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The 42 GAA Weekly
How the Munster hurling championship became Irish sport’s greatest show
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Declan Bogue and Fintan O’Toole join Ronan Early to explore the extraordinary growth in appeal of the Munster SHC.
They discuss the format change and rivalries which have led to sellout crowds, huge TV audiences and a succession of thrilling contests.
Who is primed to emerge from this fraught arena in 2025? And which proud, ambitious counties will be among the dreaded bottom two?
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The frenzy and bite of hurling's 'festival weekend': Cork v Dublin, Tipp v Kilkenny previews
48:11|Declan Bogue and Fintan O'Toole tell Ronan Early why All-Ireland hurling semi-final weekend, introduced in 2018, has showcased the sport at its very best.What qualities from their defeat of Limerick will Dublin need to carry into their clash with Cork? How will the Rebels deal with being clear All-Ireland favourites? Has the four-week layoff been a help or could it leave them undercooked?The lads discuss the psychology of the Kilkenny-Tipperary rivalry, and ponder who is under more pressure going into Sunday's game.Also, why supporters of hurling's traditional big three tend to become somewhat unhinged during times of drought.Mayo 'relieve' McStay | Dublin v Tyrone & Kerry v Armagh previews
48:58|Fintan O'Toole and Declan Bogue look ahead to this weekend's All-Ireland football quarter-final action, the two-day Croke Park festival that for many people is the highlight of the summer's championship action.The lads also reflect on last night's breaking news from Mayo, as Kevin McStay and his management team were 'relieved' from their roles with the senior football team.If you’d like to sign up to The42, now is a great time to try it out ahead of the defining games in this year’s All-Ireland championship. Simply go to The42.ie/podcasts where you can get your first month for €1 and if you enjoy it, then we’ll give you your first year’s subscription for only €30. There’s no long-term commitments, you can cancel at any time but we’re confident that you won’t want to. You’ll have access to all our written content and podcasts across a range of sports, and in GAA you can enjoy the writing of columnists Paul Keane and Micheal Clifford, while there’s wide-ranging coverage from Croke Park this weekend from Declan Bogue and Emma Duffy.Galway v Tipp: A rivalry rooted in thrillers | The appeasement of bandwagon fans
49:52|Tipperary-Galway conjures images of Joe Canning, Pádraig Maher and thrillers won by a single point. But how much of that is relevant to Saturday’s clash between the pair, who have been off the pace so far this decade?Also, Declan Bogue, Fintan O’Toole and Ronan Early discuss the nature of sometimes toxic relationships between supporters and players reluctant to venture out following a sub-par performance in a game.The Tailteann Cup continues to grow in stature - why is this? And is there space for a Junior football championship for counties?And, why Ciarán Kilkenny embodies the Eamon Dunphy definition of a good pro.D-Day in the Group of Death
45:46|Ciarán Kennedy, Declan Bogue and Fintan O'Toole look ahead to this weekend's two biggest Gaelic football encounters; Derry vs Dublin and Galway vs Armagh.The lads also debate whether the Munster Hurling Championship was for once underwhelming.Modern hurling dynasties | Armagh beat wasteful Dubs
44:37|On this week's episode of GAA Weekly, Ciarán, Declan, and Fintan discuss the dynastic hurling duo of Kilkenny and Limerick.With Limerick seeking their seventh consecutive Munster title, and Kilkenny looking to secure a sixth Leinster Championship, Declan and Fintan try to make sense of these dominant outfits.Can Limerick and Kilkenny get the jobs done for another year, or can Cork and Galway break these protracted winning streaks?Troubled times for Mayo | The pain and joy of being a Waterford supporter
47:23|Declan Bogue and Fintan O’Toole join Ronan Early to discuss the travails facing Mayo football - from headline-grabbing debt, to their manager Kevin McStay having to step back for health reasons and, on the field, the upcoming test of Tyrone coming off the back of defeat against Cavan.Also, rugby writer Ciarán Kennedy joins us to chat about his wonderful piece articulating the pain, but mainly joy, of being a Waterford hurling supporter.Cork’s stinker, Mayo’s mire and Ciarán Kilkenny’s class
29:26|Fintan O’Toole and Declan Bogue join Ronan Early to chat about Limerick’s shock and awe and Cork’s no-show. The lads also discuss Tipp’s young guns, Waterford’s chances by the Lee and the de-facto Leinster semi-final between Galway and Dublin as well as Davy’s troubles in Antrim. Declan assesses the extent of Mayo’s woes and looks forward to Donegal versus Tyrone.Cork v Limerick - the Sliding Doors rivalry that’s all drama
56:14|As red and green are primed to collide again, Fintan O’Toole, Declan Bogue and Ronan Early chart the small moments that have had big consequences in this duel over the past nine years.Limerick stole a march on the Rebels in 2017 and 2018 and reigned supreme until 2024, when Cork rose again.Can Limerick put the red genie back in the bottle? Can Cork drive home their advantage? We discuss another hotly anticipated clash between the southern powerhouses.Also, can Dublin’s footballers answer their critics? The majesty of the Ulster and Leinster finals - and some ugly scenes around these otherwise life-affirming occasions.Peak jeopardy for Clare and Tipp | McGeeney deep dive
53:46|The Munster hurling championship is all about peril, and we have a stark case of that on Saturday night when Clare and Tipperary face off in Ennis.A loss for either side will likely mean the end for their 2025 campaign - on May 10. As Jackie Tyrrell said, careers and seasons are on the line here.On today’s pod, Fintan O’Toole, Declan Bogue and Ronan Early get into the peril that faces both sets of players and management teams. They also ponder the fact that most of the country won’t get to see this do-or-die clash, with it not being on free-to-air television.In the Ulster championship, Donegal face Kieran McGeeney’s Armagh. Today we put a sharp focus on the All-Ireland champion’s long-serving manager.We try to get to the nub of how he has been able to inspire such extraordinary levels of loyalty from players, in the good times and the hard.