

We are back in Oliver’s offices to discuss a week that delivered an unwelcome twist for Drogheda United with the excitement of the European draws leaving the Boynesiders with a bitter aftertaste. Dan gives the lowdown on the story in a crowded mailbag that also features the content king that always delivers - an outraged Damien Duff. We talk dressing room songs, tinfoil hats, relentless Rovers and much more before we dial up our old pal Ruaidhri Higgins who discusses life in Coleraine, scotches a ‘lazy’ transfer rumour and then gives us the rundown on Shels v Linfield before we finish the show with the Grok/Athlone/Ulysses mash up that nobody wanted. This beefy effort is brought to you in association with Collar & Cuff, Rascals Brewing, Future Ticketing & Sport Cosanta.

AS most of the League of Ireland heads for the departure lounge, our co-hosts are back via arrivals to take their regular perch in Oliver Ireland for our mid-season review. We make it there with the help of a stopover on the turbulence of media relations in a small world, before ascending to broader discussions around Josh Honohan’s public feedback, the beauty of Galway’s defensive formations and Seani Maguire speculating on how far Cathal O’Sullivan can go. This is interspersed with general musings about the futility of our existence, the reasons in favour of a mid-season break, the absence of granny killers in the league, and a Crowded House diversion that is nothing to do with stadium capacities and everything to do with the pre-professionalism haze of the Viper Room sometime in the 2000s. Confused? Soon, we’ll all be asking what the Grok is going on. There’s nothing artificial about the support we receive from Collar & Cuff, Sport Cosanta, Rascals Brewery and Future Ticketing that makes it all happen.

Episode 16 took all the patience of Collar & Cuff, Future Ticketing, Sports Cosanta and Rascals Brewery to make it to the finish line. Recorded over two nights due to rural broadband shenanigans we eventually got Conan Noonan, on loan at Waterford from Shamrock Rovers, and Johnny Kenny, who was on loan at Shamrock Rovers from Celtic last season, into a virtual room to meander upon girlie haircuts, the Kennedy Cup, and their bullish future ambitions. They go back nearly a decade in terms of interaction and our guest co-host Graham Gartland has the Zelig like qualities of being a gym buddy and a quiz question this week. There's a usual stuffed mailbag, a whirlwind look at the state of the table and do we all agree the title race is over? Tune in for a great episode and apologies for the sound quality, we were up against it!

There’s a faint whiff of chaos (and maybe vomit) in the air at Oliver this week, as the usual anchor is missing and the reins are handed over to Johnny and special guest Garry Doyle — manager of the SFAI Under-14 Cup champions. Together, the lads in hats stumble cheerfully through a maze of partitionist football nostalgia, Stephen Kenny-induced anxiety, grassy knolls, lawnmowers, the Rovers revival, and the age-old question: is the league actually done and dusted? The mailbag is in fine form too, curated by Johnny, Garry, and everyone’s favourite ball-playing centre-half — St. Mochta’s Director of Football, Colin Hawkins — who drops in to throw his lot in with your hot takes from the past week. It’s chaotic. It’s passionate. It’s an hour of football chat that runs the full emotional spectrum. Brought to you by Collar and Cuff, Sport Cosanta, Rascals Brewery, and Future Ticketing — this is Episode 15, and it’s not one to miss. Buckle up.