Supply: Alamy Inventory Picture
Louth and Donegal, the Leinster and Ulster soccer champions, are again in motion this weekend within the All-Eire group stage.
This weekend’s soccer motion centres across the arrival of the Leinster and Ulster champions into the All-Eire group stage fray as Louth and Donegal get again to enterprise.
The Wee County ended a 68-year watch for a provincial win by disposing of Meath in Croke Park, however are being written off as they get set to face Monaghan in St Conleth’s Park in Newbridge.
Ulster kings Donegal face a tantalising north-west derby in opposition to neighbours Tyrone in Ballybofey on Saturday night time, whereas elsewhere Meath face Cork in Pairc Tailteann and Derry are the guests to BOX-IT Athletic Grounds to face All-Eire champions Armagh. Listed below are our GAA betting alternatives for Saturday’s motion.
Gaelic Soccer suggestions
Donegal to beat Tyrone by 1-3 factors 3/1
Louth to beat Monaghan 2/1
Donegal to edge derby spoils
Jim McGuinness has received one other Ulster title, his second since returning as Donegal boss and his fifth in all as a supervisor.
Extremely, the Glenties man has nonetheless solely misplaced as soon as within the white warmth of essentially the most keenly contested provincial sequence in six seasons throughout two spells.
As they did final 12 months, Donegal transfer onto the All-Eire group stage by welcoming their nearest neighbours Tyrone to Ballybofey.
A 12 months in the past, the Tir Conaill aspect received by seven, 0-21 to 0-14, however this MacCumhaill Park showdown must be a lot nearer.
Donegal have proven an actual behavior of moving into dominant positions within the Championship solely to ask the opposition again into video games. Derry, Monaghan and Armagh all did it at one stage within the Ulster journey.
Tyrone, in the meantime, fought again from six factors behind to go two forward heading down the closing stretch in opposition to Armagh in final month’s Ulster semi-final in Clones earlier than succumbing to a trio of scores from Kieran McGeeney’s aspect.
Tyrone are hit or miss and that is still the case below Malachy O’Rourke, as their Allianz League relegation this spring confirmed.
They’ll want an improved effort from Ruairí Canavan and an enormous recreation from Darren McCurry to stem the Donegal tide.
The hosts have wind of their sails, and the operating energy of the likes of Peadar Mogan and Ciaran Moore could possibly be telling.
Joe Brolly as soon as opined of McGuinness’ first incarnation that Donegal had been specialists in ‘two-point hammerings’ of the opposition. They will negotiate the Tyrone take a look at however there is probably not loads in it on the scoreboard.
Wee County can stand as much as Farney Military
Monaghan had been one in all Donegal’s Ulster victims and, in that very same chain of thought, the two-point margin in all probability flattered Gabriel Bannigan’s aspect in Clones. They kicked 5 two-pointers and that helped them shut in on Donegal late on.
Louth, in the meantime, got here by way of the Leinster pathway to contest their third successive provincial decider. With no Dublin in the way in which this time, they took out Meath because the Royals did not match the heroics that they had proven in defeating Dessie Farrell’s aspect.
When these sides met within the league in March, Monaghan coasted to a 17-point lead shortly earlier than half-time, however Louth fought again and reduce the hole to 3 factors with two minutes remaining, earlier than the Farney Military marched over the successful line by way of scores from Rory Beggan and Conor McCarthy.
Sam Mulroy scored 1-12 that day in a dropping trigger and he was the epitome of all that was good about Louth of their deserved Leinster ultimate win.
They’ve already performed a Championship match in Newbridge this season, a assist, and there seems little to separate this pair on paper – making the 2/1 on a Wee County win too arduous to withstand.