Limerick are All-Ireland hurling champions for the second time in three years after a dominant and fully deserving 11 point win over Waterford. "This was no kinetic, harum-scarum victory desperately quarried from an anxious need to win," explains Sean Moran in his match report from an empty Croke Park. "But a relentless barrage, like stunning punches delivered to the beat of a metronome." According to Nicky English, Limerick's performance was one of the best he has ever seen in an All-Ireland final: "In the modern era of middle-third hurling this was exemplary and Limerick demonstrated that they have no peers in the execution of that game. They're superbly coached and immensely powerful." Malachy Clerkin reflects on the spectacular performances of Gearóid Hegarty and Tom Morrissey - the two Limerick wing forwards plundered 12 points from play between them.
Liverpool failed to capitalise on Tottenham's 1-1 draw with Crystal Palace, with their trip to Fulham on Sunday afternoon ending in the same scoreline. It could have been worse for a patched up Liverpool team though, they had their fit-again goalkeeper Alisson to thank for being just the one goal behind before Mohamed Salah's 79th minute penalty. Leicester went third after a 3-0 win against Brighton, while Arsenal's worrying form continued with a 1-0 defeat to Burnley. In his column this morning, Ken Early looks back on Saturday's Manchester derby which ended 0-0: "When you see how United cut teams up on the counter and otherwise not at all, and when you look at the table, with the leaders averaging barely more than two points a game, you can see why for City, discretion was the better part of valour, and chasing the win was not worth the risk."
Munster made Harlequins pay for a lack of discipline as they ran out 21-7 winners in difficult conditions in their Heineken Champions Cup clash at Thomond Park. Gerry Thornley explains in his match report: "There were a mite too many inaccuracies at the set-piece, the breakdown and, although they only conceded one try, at times in defence too for Munster to ever be wholly comfortable without ever looking like they wouldn't win at the same time." Connacht were also in Champions Cup action on Sunday and they came within a score of producing the biggest upset of Champions Cup round one away to Racing 92.
Meanwhile, Aidan O'Brien ended his 2020 campaign with a 15th Group 1 victory of the year when Mogul emerged an impressive winner of Sunday morning's Hong Kong Vase at Sha Tin.Later on the international carnival card O'Brien's star mare Magical was third in the Hong Kong Cup and afterwards the champion trainer didn't rule out both horses continuing to race in 2021. Brian O'Connor explains why Jim Bolger's incendiary statements should shake racing to its foundations: "One of the greatest trainers in the history of the sport here believes drug cheats are getting away with it. So cue an existential crisis, right?"
