The clock is ticking and the All-Ireland hurling final is almost upon us. All of the build-up, all of the talk and the speculation is nearly over and the players can finally take to the pitch at 3.30pm on Sunday. Writing in his column this morning, Jackie Tyrrell says All-Ireland final week is like nothing else. It's relentless and you're best off locking yourself away at home as much as you can to avoid the chatter. For Limerick, they're fairly used to it now while the Cork players are experiencing something new. And if the Rebels are to stand a chance they must stifle Cian Lynch but the main problem will be that Limerick have magicians all over the pitch, he writes. Meanwhile, Limerick captain Declan Hannon spoke to the media yesterday about how there has been no hunger lost in their dressing room and how a traditional summer All-Ireland final in front of fans feels so different to last year's cold, wintry affair in December at a ghostly Croke Park. It was three years ago now, in 2018, when Limerick beat Cork in an epic All-Ireland semi-final which gave John Kiely's men the upper hand over their Munster rivals and that advantage has held since, writes Seán Moran. Meanwhile, in football, James Horan yesterday did not rule out Eoghan McLaughlin making the All-Ireland final after he rejoined training during the week following surgery on a fractured jaw.
Moving to soccer and Shamrock Rovers have a serious task ahead of them if they're to reach the Europa Conference League group stages after they went down 4-2 to Flora Tallinn last night. It was a disappointing night for the Irish side who let some bad errors creep into their game and afterwards Stephen Bradley expressed his disappointment, particularly with the fourth goal. Elsewhere, Paços de Ferreira stunned a weakened Spurs side in Portugal to take a 1-0 lead back to London for the second leg.
To golf and Séamus Power is the best of the Irish after the opening round of the Northern Trust Open in New Jersey - the first of the three FedEx Cup playoffs. Power fired a one under par round of 70 yesterday while Rory McIlroy and Shane Lowry sit at level par, both a long way off leaders Jon Rahm and Justin Thomas who stormed out of the blocks with rounds of 63 to separate themselves from third place by five shots. In the Women's British Open, Leona Maguire signed for an opening round of 72 (level par) with three players tied for the lead at five under. Maguire gets her second round underway at 7.47am this morning.
Finally to rugby and New Zealand will not travel to Perth for their Bledisloe Cup match against Australia next week while the cancellation of the two home Rugby Championship Tests against South Africa have also been announced as the country tightens quarantine restrictions due to a Covid-19 outbreak.
