Leinster's bid to claim top seeding for the knockout stages of the Heineken Champions Cup was buttressed by an ultimately convincing win over Lyon in Dublin on Sunday afternoon.

A grim night for the visitors to the RDS. And it could have been much worse.

With this latest fence safely negotiated, Corofin are within one hour of becoming the first club football team to win three consecutive All-Ireland titles.

With the clock ticking and Munster trailing 13-6, the home side won a crucial penalty inside the Leinster 22 after a sustained period of pressure and kicked for the corner.

Good things are coming in twos to Alan O’Connor this week.

Nemo Rangers will take on reigning champions Corofin in the All-Ireland club football semi-final after comfortably seeing off Clonmel in today’s Munster decider.

“He was the difference between the teams today,” declared an ecstatic St Mary’s coach, Dan Shanahan. “His puckouts were good and he hasn’t conceded a goal in four games.”

Nemo Rangers cruised into a 19th Munster club football final courtesy of this 18-point demolition of Austin Stacks.

Nemo Rangers are through to the semi-finals of the AIB Munster Club SFC after they held off the challenge of Newcastle West at Mallow on Sunday.

Kerry sensation David Clifford lit up Austin Stack Park in this second Garvey’s Kerry SFC quarter-final as East Kerry dominated the opening half against a Dingle side who struggled to deal with the attacking flair and pace of the East Kerry boys.

Nemo Rangers breezed past a tame Douglas challenge to set up a Cork SFC final date with Duhallow on Sunday, October 27.

Dromtariffe produced a powerful finish to see off Ballydesmond this entertaining Cork IFC quarter-final replay at Boherbue yesterday.

An epic encounter in Tralee, adorned by stunning displays on both sides — none more so than Kerin’s O’Rahilly’s David Moran.

This eagerly anticipated affair didn’t disappoint as East Kerry overcame a strong second-half comeback by Austin Stacks to run out six-point winners and dump the Tralee club out of the championship.

Ireland suffered one of the biggest upsets in Rugby World Cup history as Japan repeated their Brighton miracle against South Africa on home soil to leave Joe Schmidt’s men stunned at Shizuoka Stadium Ecopa.

West Cork are through to the Cork ladies SFC final after their win over Éire Óg at Cloughduv last night.

Ballydesmond clung on for another bite of the cherry thanks to a 68th-minute levelling point from Donncha O’Connor in a dramatic Co. IFC quarter final with Duhallow neighbours Dromtariffe at Boherbue yesterday.

Having trailed 10-7 at half-time, Ireland started the second period with intent with two tries before the hour mark

England have beaten Ireland 57-15 in their World Cup warm-up Test at Twickenham.

The Ireland team to play England on Saturday has been announced and Ross Byrne is set to win his third cap.

Roscommon finished their Super 8s campaign on a positive note with this three-point win over Cork.

Midfielder Killian O’Hanlon, who missed the Dublin game because of a head injury, is back in the Cork team to face Tyrone.

The Cork footballers must be “streetwise” and “patient” during Saturday’s must-win Super 8 tie against Tyrone, a fixture which selector Sean Hayes has described as the “game of our lives”.

Cork will spend the next two weekends in Croke Park after comfortably securing their place in the Super 8s with this emphatic 14-point dismissal of Laois.

The inconsistency which plagued Cork football in recent seasons is no longer an issue, according to goalkeeper Mark White.

Cork have opted to go with an unchanged side for Saturday evening’s Munster SFC final against Kerry in Páirc Uí Chaoimh (7pm).

Cork have handed out three championship debuts for Saturday’s Munster SFC semi-final against Limerick in Páirc Uí Rinn.

Leinster’s bid for a record fifth European crown came up short at St James’ Park on Saturday as Saracens reclaimed the Heineken Champions Cup for their third title in four seasons.

Leinster refuse to be a team that limits their eggs to the one basket.

PRO 14 Scoreboard here with this one Leo Cullen said Sunday’s Champions Cup semi-final will be a litmus test for him and his coaching team’s player management system.

Cork SHC: Erin’s Own 3-7 Ballymartle 2-8

Leo Cullen saw this coming.

No Jonathan Sexton, Rob Kearney on the bench and Jack McGrath given the weekend off.

Munster fans may watch tonight’s PRO14 clash between Edinburgh and Leinster with more intensity than supporters of the visiting side at Murrayfield.

Seán Powter will start his first game for the Cork footballers in almost 14 months this weekend.

Andrea Murphy’s goal two minutes from time sent UCD into the Gourmet Food Parlour O’Connor Cup final for the first time since their victorious 2016 campaign, after an exciting semi-final at a wind-swept Abbotstown.

Dr Crokes midfield Johnny Buckley was last night cleared to play in the All-Ireland club SFC final after successfully contesting his one-match suspension.

Joe Schmidt admits that the decision to start Robbie Henshaw at full-back against England in Saturday's Six Nations opener has been made with one eye on the upcoming World Cup in Japan.

IT Tralee manager Liam Brosnan accused the referee of 'targeting' their Kerry county players as the college exited the Sigerson Cup with 12 men and lost Kerry defender Gavin Crowley to injury.

Leinster have brought the curtain down on the Heineken Champions Cup pool stages with the easiest of victories away to Wasps on Sunday afternoon that confirms for them an all-Irish home quarter-final against Ulster at the end of March.

It might only be the McGrath Cup, but the Cork footballers, for a variety of reasons, would be best served by ensuring the pre-season silverware is perched at the front of the team bus when it pulls out of Willie Clancy country tomorrow afternoon.

This looked kinda promising on paper.

Leinster 30 Munster 22

The Cork football team to face Tipperary in Saturday’s Munster SFC semi-final contains two championship debutants.