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Liverpool to face Chelsea in FA Cup final; Shane Lowry misses out again

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

Wembley will host the FA Cup final between Liverpool and Chelsea on Saturday, May 14th. Photograph: Getty Images
Wembley will host the FA Cup final between Liverpool and Chelsea on Saturday, May 14th. Photograph: Getty Images

Liverpool will face Chelsea in this year's FA Cup final after the London club beat Crystal Palace at Wembley. Academy graduates Mason Mount and Ruben Loftus-Cheek both impressed and scored in Sunday's semi-final win. Rangers came from behind in the most dramatic fashion to beat Celtic 2-1 in extra time at Hampden Park to set up a Scottish Cup final meeting with Hearts. In Premier League action, Newcastle all but secured their safety with a win over Leicester, while West Ham snatched a late draw to deny Burnley in their first game since the sacking of Sean Dyche. In his column this morning, Ken Early explains how Dyche's fading star tracks the decline of the endurance game: "The basic problem is that Dyche's Burnley never evolved. If they get relegated they will go back down to the Championship playing much the same game as they were playing six years ago when promoted."

For the second straight week, Shane Lowry had to accept his fate of missing out and finishing in tied-third as Jordan Spieth went to extra holes to get the job done at the RBC Heritage Classic. A poor tee shot into a waste area in the trees on the Par 3 14th hole was followed by a pitch that saw his ball roll through the green and over the railway sleepers into the water. In running up a double bogey six, having gone 25 holes without dropping a shot, Lowry dropped from outright leader into one of those in pursuit of Spieth.

The 2022 Munster hurling championship got underway on Sunday with reigning champions Limerick reminding us all just how good they are with a dominant 11 point win over a disappointing Cork side. Kyle Hayes' goal will be replayed over and over, and was no doubt the highlight of the day. In the first game, Waterford were too strong for Tipperary, who will take plenty of positives from Walsh Park despite a four point defeat to the league champions. In the Connacht football championship Sligo overcame a scare in New York, while Leitrim needed an injury time goal to see them past London.

Meanwhile, Munster's Heineken Champions quarter-final at home to five-times winners Toulouse will be moved to the Aviva Stadium because Thomond Park is hosting two Ed Sheeran concerts on Thursday May 5th and Friday May 6th.