Just like a year ago for Galway's first All-Ireland title win in 29 years, tickets were in huge demand for 2018's All-Ireland hurling final. Micheál Donoghue was looking to join Cyril Farrell in managing Galway to back-to-back All-Ireland titles while his counterpart on the Limerick sideline was hoping to end an even longer championship drought than Galway had endured. 1973 was the last time Limerick had claimed Liam MacCarthy. Some well-known faces turned out at Croke Park on Sunday for one of the biggest says in the sporting calendar. Pictures: Sportsfile Former Limerick manager TJ Ryan Former Taoiseach Enda Kenny Advertisement Former Waterford player Dan Shanahan Former Republic of Ireland international Stephen Hunt Advertisement Businessman JP McManus and wife Noreen Comedian Tommy Tiernan and wife Yvonne An Taoiseach Leo Varadkar Kilkenny senior hurling manager Brian Cody Pat Hartigan one of the men to last win an All-Ireland for Limerick in 1973<doc-sep>There are few things as scarce this week as All-Ireland hurling final tickets, as the scramble for a seat at Croke Park this Sunday ratchets up in intensity. While Galway are the reigning champions, Limerick haven't been in a final since 2007, naturally leading to enormous demand for tickets to the finale of arguably the greatest hurling championship of all time. Amid the desperate forage for tickets, the GAA today issued an update to fans warning that any All Ireland hurling final tickets purchased for on touting websites above face value may be cancelled. Here is the Association's full statement: Advertisement<doc-sep>Work-rate won the day for Limerick and Kyle Hayes' outrageous hook summed it up Limerick 3-16 Galway 2-18 Kyle Hayes worked in Croke Park on Sunday like a man has never worked before. The sight of Seamus Flanagan leaving Gearóid McInerney on his arse was telling, the sight of Aaron Gillane catching balls over Daithí Burke's head an unfamiliar one, the sight of Conor Cooney hitting three wides in a row strange, the sight of Limerick forwards hounding Galway backs into mistakes - an absolute constant. Limerick lifted the Liam MacCarthy Cup for the first time in 45 years on Sunday afternoon. John Kiely's men went into Sunday's final as underdogs and they played the game as if they were trailing by four points for every single one of the 75 minutes played. They outworked, outfought and out-dogged the reigning champions on Sunday and they were fully deserving of their victory come the end of it. The Shannonsiders were leading by four at half-time but in truth that was a scoreline that flattered Galway. Because the Tribesmen didn't get much of a sniff in that first half. They went twenty first half minutes without scoring and Joseph Cooney was their only forward to have scored from play come half-time. Conor Whelan had barely touched a ball, Conor Cooney had but only when he was hitting it wide, Johnny Glynn was getting horsed out of it by a man 7 inches smaller and 20 kilograms lighter than him and Cathal Mannion was similarly quiet. Advertisement How the hell was this happening? How come these lads weren't getting a look in? The answer - the Limerick players didn't allow them a look-in. They say attack is the first line of defence and that was the Limerick forward's bible for the day. Graeme Mulcahy led from the front, smothering John Hanbury and Adrian Tuohy for sport - It was fitting that he would register the winning score. Every single one of those lads worked hard, but few of them as hard as Kyle Hayes. He hit four points from play, four crucial points - but the best thing about the 20-year-old's performance was his insatiable work-rate. It was best summed up by his contribution just after half-time when he made ten metres in the space of about two seconds to make an improbable hook on Johnny Coen. The man was out on his feet, he was gasping, he still found the iron-will to go for Coen. It was mind over matter stuff, it was one of those moments where he ignored his legs telling him to stop, he ignored those negative thoughts telling him to leave it, he just went and did it. He was making those kinds of contributions all day long. Coen hit the ball wide. Work-rate won the day for Limerick.<doc-sep>
THE All-Ireland hurling final is the hottest ticket in town this weekend and big names of Irish sport are at Croke Park for Limerick's clash with Galway. Ex-Ireland soccer star Stephen Hunt, former Taoiseach Enda Kenny and comedian Tommy Tiernan are all among the 82,000 crowd at GAA HQ. 8 Former Taoiseach Enda Kenny is at Croke Park for the big game Credit: Sportsfile 8 Ex-Waterford hurling ace Dan Shanahan Credit: Sportsfile 8 Tommy Tiernan and wife Yvonne are in town Credit: Sportsfile Limerick businessman JP McManus - who has long been a strong financial supporter of the county's senior hurling side - is hoping to see the Treaty men end a 45-year wait for the Liam MacCarthy Cup. Galway supporters packed into the ground early and watched their minor team see off Kilkenny by 0-21 to 0-14. They were joined in the ground by hordes of green-clad Limerick fanatics - who had plenty to cheer early on after Graeme Mulcahy netted a goal at the Canal End. Kilkenny boss Brian Cody knows all about this Limerick team as they defeated his side in the All-Ireland quarter-final last month and the legendary Cats manager is another interested spectator at Croke Park. 8 JP McManus and wife Noreen arrive in Drumcondra Credit: Sportsfile 8 President Michael D Higgins shakes hands with Séamus Flanagan Credit: Sportsfile 8 Former Ireland international Stephen Hunt is in attendance Credit: Sportsfile 8 Kilkenny manager Brian Cody Credit: Sportsfile 8 Taoiseach Leo Varadkar is at Croke Park Credit: Sportsfile As is traditional on All-Ireland final day, Michael D Higgins was introduced to the players by Limerick captain Declan Hannon and Galway skipper David Burke before throw-in. Taoiseach Leo Varadkar is also taking in the game. You can follow all the action from the match with SunSport's live blog.