Hurling Final preview With Shane O'Donnell & Seamus Flanagan

Seamus Birt is a championship winning player and manager for Bellaghy in Co Derry. He's a year into a Motor Neuron disease diagnosis. The former corner back believes he had it a year before doctors confirmed the condition. Four years of life is the average. There are exceptions and the mindset of Seamus would suggest he might be just that. He's different. Father of Séamus Óg & Éamon, Stella his partner and her son James- they're a tight bunch. The broader Birt family, along with a huge community in Bellaghy, Seamus has plenty of support. MND is rare, about 450 people in Ireland have the condition at any one time. Former rugby league player Rob Burrow and former Scotland rugby union forward Doddie Weir both died of the condition. Former Antrim captain Anto Finnegan also died from MND. Despite the subject, this podcast is fully inspiring. Fun, laughter and a special form of positivity instilled in Seamus "It's not a decision I had to make, it's just the way I am" This is a man who is living with disease, not dying from it. The end story is the same with MND, it’s brutal. The journey however, can be very different. Apart from a leg issue and fatigue, Seamus looks and feels great. His mobility is good and the body feels fine "I take each day as it comes, and I want to be like that. I've two choices and I know what i've picked"There are big laughs in this podcast. Gaelic football and big fights against Crossmaglen comes up often. British army helicopters were landing in and out of the Crossmaglen pitch when both teams were in playing against each other. Bellaghy manager Tommy Diamond had plenty of advice. Seamus marked Oisin's brother Jim in the infamous 1986 Ulster club game in Crossmaglen. Jim scored a goal, but Seamus won. He later managed his club against Crossmaglen in a famous rivalry both sides of the Millenium. Seamus also coached alongside Tyrone great Frank McGuigan, he even managed Thomas Niblock when in charge of Magherafelt. They’ve known each other for almost 20 years. Seamus has never lost his love for Gaelic football. It’s part of who he is. The GAA community has wrapped it's arms around one of their own. One of the very best people you could meet. Seamus Birt, MND and living a life with a glass half-full.

Immediate reaction from Croke Park- Broadcast on BBC iPlayer Live. The panel pick their team of the year and we also speak to the Kerry chairman and players about the future of Jack O'Connor. The BBC crew pick their player of the year too

Epic!

All the pundits and all the Tipp players join Thomas and team at Croke Park. An incredible pod to finish off the hurling inter-county season

Recorded in front of 2000 people at the Waterfront Hall in Belfast, Shane O'Donnell and Seamus Flanagan preview the All-Ireland hurling final. Shane confirms his intention of staying on with Clare for another season- as does Seamus with Limerick under the management of John Kiely. Seamus also owns and opens up around the incident with Niall O'Leary earlier this year. He owns it, but disagrees with the internal suspension given to him. With so many laughs and slagging, it's a great way to look ahead to the final- all recorded with a live audience. Also, BBC announce line-up for the final, including Jimmy Barry-Murphy or is it Jimmy-Barry Murphy?

The boys pick their winner for Sam Maguire

Rory O'Connor has made a new career out of comedy. A fun project making sketches in a GAA world is now a job. The first half of this podcast deals with mental health. It's an area where Rory has experience. ADHD, a gambling addiction, losing family to suicide and trying to keep the mind right. At times it's a challenge. The second half of this podcast is Meath. The love of the place and the pride in seeing his team in an All-Ireland semi-final. Trevor Giles, Tommy Dowd, Ollie Murphy and the class of this year. A genuine love of place. There's the odd Dub in there like Philly McMahon- but it's all green & gold. There's three big themes to Rory. Family, Meath and hoping to live a normal simple life- with some fun in-between

Can Tipperary beat Cork? Can they really?

This is a different but hugely honest insight into goalkeeping. The picture of the summer sits in Niall's living room- a first Leinster championship in more than 60 years- his photo summed it up. He'd like changes. Four points for a goal and believes goalkeepers should be allowed to take a return pass. Some agree, some don't. What is the culture in Louth- what can they go? Niall found out he was dropped by Mickey Harte because he was removed from the Whatsapp group. It was a low point and part of the rought & tumble of GAA- but he decided he decided to do something about it. He had to lose weight, and he did, facing that challenge head-on. This is great stuff. Louth begin the search for a new manager- this podcast shows what they're about, and where they can go. A brilliant listen

Croke Park delivered this weekend, but plenty to talk about