LOI Central
LOI Central
LOI Central
#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
S09E12 Tight at the Top and the Race to the Bottom
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.
Apr 28, 2025
1 hr 21 min
S09 E11 - Born Again Bohs, Duff/Caulfield Remix & Canham on the Cross
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.
Apr 22, 2025
1 hr 21 min
S09E10 - Top Drogs, The Relegation Slog & Firefighting with Alan Keane
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.
Apr 15, 2025
1 hr 5 min
S09E09 with Paul Doolin and James Keddy
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
Apr 8, 2025
1 hr 24 min
S09E08 The One With The Double Stitched Mailbag
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!
Apr 1, 2025
1 hr 11 min
S09E07 - The One With The Late Night Letters
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
Mar 26, 2025
49 min
S09E06: The Shifting Sands of Irish Football with Jonathan Corbett
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.
Mar 19, 2025
1 hr 10 min
S09 E05 - The Tightest League in the World & Kerry chat with Conor McCarthy
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.
Mar 11, 2025
1 hr 15 min
S09E04 Reds, Refs, Rovers & Richmond Reflections
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
Mar 4, 2025
1 hr 13 min
S09E03 Conspiracy Theories, Climate Changes and Barry Murphy's Notes
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!
Feb 25, 2025
1 hr 19 min
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