In this weeks sepia tinged episode we cue the Hovis music as our old eir Sport pal Shane Dawson dons his flat cap and denies plastering northside Dublin lamposts with “Save Tolka” posters but does explain what the campaign is all about. Johnny joins us from surviving a seal infested swim on an island and breakfast with the stars while Liam Holton from Future Ticketing gets us all excited about the return of fans. All of this prompts a debate from the likely lads about the demographics in the stands and the changing face of Irish football. Johnny finally reveals his favourite player in the league and there’s a pizza to be had for anyone who can remember the Ollie Byrne era .  So grab your Marietta and Bovril for some good old wholesome analogue entertainment

LOI Central 2021 Ep13: The return of fans & the 'Save Tolka Park' campaign

It's episode 3 and we may have peaked! Do NOT miss our interview with Derry City's, Mark Connolly. From his Gaelic Football roots to a heart wrenching story about returning home, Mark gives us an open and honest reflection on his career and life to date. After Zooming with Mark we invited the table topping Bohemian manager Declan Devine in to cast his eye over the opening weeks. He tells us about his Craig David week, the squad, his thoughts on Pat Fenlon, the Dalymount ambitions and where and when his fiftieth will be. We dig deep into the Collar & Cuff mailbag to explore your thoughts on dodgy boxes, empty seats, the wheels on the bus, and why we don't broadcast twice a week. All of this couldn't be done without Future Ticketing, Rascals Brewery and Collar and Cuff on hand to keep the electricity on. Its episode 3 and its a banger!

LOI Central S07E03 with Mark Connolly and Declan Devine

Alliteration is the thread on which we hang this week's show. Yes, episode 31 gets overly concerned with what type of Friday we have in store. Our two intrepid wordsmiths cajole, conjure and contrive to to describe the night on which Derry host Shamrock Rovers in the key game of the league season and four FAI Cup quarter finals are up for decision. 'Fabulous', 'Flowery' and 'Far Out', this Friday may give Johnny further chest pains and Dan may have to be drug tested. Kevin Doherty is on the line fresh from his and our mailbag to weigh in on the Ireland situation and whether he is next in line for the big job. He also has a little matter of a cup game on 'Fan-ominal' Friday! Throw in the usual Simpsons, Father Ted and Grunge references and it could very well be 1995 again. As the year slips away from us and the Indian Summer draws to a close we can still rely on Future Ticketing, Rascals Brewery and Collar and Cuff to keep the lights on in Glasnevin. So throw your Xg in the bin and settle down to 64 minutes of poetic licence on this Wonderful Wholesome Witty Wednesday!

LOI Central S07E31 It's Fan-omenal Friday!

As Bohs start their hunt for a new manager, we bring in the league’s management to discuss the overall state of play with Mark Scanlon dropping by. Facilities, fireworks, Harry Kane's firestick and finance are on the agenda as positive becomes the new interesting in a mailbag aimed at our FAI guest. The broadcasting picture, pitch battles and the obstacles to a red zone also feature. Before that we discuss the next step for Bohs after Declan Devine’s exit, shoeless presenters, and the demands for a Gavin Molloy appreciation society. It's long, it's early and brought to you by Rascals, Collar & Cuff and Future Ticketing.

S08E05 with Mark Scanlon.

TV or not TV, that is the question, well the question Johnny has for himself with the Red Zone now in doubt because the prospective host has decided the entire medium is irrelevant. We move on from that bombshell to invite a central character from recent breaking news with ex Bohs assistant manager Gary Cronin joining us in the Oliver studios. Top of the agenda is what changed at Bohemians during the winter, the late transfer arrivals, the role of the assistant and the realities of losing your job at League of Ireland level. In the general mailbag, we talk Dundalk's foreign legion, the Shel-bourne inspiration, and contrasts between 2014 and 2024 that go beyond the social media cesspits that will make the next generation of Kent Brockmans redundant.  In conjunction with Rascals Brewing, Future Ticketing and Collar and Cuff leave your pseudonyms at the door as we present the hot off the press, up to the minute, breaking news,  topical episode 6 and we've even added sound effects!

S08E06 with Gary Cronin

As Dan hails the end of the international break, Johnny has gone on an international break of his own, dialling in from France after a star studded flight. The lads discuss the big issues of the week, and go over some old ground from last week with the future of TV, Bohs and the FAI all on the agenda before we check in with Greg Sloggett to chat about the love story that brought him to League One. There’s also more than a word from our sponsors as Johnny chats with Future Ticketing’s Liam Holton about the growth of the LOI as we prepare for a league game to cross the 10,000 barrier this week. For the week that’s in it, there’s Easter egg analysis, mailbag homework, Treaty praise, Cronin reviews and Johnny breaking the news of his summer window arrival. With thanks to Future Ticketing, Collar & Cuff and our festival friends at Rascals Brewing, your weekly dose of confused chemistry is right here.

S08E07 with Greg Sloggett and Liam Holton

The boys are back face to face in Oliver after a weekend of mixed emotions with JW mourning Galway disappointment and Dan energised by a casual Friday of tram and pram pushing in Dalymount. After a giddy reunion featuring urinal banter, the perils of pissing money down the drain, and tales of wrong weddings and inaccurately named children, Paddy Kavanagh stops by to talk football, agents and modern wages before offering his two cents on the state of the game. We’ve also got the return of Pat’s chat to the mailbag, Drogheda artistic impression analysis and the Stephen Walsh Olympics question that needed answering. All of this is facilitated by our friends in Lily’s Childcare, Future Ticketing, Collar & Cuff and Rascals Brewery so bí ciúin and yes, there is a bar in Dalymount!

Episode 25: Dalymount Days & the LOI’s Financial Haze with Paddy Kavanagh

It’s hosts with notes this week as Johnny is overwhelmed by the sheer professionalism of his co-hosts who ably step in for a paternity left Dan McDonnell in the sunny surroundings of Oliver Marketing. Yes, it’s a full studio this week as Johnny is joined by the Robin to Dan’s Batman in Sean O’Connor, a fledgling journalist who’s more than finding his feet in this years league press boxes. Alongside Sean is another Boy Wonder in Keith Treacy who’s commentating skills were pushed to the limits this week and still had the energy to tackle the show that delved deeply into the European saga, RTE gates, the beauty of a lumping Galway, air raid sirens at Lincoln, stag parties in Phibsboro, the Waterford 9, and another mailbag heavy with Bohs woes. We also cut away to Harry Kenny and Paul Doolin for a tribute to the late great Jim McLaughlin who sadly passed this week. All of this bumper, bumper, edition is brought to you by the ever forgiving and always encouraging Future Ticketing, Rascals Brewery, Collar & Cuff and Lillys Childcare. Yes the sponsors are getting value for money this week. Pray for traffic jams on your commute because it’s episode 28 and it’s a marathon!

S08E28 with Sean O'Connor, Keith Treacy, Harry Kenny and Paul Doolin

In a week of reunions this is really the one you’ve been waiting for. A surprisingly energised Dan returns to clean up after Johnny’s ‘you let Dougal do a funeral’ interim stint in charge. Amid the wreckage, we lament Northern accents, misinformed ministers, analogue opinions, and Larne  before Dan tries to bury some inaccuracies in the interminable TV and standards debates. In our Galway United segment, Johnny gets hold of Ollie Horgan to discuss their top four chances amongst other things and with the financial fair play committee still looking at Collar & Cuff, Lily’s Childcare, Rascal’s Brewery and Future Ticketing as we approach episode 300, we ask why oh why should football be still dealing deals like its 1981. Yes folks, it’s episode 30, it’s 90 mins, it’s early so just Roll with It!

S08E30 The Big Reunion and a bit of Ollie Horgan

Dermot Keely denies and then agrees that he was better without the ball but we are certain this podcast makes an argument that your life would be better with his new book.  Dermot dropped into studio with the Irish Sun’s Neil O’Riordan, his long term partner in prose, to discuss the many strands of his life in the league he loves. It’s hard to summarise them under one heading so, just like a player in his dressing room or a student in his classroom you just need to strap in and see where the journey takes you. Before that there’s a wrap of the weekend that was at the top and bottom of the table and there’s also a getting to know you interview with St Patrick’s Athletic’s Romal Palmer, all facilitated by our friends in Future Ticketing, Lily’s Childcare, Collar & Cuff and Rascals Brewing.

S08E33 A full 90 minutes with Dermot Keely, Neil O'Riordan and Romal Palmer

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!

S08E36 Sliding Doors, Friday Night Fever Pitch and Five Months at Pats with Stephen Kenny

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.

S08E37 The PFA Ireland Team of the Year with Stephen McGuinness and Friends

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?

S08E38 It's the Final Countdown....

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.

S08E39 Live from Rascals - The Shelebration Tour

We are nearing the end of another season in the Oliver Marketing building and start this week’s show with a burning question - have Drogheda United recovered from their cup final hangover quicker than Johnny? We reflect on a final packed with storylines and debate what the result says about the respective protagonists and there’s a bit of Kevin Doherty and Ruaidhri Higgins audio too. Beyond that we’ve a packed mailbag discussing cup final crowds, transfer speculation and budget business as our ageing co-hosts fondly recall the innocent days of internet cafes, hybrid barber shops and Matlock! For the 40th time this season, we, unlike Gemma O'Doherty, are shouting out from the rooftops to our sponsors Collar & Cuff, Rascals, Future Ticketing, Lily’s Childcare and our new friends at Toir Performance. We’ll be back before Christmas with our Santa lists on a three and a half inch floppy disk!

S08E40 - The Underdrogs 2 The Undertones 0

 It's Christmas! And before you count down to seeing what Santa has left under the tree, you need to check for free range pork under your car. All of this will make sense if you listen to our special show recorded at Oliver Marketing as the lads convene to discuss the events of the last four weeks and look ahead to the possibilities of the next 12 months. There's Vienna tales and images of idyllic December evenings as the lads talk Rovers in Europe, manager speculation, transfer rumours, senseless Aviva gripes and much more besides before we dig into our hamper and pull out the best bits from our chat with the lesser seen Mark Quigley and the often heard Keith Ward from our live show. It's a good combination on and off the pitch. That's our cue to hop in a San Sebastian sidecar and head off into the festive haze, all with thanks to our friends at Rascals Brewing, Future Ticketing, Collar & Cuff, Toir Performance and Lily's Childcare. See you in the 2025.


S08XMAS with "The Rascals Loft Tapes"

WE are back. The League of Ireland kicks off this week, but we’ve already got a competitive appearance under our belt after our big season preview at Rascals on Sunday. A packed mailbag was condensed for a studio audience as we discussed the talking points of an eventful winter before welcoming Ruaidhri Higgins to look back on his Derry City lessons before looking forward to the campaign ahead with the benefit of his informed knowledge. There’s title predictions, transfer revelations (the Mousset secret agent is unmasked) pitch battles and much more. All with the help of Rascals, Collar & Cuff, Lily’s Childcare & Future Ticketing.

S09E01: 2025 Season Preview @ Rascals with Ruaidhri Higgins

To mark the return of your 90 minute weekly fix, we’ve got a pod of that same length, and the main reason is the leftovers from our live show chat with Eoin Doyle and Dave Webster, a colourful pair of cousins with a few stories to tell. Before all of that, we pick through one of the most interesting weeks in League of Ireland history with the help of a heaving mailbag as we discuss the Bohs-Rovers experiment, young Michael in Molde, the not so bright Friday night lights in Tolka, the pros and cons of the Virgin deal, Bradley's beef with Heimir and more. Like the LOITV app, we’ll be hoping for something closer to normal service next week, powered by the support of Collar & Cuff, Rascals, Future Ticketing and Sport Cosanta.

S09E02 Norway, Aviva and Webster & Doyle

We’ve a busy show this week, with our mailbag more flooded than Tallaght Stadium as we pore over the conspiracy theories, stadium rankings, and all the other events of the past seven days. Barry Murphy, drops by to discuss Ed McGinty’s leaky European efforts and to a cast a broader eye over the main elements fuelling the start of a season where defences have been exposed to pressure from teams attacking on two fronts. The lads also hail Galway for subjecting Stephen Kenny’s Saints to a stormy trip west and ruminate on the winds of change that are accompanying the League of Ireland’s new popularity, even though Barry retains fond memories of his early Hooped days in the darkness. All of this weather beaten fun is brought to you outside of the mainstream media but in association with Future Ticketing, Rascals Brewing, Sport Cosanta and Collar & Cuff, and remember it’s still early in the season!

S09E03 Conspiracy Theories, Climate Changes and Barry Murphy's Notes

After another fantastic Friday, we had a manic Monday and the lads try to rattle through a crowded agenda of talking points. Is Alan Reynolds in bother? Is there a line referees should not cross? Is Derry City's strategy doomed to failure? Is it time for the annual 'are Shamrock Rovers out of the title race' chat? Is Captain Birdseye to blame for the LOITV debacle? There's all that and more in hastily assembled fun brought to you in association with Future Ticketing, Sport Cosanta, Collar & Cuff and Rascals Brewing

S09E04 Reds, Refs, Rovers & Richmond Reflections

There’s a few equine analogies this week as Johnny checks in en route to England to talk about the only race that really matters in his mind – the title race. We discuss the exploits of the Drog whisperer Kevin Doherty, working his magic to consistently shock the blue bloods, before paying tribute to the weekend’s mane man Colm Whelan before galloping through a crowded mailbag that includes athletics and attendance trivia and questions around why Shamrock Rovers turned bodies away when there was room at the inn. After all this Collar and Cuff, Rascals Brewing, Sport Cosanta and Future Ticketing sponsored fun, we take a virtual trip south to check in on Kerry FC’s Conor McCarthy, the novice looking to develop into a thoroughbred manager. Have we flogged this horse enough? Let’s just hope it’s dead and not diving.

S09 E05 - The Tightest League in the World & Kerry chat with Conor McCarthy

With the Premier Division on a hiatus, Dan is in Bulgaria for an international break that is unlikely to live for long in the memory and the first part of this show centres in on the changing dynamics and relationships within Irish football. Where does the balance of power lie? Are we really headed for a civil war? And who is fighting who? Jonathan Corbett is a topical guest in that context, with the long serving Galway United director – who is stepping back from his front line role – speaking with Johnny about the lie of an ever changing land. Another crowded mailbag takes us in different directions with familiar Bohs angst, pitch discussions, upmarket dressing room eavesdropping and an unlikely Conan Byrne/JP McManus comparison on the agenda. With thanks to Rascals Brewing, Collar & Cuff, Future Ticketing and Sport Cosanta, here’s your weekly fix.

S09E06: The Shifting Sands of Irish Football with Jonathan Corbett

The boys are back in Oliver Marketing for a combination of a discussion of Dan's week on the road and a stranger trip down memory lane. A reflective mailbag brings us back to Plovdiv in addition to spawning memories of a different time, an era of late night love letters on Galway Bay FM long before Johnny was whispering sweet nothings as a co-commentator watching his beloved Bohs and Galway. There's also a bit of chalice work, parental compassion, the hooligan collection box, the AI man makes another cameo, an unexpected diversion to Jordan and even some football conversation with Dan playing a small portion of Marc Canham's academy update. Is he the Chosen One? And why is it even pronounced that way? All of this senseless chatter is brought to you in association with our friends at Rascals Brewery, Collar & Cuff, Future Ticketing & the immaculately pronounced Sport Cosanta

S09E07 - The One With The Late Night Letters

The sun has returned and the mood has definitely lightened in Oliver Marketing as the lads finally agree on something. No April Fools on this weeks show as we delve into a monster mailbag to dissect the goings on at Dalymount, VAR light versus VAR la carte, and of course for the week that’s in it..The Galway Oul Lads club. There’s a quick interview with John Russell, some commentary gold, WW2 and WWW, Cork City cogging, Coffee Angels and Devils, and isn’t Kevin Doherty terribly nice? This fun-filled 71 minutes of sunshine is brought to you by the good people at Future Ticketing, Sport Cosanta, Rascals Brewery and the double-stitched reinforced Collar and Cuff mailbag, and like the insecure boyfriend we still can’t believe we’re doing this!

S09E08 The One With The Double Stitched Mailbag

Paul Doolin and James Keddy have shared plenty of long car journeys in their time and, after several false starts, we finally convinced them to reunite in Oliver Marketing. They were team-mates at Derry City and Shelbourne before switching to a player-manager dynamic when James worked under Paul at Drogheda. We mull over whether Paul was ahead of his time, and if he was always angry or just misunderstood while James talks about his future managerial ambitions as he reflects on his time at Wexford. Before that we’ve a packed mailbag with all of the usual tit-for-tat with 10 v 12 team league, Waterford woe, Darragh Markey’s tigerish slippers and the joy of a stand behind the goal all featuring. It’s a pod that could have been sponsored by Friends Reunited but we instead thank Collar & Cuff, Rascals Brewing, Sport Cosanta and Future Ticketing

S09E09 with Paul Doolin and James Keddy

There’s a western flavour to this week’s show with the on duty Alan Keane dialling in to discuss the contrasting fortunes of Galway United and Sligo Rovers as the league table begins to take shape. We hear from Tim Clancy about why Cork City’s season has gone south, ruminate what Liam Boyce’s indiscipline says about issues up north before heading across the sea to discuss Dan’s analysis of Packie Bonner. Stephen Bradley hails Jack Byrne’s apparent rebirth before the lads discuss the apparent healing powers of Kevin Doherty’s Holy Springs where the price of redemption is sometimes as much as €10 per ball. If that doesn’t make sense now, it might do by the time you listen to this weekly catch up sponsored by our friends at Rascals Brewing, Collar & Cuff, Sport Cosanta and Future Ticketing. Listen quickly before John Delaney turns up for the publicity photo.

S09E10 - Top Drogs, The Relegation Slog & Firefighting with Alan Keane

We almost needed 90 minutes to get through a weekend where every club played 180 minutes in a league that is going the full 360 in terms of storylines. Since our last show, we’ve had several open letters, one managerial departure, two injury time goals for the ages and the death of a pontiff. And that’s before we even get to Marc Canham. We eventually manage to do that after hearing a little bit of John Caulfield and Damien Duff and more about the Galway United old lads Whatsapp group. There’s a bit of Mauro Picotto, the mandatory Father Ted nostalgia, a Jeff Bezos tribute in Drogheda and Louth being very proud. Throw in Johnny’s fine dining update and speculation about a managerial party that will never happen and this Future Ticketing, Sport Cosanta, Collar & Cuff and Rascals Brewing sponsored bonanza might just qualify for the good 15pc that makes the other 85pc of life worth it.

S09 E11 - Born Again Bohs, Duff/Caulfield Remix & Canham on the Cross

It's another socially distanced production this week, and Bohs fans are partying like it's 2021 as they bask in the glory of an unexpected sequence of victories. In a jam packed show brought to you by our friends at Rascals, Collar & Cuff, Sport Cosanta and Future Ticketing, we reflect on a dramatic night in Dalymount, a testy affair in Tallaght and ask what goals from the prophet Moses can do for Galway. Another crowded mailbag brings the lads down a road of Reynolds revisionism, media-manager relationships, underage potential, selective best elevens and astute if anonymous Athlone analysis. Dan just didn't realise that the road would end with Johnny setting an unusual Shelbourne selfie challenge before confirming that if Galway can't do the business at the top, they'll always have Jimmy Keohane's bottom. Confused? This episode might just make sense of it all.

S09E12 Tight at the Top and the Race to the Bottom

After another double header of what ifs and if onlys, the lads convene to try and make sense of it all. We go from a rear of the year update to allegations of crawling up the backside of a prominent manager as we analyse Damien Duff's woes, the unexpected spat with the omnipresent Stephen Bradley and the aborted Aviva experiment. There's Galway recriminations, another happy week on the Bohsometer, some old and young men to watch and and another unfortunate bout of accidental blasphemy. We then go north to Derry to listen to Mark Connolly explaining why a bit of team bonding helped a season that was in danger of going south. All of this sanctioned fun is brought to you in association with our friends at Collar & Cuff, Rascals Brewing, Sport Cosanta and Future Ticketing.

S09E13 The Madness Continues & Mark Connolly Chat

We talk to Joe on this week's show, with Cork City legend and former assistant boss Joe Gamble following up on his request for a right to reply to last week's pod (35:00). He explains the struggles faced by himself and Neale Fenn, the budgetary complications, recruitment lessons and the logic behind Daire O'Connor's abrupt exit. Prior to that, we look ahead to Dundalk's big European date with Molde with the help of Norwegian football expert Ben Wells (10:48).

LOI WEEKLY S04 EP25 with Joe Gamble & Ben Wells

#LOICentral is a podcast with opinion, analysis and interviews on all the latest happenings in the  League of Ireland, hosted by Johnny Ward & Dan McDonnell

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