Saturday Treble
16:30 (Offaly) Kilcormac/Killoughey v Belmont: Belmont to win
Belmont were beaten in last year’s Offaly semi-finals and the feeling within the county is that their time has come to push on and make a final. There’s certainly value in them in this game.
Kilcormac/Killoughey have been around the business end of the season in Offaly for the better part of a decade now and even made an All-Ireland Club Final, but I’m going to stick with Belmont to justify the hype.
17:00 (Cork) Blackrock v UCC: Blackrock to win
For many people, Blackrock are the dark horses of the Cork Championship. You just don’t know what personnel UCC are going to have available to them on a given day, but they are usually relatively strong.
However, Blackrock managed to overcome Douglas in a really tough local derby and that has given them a bit of momentum coming into this. UCC were not impressive against Na Pairsaigh, and that makes Blackrock my NAP of the weekend.
19:30 (Cork) Glen Rovers v Erins Own: Glen Rovers to win
Erins Own are huge outsiders here, but I did say at the start of the Cork Championship that they might have been worth chancing at 25/1 to win the whole thing.
They’ve overcome some strong teams to get here, including Sarsfields last time out in a big upset. But, will they have enough to take down Glen Rovers this weekend? I just can’t see it.
The Glen are too experienced, and they have the ace in the pack in the form of Cork star Patrick Horgan in attack. Glen Rovers should be a bridge too far for Erins Own here.
Sunday Accumulator
14:30 (Kilkenny) Ballyhale v Dicksboro: Dicksboro (+3)
Dicksboro find themselves as outsiders yet again here, but it was the same case in the county semi-final and I was right to back them there, wasn’t I?
This is going to be a mouthwatering county final and we could have an absolute classic on our hands.
Dicksboro have all the tools to match Ballyhale Shamrocks. But, Ballyhale have strength in every line of the field.
For a bit of safety, I fancy Dicksboro on the (+3) handicap and this will be very tight encounter. Don’t rule out extra time here!
15:00 (Galway) St Thomas v Cappataggle: St Thomas to win
Turloughmore await the winner of this game in the Galway Senior Hurling final and while Cappataggle have been challenging around the semi-finals for the last few years, the squad St Thomas have available to them should be just too much for them here.
St Thomas are strong favourites and I can’t see any other outcome than them progressing here.
16:00 (Clare) Sixmilebridge v O’Callaghan Mills: Sixmilebridge to win
O’Callaghan Mills have upset the odds in the quarter and semi-finals. Who would have predicted that they would have overcome Ballyea?
They are underdogs again here in the Clare County final, but I can’t look past the know-how that Sixmilebridge possess.
When you have Davy Fitzgerald on the sideline for you, that’s a big advantage for any team. Sixmilebridge should claim this one.
16:30 (Offaly) St Rynaghs v Birr: Birr to win
This is a re-run of the 2019 Offaly County final, and that was a game that Birr left behind them.
It’s been awhile since Birr reigned supreme in Offaly, but they have been back knocking on the door in the last few season. I’m going to go with the value in Birr, but it will be close.
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John Mullane’s tips summary:
Saturday
16:30 Kilcormac/Killoughey v Belmont: Belmont to win
17:00 Blackrock v UCC: Blackrock to win
19:30 Glen Rovers v Erins Own: Glen Rovers to win
Sunday
14:30 Ballyhale v Dicksboro: Dicksboro (+3)
15:00 St Thomas v Cappataggle: St Thomas to win
16:00 Sixmilebridge v O’Callaghan Mills: Sixmilebridge to win
16:30 St Rynaghs v Birr: Birr to win
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