The 42 GAA Weekly

Fintan O’Toole and Declan Bogue join Ronan Early as GAA Weekly returns for the winter

Declan argues that there is nothing the GAA can do to restrict the number of players taking up contracts in Australia. Irish solutions to Irish problems are offered up, while the lads posit that the life of a county player in Ireland is actually pretty good.

Also up for discussion: How games are chosen, or not chosen, for Saturday night prime time RTÉ TV slots; what is the split season like for players who have contested All-Ireland fin...

Ronan Early is joined by Arthur O’Dea, author of the new book, Mackey & Ring.

Arthur details the intimidating nature of such an assignment, especially in the case of Ring, a historical figure but still very much a subject of everyday life and thoughts in Cork.

He talks about what made both men stand out as special early in their careers, and why both remain a source of fascination decades after their deaths.

Arthur also examines the quality of greatness, and why fans revere players in any sport who are wi...

Emma Duffy and Fintan O’Toole join Ronan Early to chat about yesterday’s decider at Croke Park.

Has there been an overcorrection in camogie? Where a few short years ago everything seemed to be a free, and now physicality is off the scale - with sometimes dangerous consequences?

Does the officiating of head high challenges and collisions need to be more strict? And is there far too much cynical fouling when players have a sniff of goal? Is it time for a black card rule to be introduced?

How did...

Fintan O’Toole joins Ronan Early to chat about the big GAA matters of the week.

It’s farewell to Kobe McDonald, who has touched down in Melbourne. What position will he play? And can we expect to see him in first team action soon?

There is a trio of new managers in the south-east. Henry Shefflin in Kilkenny, Derek McGrath in Wexford and Stephen Molumphy in Waterford. Who is best placed to succeed? And where exactly does the south-east begin and end?

Cork and Galway meet for the third year...

Fintan O'Toole is joined by Emma Duffy, who was in Croke Park to witness Galway's dramatic one-point victory over Kerry in the All-Ireland ladies football final.

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Declan Bogue and Fintan O’Toole join Ronan Early to grapple with the meaning and emotion so abundant in Mayo’s stunning All-Ireland victory. 

Has there ever been a more seismic moment in the GAA? Or in Irish sport full stop? While being aware of recency bias, we are scratching our heads. 

Also, Mayo people’s delight is obvious and palpable, but why has nearly everyone else been so deeply affected by Sam going west? 

We get into theories ranging from the Seven Universal Plots, and how Mayo fulfilled most of them...

Fintan O'Toole and Declan Bogue convene at Croke Park to analyse Mayo's emotional All-Ireland final victory over Kerry.

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Declan Bogue, Fintan O’Toole and Ronan Early convene for a philosophical football final preview.

At least it starts out that way, before getting down to the brass tacks of who is going to win this game and why.

But first the lads grapple with the question of whether Triggers brush, with 17 new heads and 14 new handles over a 20-year span, is still the same brush? Parallels are drawn to the Ship of Theseus Paradox which has exercised thinkers for centuries: If a boat has every component replaced over time, is it the sa...

Declan Bogue and Fintan O'Toole dial in from Croke Park in the immediate aftermath of the hurling decider, where the Munster champions dominated proceedings.

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Fintan O’Toole and Declan Bogue join Ronan Early to chat about Galway and Limerick’s showdown at Croke Park on Sunday.

Can the Tribesmen gain belated revenge for 2018, a seismic final that set both teams in wildly different directions?

Can Galway frustrate Limerick like they did Cork on Sunday, or have the Munster champions got too many long-range shooters for the same plan to be effective?

At what point do Galway push out and crank up the pressure on Limerick? Who marks Jason Rabbitte and what happens if that Lime...

Fintan O'Toole and Paul Keane give their immediate reaction from Croke Park, after Kerry's narrow win over Dublin.

The pair also look back at Mayo's emphatic victory over Louth, and Wicklow's incredible comeback against Down.

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Declan Bogue and Fintan O’Toole join Ronan Early to discuss the seismic clashes of Mayo-Louth and Dublin-Kerry.

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Fintan O’Toole and Declan Bogue join Ronan Early to assess the two losing hurling semi-finalists. 

The victorious Galway and Limerick sides will be discussed in detail ahead of the All-Ireland final. For now we are looking at the Rebels and the Banner, who both seem to have reached the end of the road with their current teams, albeit in different moods and circumstance. 

For Cork it is yet another galling collapse in Croke Park, when they were favourites for the game and in a strong position in the first half. Where do they...

Fintan O'Toole and Declan Bogue reflect on All-Ireland hurling semi-final weekend at Croke Park.

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Fintan O’Toole joins Ronan Early to look ahead to Cork-Galway and Clare-Limerick in Croke Park this weekend.

From bookies paying out early, to fellas getting tattoos and pundits criticising their rivals - there is always a stick with which to beat the Cork hurlers. This week it comes in the form of Ringmahon Rangers and the FAI Cup fixtures impasse.

The lads did not expect one of Cork city’s premier soccer nurseries to feature in the build-up to the Rebels’ showdown with Galway - but they knew it would be something. Cork h...

Fintan O'Toole is joined by Paul Keane in Croke Park to look back on a brilliant and dramatic weekend of football action.

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Declan Bogue and Fintan O’Toole join Ronan Early to look ahead to a packed weekend of football, as the Championship is down to the last eight.

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Declan Bogue and Fintan O’Toole join Ronan Early to look ahead to a truly exciting round of knockout football.

But first they talk about the promotional own-goal of putting the Kerry-Armagh clash on their streaming service instead of free-to-air TV. Why are the GAA hiding their jewels while interest in the World Cup booms? Or is there a counterargument, and does GAA+ really need the biggest games to be a viable service?

On the field of play, we look ahead to the blockbuster ties of Dublin-Donegal as well as Kerry-Armagh and call Ma...

Fintan O’Toole and Declan Bogue join Ronan Early to debate the Munster final.

Is the discussion over the final whistle contrived controversy. Did the stop-start game need a dramatic talking point at the end to elevate the spectacle?

Why were Limerick so excited to win? What makes for a great hurling dynasty? To rack up All-Irelands do you need to be strong when others are weak? And with Cork now at Limerick’s level will their GOAT credentials be put to the ultimate stress test?

Declan, meanwhile, assesses Galway’s chan...

Fintan O'Toole is joined by Paul Dollery of The Sun in Páirc Uí Chaoimh to reflect on Limerick edging out Cork in a tense Munster decider today, and Galway cruising past Dublin in last night's Leinster final.

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Declan Bogue joins Fintan O'Toole to look at a week when GAA bosses have dominated the agenda.

First Jarlath Burns had his say, then Ger Brennan hit back, as the controversy over managerial bans continues. What impact is this all having on Dublin's season?

Derek Lyng has stepped down in Kilkenny, the lads reflect on his time in charge and wonder is Henry Shefflin set to take charge.

And they look ahead to this weekend's big hurling finals... why this is a season-defining game for Dublin and Galway, and can...

Declan Bogue joins Ronan Early to discuss the fallout from the Kerry-Donegal clash.

Jim McGuinness and David Clifford have avoided bans for their part in the fracas at Fitzgerald stadium, just months after Ger Brennan, the Dublin manager, received a 12-week ban for an offence not dissimilar to McGuinness’.

Is the GAA disciplinary system - with its myriad committees and ruling bodies who administer justice in private and do not comment publicly - fit for purpose nowadays? What needs to happen for greater consistency and transparency?

Also on today’s pod...

Fintan O'Toole is joined Syl O'Connor at Páirc Uí Chaoimh to run through the main talking points of Cork's big win against Clare and Kilkenny's early exit from the Championship.

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Fintan O'Toole joins Ronan Early to talk about the big hurling stories of the week.

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Fintan O'Toole is joined by Shane Brophy of the Nenagh Guardian to analyse Clare's 11-point win against Tipperary in Semple Stadium.

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Fintan O’Toole and Declan Bogue join Ronan Early ahead of a decisive weekend in Munster, Ulster and Leinster.

Tipperary and in particular Clare may have a route back to the All-Ireland series should they lose in Thurles on Saturday - but realistically neither will be in a healthy state following a defeat in Thurles. How have the All-Ireland champions of 2025 and 24 arrived at such a critical juncture at this stage of the season? And who can revitalise their campaign this weekend?

Also, are the GAA winning their battle for media supremacy? Backlash to...

Fintan O'Toole is joined by Paul Brennan of The Kerryman to reflect on Kerry's Munster Senior Football Championship final win over Cork.

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Fintan O’Toole and Declan Bogue join Ronan Early on a week when it dawned on the wider GAA public that provincial finals ain’t what they used to be. Round 2a and 2b of the All-Ireland series might have stolen a march on set-piece occasions that have stood for generations, but is that right?

And who should show the plum ties from the latest new format? Do GAA+ now hold all the aces? If so, how does this serve the public?

Also, previewed today are Cork-Kerry, Galway-Roscommon and the Munster hurling championship clas...

Declan Bogue and Fintan O’Toole join Ronan Early to look ahead to the weekend’s action and reflect on some of last weekend’s shocks.

The lads are feeling humbled and fallible after getting a few of their big calls wrong last week, but like true inter-county stalwarts they are blocking out the outside noise and only taking feedback from within the group as they set out to make another bunch of predictions - which could go either way.

Will Down carry their irresistible form into Saturday’s meeting with Armagh? Can Louth se...

Fintan O'Toole and Denis Hurley of the Echo provide immediate reaction in the aftermath of a big day in the Munster Hurling Championship.

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Fintan O’Toole joins Ronan Early to look ahead to a huge weekend of Munster and Leinster championship hurling.

Can Tipperary find the right level of energy and form to see off Waterford and avoid their All-Ireland defence being in tatters before the start of May? And what can Waterford do to improve their spread of scorers and record a valuable home win, to back up their positive performance in Ennis?

Is the pressure off Cork after their opening-day win? And is John Kiely feeling the pressure in his appeal for Limerick’s supp...

Fintan O'Toole is joined by Shane Brophy of the Nenagh Guardian to reflect on a big win for Cork in Thurles.

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Fintan O’Toole and Declan Bogue join Ronan Early to preview the hurling Championship.

What three teams can emerge from the Munster Championship, where the best laid plans go to die?

And is there a surprise in Leinster, with Kilkenny coming back to the pack and Galway, Dublin and Wexford showing signs of progress.

Also, we pick six forwards who can light up the spring and summer months to come.

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If you are stuck in a traffic jam behind a parked-up lorry, then this is the podcast for you.

Declan Bogue, Fintan O’Toole and Ronan Early have maneuvered their way around the protests to the studio to record a 75-minute football Championship preview.

The lads look back on their favourite championship moments from childhood, from going to All-Ireland finals without a ticket, to seeing Leitrim take the Croke Park field in 94, to getting lost on Ulster final day - with the search party delayed until the game had ended.

Pr...

Fintan O'Toole is joined by Denis Hurley in the Gaelic Grounds to run the rule over the hurling league finals.

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Fintan O'Toole and Declan Bogue join Ronan Early to chat about the hurling league final between familiar foes which may get physical.

Does Ben O'Connor need to make a statement before the championship with a big performance against Limerick?

Have Limerick had the most successful league campaign in that they have a clear idea of their best team, whereas there are more questions for Cork, especially in defence?

Or are Limerick more vulnerable as a result of opponents knowing what to expect?

In the Division 1B final...

Fintan O'Toole and Declan Bogue give their immediate thoughts from Croke Park after Donegal outclassed Kerry in the Division 1 National Football League final, and Meath got the better of Cork in the Division 2 decider.

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Declan Bogue and Fintan O’Toole join Ronan Early ahead of the league finals.

But before the lads get into that, they are invited to defend the entire practice of watching sport. Is it a mug’s game? Are you better off playing at your own low level rather than cheering others on from the sidelines? Views are exchanged.

One area of agreement is that watching David Clifford is never a waste of time. What makes the Fossa man such a prime Gaelic football specimen, from physical attribute to temperament and vision? And what...

Declan Bogue and Fintan O’Toole join Ronan Early to look ahead to an action-packed weekend.

Fintan argues that this will be the standout day of the intercounty football calendar. Ronan is skeptical - how can you get truly excited about a competition where a leading contender does not want to make the final.

Nevertheless there is much to anticipate, including Galway and Dublin’s relegation shootout.

In Division 2, Declan tries to get to the root of the apathy in Tyrone. Why have their supporters stopped showing up to their game...

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 Der...