The Southern Star Sport Podcast

ON THIS week's podcast, we welcome new Cork LGFA captain Emma Cleary onto the show to talk about her new role. Cork got their Lidl LGFA League Division 1 off to a start with a 1-10 to 2-7 draw against Kildare in MTU Sports Grounds. Joe Carroll’s team are a newly promoted side having achieved promotion from Division 2 in 2025. Cleary won the Cork club championship with Éire Óg during the winter and...

ON THIS week's podcast, it is that time of year again as we look back at the West Cork Sports Star Awards for 2025. Nicola Tuthill won the Sports Star of the Year award on the night and at only 22, her stock continues to rise We include a chat with the hammer thrower in this week’s show after her award win about the year she had and her hopes for 2026. We caught up with special guest on the night...

ON THIS week's podcast, we honour Kilbrittain and their fantastic All-Ireland Junior Hurling Championship win. The Carbery club saw off Easkey 0-19 to 0-18 in a thrilling final in Croke Park. They became the first club from the West Cork division to win an All-Ireland hurling title, sparking joy amongst their fans. We are joined by the Man of the Match on the day Ronan Crowley, as he chats about t...

ON THIS week's podcast, Philip Wall chats to us about Kilbrittain’s All-Ireland final in Croke Park this Saturday (3.15pm), as they face Sligo club Easkey. The West Cork club have been on a great journey, starting in Ahamilla when they faced local rivals Barryroe and it ends in the biggest stage of all. Joe Ryan and his side have had memorable wins against Ballygarvan, Glen Rovers, Knockaderry, Ki...

ON THIS week's podcast, we are looking back at a fantastic year in West Cork sport, as we look at 20 moments that stood out over the course of the year. 2025 was one to remember for West Cork sporting fanatics between GAA success for Skibbereen Community School, Kilbrittain and Ballinascarthy, the usual brilliant performances from Jack Crowley, Nicola Tuthill and Fintan McCarthy, the consistency o...

ON THIS week's podcast, we caught up with Barryroe camogie players Emma Deasy and Meabhdh Sexton after they won the county and Munster double this year. After beating West Cork rivals Kilbree in the junior B county final, they overcame Newcastle West, Moyle Rovers and Kilmaley to win the provincial championship. Deasy was the joint-captain with Kate Whelton this year while Sexton is the goalkeeper...

ON THIS week's podcast, Kieran caught up with both county winning Kilmacabea captain Ian Jennings and Munster council delegate Joe Blake. Jennings is after a season where he led Kilmacs to the McCarthy Insurance Group Cork Junior A Football Championship after they beat Donoughmore recently. It means that the Leap and Glandore club will taste county championship football in 2026 after years of knoc...

ON THIS week's podcast, Kieran caught up with Cork senior football manager John Cleary as the Rebels gear up for the 2026 National Football League. Cork face into another campaign in Division 2, but before that there is the return of the McGrath Cup in early January. Cleary is going into his fourth year as permanent Cork boss after he committed to another two-year term in the off season. He chats...

ON THIS week's podcast, Kieran caught up with Irish athletics legend and RTÉ reporter David Gillick to chat about his new book The Race: The Inside Track on the Ruthless World of Elite Athletics . Gillick is well known to Irish sports fans and indeed West Cork sporting fanatics for his interviews he has done over the years with local athletes such as Phil Healy, Nicola Tuthill and Paul O’Donovan....

ON THIS week's podcast, we chat to Kilbrittain forward Bertie Butler after the club won the Munster Junior Hurling Championship title over Kilrossanty (2-17 to 0-9). They became the first West Cork club to win a hurling provincial championship of any kind since 2005.  Butler himself scored 1-3 in the final while Mark Hickey got 1-9. This has been a marvelous year for Kilbrittain, having won t...

ON THIS week's podcast, we chat to Kilmacabea manager Donie O’Donovan before their county Junior A Football Championship final against Donoughmore. The Leap club’s second county final appearance at junior A level will get underway at 3.30pm in Pairc Ui Chaoimh. This has been a great campaign for Kilmacs so far, having secured their second Carbery title in-a-row but will now be looking for further...

ON THIS week's podcast, we look back at Libby Coppinger and Saoirse McCarthy receiving 2025 camogie All-Stars. St Colum’s player Coppinger won her third in four seasons while Courcey Rovers’ McCarthy won her fourth in-a-row. Other Cork winners included Ashling Thompson, Amy O’Connor and Laura Hayes. McCarthy missed out on the Player of the Year award, despite getting nominated for a third successi...

ON THIS week's podcast, we are joined by Carbery GAA PRO Tim Buckley as he chats about the upcoming Centenary Gala Ball on Saturday, November 29th in Bantry. This black tie event will be held at The Westlodge Hotel with the drinks reception starting at 6pm.  Guests include music by The Irish Weavers, guest of honour GAA president Jarlath Burns and M.C. for the night, RTÉ Sports presenter Jacq...

ON THIS week's podcast, we are joined by Ballinascarthy camogie players Clara Crowley and Siofra Patwell after the club won their second county title-in-a-row. After winning the Premier Junior Camogie Championship title in 2024, they followed it up with an Intermediate Camogie Championship victory in 2025 after beating Sliabh Rua in the final. Bal will play second tier county camogie (premier inte...

ON THIS week's podcast, we look ahead to Ilen Rovers’ county Intermediate A Football Championship final against Ballinora this Sunday (1.30pm). Flor O’Driscoll’s side go into this decider unbeaten in the championship and will hope that form can take them to glory. Ilen have beaten Boherbue, St Vincent’s, Mitchelstown and Adrigole en route to the decider but are coming up against a Ballinora side w...

ON THIS week's podcast, we chat to Kilbrittain captain Philip Wall as the club sealed a memorable county Premier Junior Hurling Championship win. The Black and Amber beat Glen Rovers 0-22 to 2-15 in what was a great performance from the West Cork club. The club won their first county hurling title in 15 years after a brilliant second-half display in particular. What’s more, they have a Munster JHC...

ON THIS week's podcast, we chat to Clonakilty Soccer Club goal machine Chris Collins after he hit the 100-goal mark. The feat was achieved in Clon’s 3-1 win over Togher Celtic recently. Soccer Club are currently chasing their third West Cork League title-in-a-row and Collins is a key figure to their dominance. This recent feat only emphasises his incredible contribution over the last few years. Al...

ON THIS week's podcast, we chat to Star Sport columnist John Hayes after an exciting weekend of football action which saw Newcestown progress to the semi-finals. Jim O’Sullivan’s men beat Carrigaline in a penalty shoot-out after an 0-18 apiece draw after extra-time, a first last four appearance for the West Cork club in six years. Castlehaven meanwhile suffered a 6-11 to 0-19 defeat at the hands o...

ON THIS week's podcast, we chat to Evan Deasy, who won the inaugural Más+ by Messi 1v1 World Crown in Miami. What’s more, the Bandon teenager was strutting his stuff under the watchful eye of Lionel Messi, the Argentinian superstar. The Cobh Ramblers striker earned his place in Miami after coming through a qualifier in Dublin. Once he landed in Florida, he reached a new level – beating some of the...

ON THIS week's podcast, we reflect on what was an eventful weekend of county football championship action. Newcestown blew the Premier Senior Football Championship wide open with their 0-12 to 0-10 win over Castlehaven, meaning the county champions will face St Finbarr’s in the quarter-final. Newcestown, led by David Buckley and the evergreen Tadhg Twomey face Carrigaline in the quarter-final. Clo...

ON THIS week's podcast, we chat to Carbery camogie captain Niamh Kennedy and vice-captain Moira Barrett before the divisional side’s county senior championship preliminary quarter-final against Blackrock. Kennedy from Clonakilty and Barrett from Ballinascarthy are two key players in a talented Carbery side who have only played one game so far, a win over Seandún earlier in the campaign. This will...

ON THIS week's podcast, we talk to local rugby star Abbie Salter-Townshend on Munster’s Interpro victory as they beat Leinster 50-15 last weekend. Salter-Townshend was a key component in the Munster squad, starting three out of the four games as the southerners blitzed their way to glory. Not to mention, she also won the All-Ireland League senior title with her club UL Bohimians earlier this year....

ON THIS week's podcast, we have interviews with players and coaches before the Clóna Milk Carbery U21 football finals that are happening this weekend. Bantry Blues face Ibane Gaels in the A final on Friday, the B final will be contested by St Colums and Ahán Gaels on Saturday while the C decider pits Clann na nGael against Ilen Rovers this Sunday. All three encounters will show the skills of the b...

ON THIS week's podcast, we have a special guest as boxing commentating legend Adam Smith dropped by to speak to us. The former head of boxing at Sky Sports dropped into our office recently for a catch-up. Adam is a friend of the show and he and his family visit West Cork as often as they can. He is one of the finest boxing commentators there is and he chats to us about his friendship with Katie Ta...

ON THIS week's podcast, we are joined by Ger McCarthy to look back on what was a disappointing day for the Cork camogie team. A 1-14 to 1-13 loss to Galway in the Glen Dimplex All-Ireland senior camogie final ended their three-in-a-row bid. We reflect on Galway’s tenacity, Cork’s first-half struggle, the Rebels’ second-half fightback and some questionable refereeing calls. We look forward too as G...