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Liverpool back into the top four; An Irish Pro14 team of the season

The Morning Sports Briefing: Keep ahead of the game with ‘The Irish Times’ sports team

Jurgen Klopp’s Liverpool team were too good for Burnley last night at Turf Moor. Photograph: Gareth Copley/EPA
Jurgen Klopp’s Liverpool team were too good for Burnley last night at Turf Moor. Photograph: Gareth Copley/EPA

Liverpool are back into the top four ahead of the final round of Premier League games after last night's 3-0 win over Burnley. Roberto Firmino opened the scoring at Turf Moor just before half-time and Nat Phillips and substitute Alex Oxlade-Chamberlain added a second and third. West Ham also strode closer to Europe thanks to late goals by Angelo Ogbonna and Michail Antonio in a 3-1 win over West Brom.

Today 99 of the world's top-100 ranked players, Matthew Wolff being the odd man out, go in search of the season's second Major at the US PGA Championship. Of them, three are Irish - Rory McIlroy, Harrington and Shane Lowry; and, for two of them, the Pete Dye-designed course has provided past triumphs. McIlroy is out first, teeing off at 1.33pm, and he's also the golfer with the most momentum, but the fearsome Ocean Course is set to be a severe test, especially if the wind gets up. Click here for Philip Reid's tournament and course preview.

In his column this morning, John O'Sullivan has picked an Irish Pro14 team of the season. The statistics point towards some players more than others, but as he explains there are more factors than that. There's seven Leinster players included, four Connacht players, two Munster and likewise from Ulster, with youngsters such as Harry Byrne, Scott Penny and Gavin Coombes getting the nod.

Meanwhile, with the Northern Ireland Executive clearing the way for limited attendances beginning this Friday, it's unclear what will happen with the remaining Allianz League and upcoming Ulster Championship matches being staged within the six counties.