LOI Central

It's Episode 39 and it was live. If you missed out on our Monday night in Rascals, this pod will give you a flavour of the best bits. Like the title race, there was twists and turns in putting our show together and Shelbourne's dramatic success in Derry was the catalyst for a weekend of tracing down prospective guests. We left it late but Sean Boyd answered the SOS to join live show staple Keith Ward on stage to tell us about Mourinho messages, Duff magic and much more with the help of some underrated Shels friends in the audience. Then we give the floor to a pair of pals from Ringsend with prolific title winner Sean Gannon and his injured mate Daniel Kelly opening up on their shared background, Dundalk days and the radically different end to the season for their respective employers. All of this revelry wouldn't have been possible without our friends at Collar & Cuff, Future Ticketing, Toir Performance, Lily's Childcare and our friends at Rascals. Nothing beats being there but hopefully this pod is an enjoyable second best.

Here we go! There's touts in Inchicore as the title race, our beloved title race has its Joey Tempest mullet stapled on as it faces the camera in leather pants. Yes, episode 38 is our ‘Final Countdown", as we prepare to rock Friday night with the boys pouring over the angles that could decide the destination. Can Shels hold their nerve? Will Rovers steamroll Waterford? Where are Derry’s heads at? Is this as good as it gets? Paddy Kavanagh drops by to offer his take and we also get predictions from friends of the pod. In addition to that, there’s a downbeat Dundalk chat with John Mountney, Dan’s vain search for a ghosting Temple, and your chance to get the final two tickets for our manic Monday. Oh and we’ve made a new signing too with Toir Performance joining Future Ticketing, Collar & Cuff, Lily’s Childcare and Rascals Brewing in partnering us as we stand tall on our stroll to the finishing line. Will things ever be the same again?

It’s Jerry Maguire time in the League of Ireland and before we run away with ourselves it’s also awards time as the Premier Division team of the season as voted by the players is revealed by Stephen McGuinness on his annual trip into the Oliver studio. He’s brought a happy Mark Coyle in with him and we chat about his journey to recognition before we dust down the phone line to dial up some other team members. Around all of that we jibber jabber about the greatest run in of all time, fights in Oriel, Damien Duff on muddy ice, Galway’s trip to Rascals, and THAT goal in Drogheda in front of THAT housing estate. There’s a guest reveal for the sold out live show, news on how you can compete for the two final tickets, and a broader debate with Stephen about the financial landscape of our league. Thanks, as always to Collar & Cuff, Rascals Brewery, Lily’s Childcare and Future Ticketing for bringing us this far. It’s episode 37 and we hope it gets your vote.

Ahead of the most anticipated night of the year - our live show in Rascals on November 4 of course - Johnny and Dan are in studio to also look ahead to a vintage LOI Friday, which might be overtaken next Friday and overtaken again the Friday after that. The best season ever? Certainly it’s the busiest mailbag ever with Derry angst, Bohs anger, Pat’s excitement and Breslin at 1.5x. Johnny briefly caught up with Alan Reynolds before an extended reunion with Stephen Kenny ahead of the do or die showdown in Richmond that should cut the title field from five to four. We couldn’t do any of this without our fab four, Rascals Brewery, Future Ticketing, Collar & Cuff and Lily’s Childcare, the facilitators for an hour that also features a bit of prison speculation, treble barreled adulation and whether the away end in Oriel is the least romantic place on earth? It’s episode 36 and it’s more lovable than the ex wife!