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The real business starts this weekend with the football quarter finals:
Kerry v Down
Tyrone v Dublin
Roscommon v Cork
Meath v KildareI think Kerry will deal with Down fairly comfortably even without Tomás Ó Sé and Paul Galvin. I can’t see the Down backs holding the likes of Donaghy, Gooch and Declan O’Sullivan to a beatable score. Kerry (-4) at 11/10 with Paddy Power is a great bet in my eyes.
The Dubs have got the show back on the road since their loss to Meath but it’s hard to see them getting one over Tyrone who have strolled through the summer so far. I think they’ll put it up to them for an hour or so but Tyrone’s bit of nous and experience should see them pull away in the last ten minutes.
Connacht football seems to be at a bit of a low ebb at the moment with Mayo, Galway and Sligo all underperforming in the backdoor. I think Cork will make short work of Roscommon. A lot of people seem to be writing Cork off on the basis of their game against Limerick but I wouldn’t read too much into a local derby like that.
I think Kildare/Meath is the tie of the round. It’s an impossible one to call and both teams will be fancying their chances. The draw at 8/1 with Bet 365 stands out like a sore thumb. I stupidly/patriotically/drunkenly/shrewdly (take your choice) backed Kildare for the All-Ireland at 100/1 after beating Antrim up in Belfast! They’re as short as 11/1 with Boylesports now so hopefully I’ll get a run for my money for a few more weeks at least.
I think Kerry will win the All-Ireland again beating Cork in a repeat of last year’s final. A lot of pundits seem to be talking up Tyrone recently but I can’t see them beating Cork. Cork beat them convincingly in last year’s semi-final with 14 men for the majority of the game. Tyrone have a lot of miles on the clock and I’m not sure they’ve improved. Having seen three Ulster teams in the flesh this year – Kildare v Antrim/Derry/Monaghan, I think the standard of Ulster football has gone backwards big time.
The hurling semi-finals are two mouth watering matches:
Kilkenny v Cork
Waterford v TipperaryIt’s hard to see past Kilkenny landing their 5 in a row. I certainly can’t see a limited Cork stopping them in the semi-final. Tipp and Waterford are both better equipped than Cork to take on the Cats but I always thought the semi-final was where Kilkenny would be vulnerable having been idle since the Leinster Final. I just can’t see them being stopped on the first Sunday in September given what will be at stake.
Tipp/Waterford is an even enough contest on paper and I can’t understand how Waterford are available at 5/2. I’ve never been convinced by this Tipp team and the goals they leaked at the weekend against Galway have only confirmed my view of them. Davy Fitz will have the Déise primed for one last push for an All-Ireland and I can see them being too hungry for Tipp.
Recommended bets:
Kerry (-4) v Down @ 11/10 (Paddy Power)
Meath v Kildare to draw @ 8/1 (Bet 365)
Kerry v Cork to contest the All Ireland Final @ 9/4 (Boylesports)
Declan O’Sullivan to win Footballer of the Year @ 16/1 (Paddy Power)
Kerry to win Football AI and Kilkenny to win Hurling AI double @ 2/1 & 2/5 (Ladbrokes)
Waterford to beat Tipperary @ 5/2 (Paddy Power)
Good Lad IC
I hope you’re right about Waterford – I’m on at an aftertimers dream price of 25/1 (ew) which I took before the Munster semis. I can’t believe that they are still 12/1. I was hoping to lay the place part only to get my full stake back but the prices are terrible IMO so now I’ll probably have to sweat out the Tipp match. Only possible saving grace is if Cork beat Kilkenny in the first semi which will see the price tumble and I’ll be OK then.
Being a Meath man, I’ll be cheering against the Lilys at the weekend obviously. Haven’t had a bet in this and probably won’t at this stage. I reckon you have the first 3 games spot on but I think Kildare haven’t beaten anyone worthwhile at this stage and Meath should be too strong for them on Sunday. Hopefully won’t need any dodgy goals either!
Hopefully won’t need any dodgy goals either!
You don’t fancy the Joe Show at 5/1 to crash over for the first touchdown?!
The teams Kildare have beaten are all poorish bar Monaghan and they were very flat after the Ulster Final. It’s hard to know how good Meath are either though. The Biffos were well in the game against them until they had a man sent off and they needed a replay to get over Laois. Very impressive in the Dublin game but how good are the Dubs?
I’d be hopeful if Johnny Doyle hits form that Kildare’s bit of momentum at the moment might swing it towards us but Dermot Earley’s fitness is a concern. Most of the bookies can’t split them so it would be no surprise if Extra Time is needed. Few punts on the draw seems a decent shout.
Well done on your Waterford bet. I think they’ll have too much for Tipp and a line through Cork suggests they will. Everyone seems to be rating Tipp on last year’s All-Ireland Final (Kilkenny well below par that day IMO). They haven’t gone remotely close to replicating that performance this year and their defeat of Galway was nothing to be getting carried away with. Waterford’s full-back line is much improved and is far better than Galway’s (especially considering Ollie Canning wasn’t on the field for the last ten minutes).
Mighty stuff altogether David. Kerry’s demise fecks up a lot of my bets but it really opens the championship up.
Hopefully the Lilywhites do the business against your Royalist boys tomorrow and I can lay off my 100/1!
Dublin v Kildare/Meath All-Ireland Final??
"Anyone buying or selling tickets?"
Imagine an all-Leinster final!!
After all the articles wrote about the poor quality in the province etc. Still though, Cork will represent serious opposition.
Waterford at 5/2 are a great price. In horseracing terms they beat Cork by a short head, while Cork hacked up against Tipp. Tipp needed the run that day it seems, yet Waterford are flying and I’d be quite confident they’ll do the business.
Jesus Christ Up the Lillies
Glen Ryan for Pope
John Doyle for Taoiseach
Dermot Earley for President
Kildare for Sam!!!!!!!!
Would absolutely love to see either Down or in particular Kildare lift Sam. One of them will have a chance, hopefully against Dublin, as I feel Cork would represent a tougher task. I could picture Down doing a serious job on Dublin!
There’s only one McGeeney,
One McGeeney,
We used to be sh1te,
Now we’re alright,
Walking in a Lilywhite wonderland.The bookies are taking no chances on the handicap betting for the Kilkenny/Cork hurling semi-final at the weekend. Thought I’d get the Cats at -4 or -5 and I’d have the house on them but not to be.
Called Tipp/Waterford wrong I must admit.
With Tommy Walsh now possibly joining King Henry and Tennyson on the sidelines, maybe the hurling final might not be as cut and dried as some of us thought.
Tipp are still weak enough in some key areas. Their half-forward line struggles to compete under puckouts – hence Cummins going short today. That tactic won’t work against Kilkenny. I’m also not convinced by their corner-backs. John Mullane could have cleaned them out today but he was getting poor supply from his team mates. Paddy Stapleton should have got the line for his persistent fouling too IMO.
If they catch Kilkenny on an off day though it could be close. Without Walsh and Shefflin (the two best hurlers in the land) Kilkenny don’t look as formidable.
Looking forward to the football next week now – the Jackeens v the Langers! Might have a bet after the Cork team is named.
Cork v Dublin
Pearse O’Neill first goalscorer @ 8/1 (Paddy Power)
Donncha O’Connor to score more than Alan Brogan @ 4/7 (Paddy Power)
Cork (-2) @ 5/4 (Paddy Power)
Covered my bets with Donncha O’Connor last weekend thankfully. Going to let the heart rule the head on Sunday!
Alan Smith first goalscorer and Kildare to win @ 10/1 (Paddy Power)
Eoghan O’Flaherty to score more than Danny Hughes @ 4/5 (Paddy Power)
Galway Minors to beat Cork Minors @ 7/4 (Bet 365)
Kildare to win All-Ireland SFC @ 4/1 (Blue Square)
Fools and their money eh??! I was not impressed with Cork last Sunday and I think whoever wins this semi-final have a great chance against them so:
Small hedge on Down to win All-Ireland SFC @ 9/2 (Ladbrokes)
Feck it anyway.
Only a few inches of a crossbar in it. Al Paccino was right all along!
It’ll be a long time before we ever get over that result. Might never get a better chance to bridge the gap since ’28.
Well done to the adopted county of Larry Tompkins, Shay Fahey and Rory Gallagher. Well done to the Boys of Kilmichael, the Bould Thady Quill, Vincent O’Brien, Niall Tóibín, Michael Collins, O’Donovan Rossa, Roy Keane, Davy Russell, Eddie Hobbs, Sonia O’Sullivan, Matt Cooper, Christy Ring, Paul Townend, Graham Norton, Ronan O’Gara, Simon Coveney, Jimmy Barry Murphy, Batt O’Keeffe, Stephen Ireland’s grannies………
where we sported and played ‘neath each green leafy shade on the banks of my own lovely Lee
………. jaysus I’m off to throw up in a ditch.
Up Down
Good tune THM. It’s no Dancing at the Crossroads though!
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