Our GAA Ambassador, John Mullane has hit some mighty tips already this year, he’s keen to keep that wee sliotar rolling this weekend.
John Mullane’s Best Hurling Bets
4pm – Clare v Dublin
Clare To Win By 7-9 Points &
Mark Rodgers First Goalscorer
6:15pm – Galway v Tipperary
Tipperary To Win By 1-3 Points
Jake Morris First Goalscorer
*All prices are bang up to date with our snazzy widgets, while odds in copy are accurate at time of publishing but subject to change.
Clare v Dublin
Saturday 4pm
TV: RTE Two
Clare To Win By 7-9 Points
I think that Brian Lohan has done an unbelievable job as Clare manager. I also think he’s been extremely unlucky when it comes to winning silverware so you just feel that he’s due a break, considering the job he’s after doing over the last three years. I firmly believe Clare have the team to go the whole way now. But for that to happen they have to jump this hurdle on Saturday afternoon.
It’ll be a tricky hurdle for sure but I think the venue of the Gaelic Grounds will help, they know the venue inside out from playing against Limerick over the years, it’s nearly like a second home for them at this stage.
The Dubs were a small bit disappointing against Carlow last weekend. They got the job done in the last 10 minutes. The talk is that Donal Burke is carrying a bit of knock; he didn’t register anything from play last weekend but if he doesn’t start here that’s a big blow for Dublin.
Overall, when you break this game down and compare both teams then surely Clare will have too much for Dublin. Clare have some really good forwards, t’s not only the Tony Kelly show, they’ve Mark Rodgers, Dave Fitzgerald, Ian Galvin, Shane O’Donnell, Aron Shanagher off the bench as well. The Dubs can’t just pinpoint Tony Kelly and shut him down, they’ve got plenty of attacking options and that’s why they’ll win this match.
The handicap is at eight points at the minute and I think it’ll be in and around that mark so I think a good bet here is Clare to Win by 7-9 points.
Mark Rodgers First Goalscorer
There’s an element of take your pick here. Last weekend we back Cian O’Sullivan but he got the second goal for Dublin while Mark Grogan from midfield got the first. I think it’ll be a Clareman popping up first here, he scored the first goal in the Munster Final against Limerick so I’m backing Mark Rodgers to get the first goals here.
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Galway v Tipperary
Saturday 6:15pm
TV: RTE Two
Tipperary To Win By 1-3 Points
Tipperary have kind of come in under the radar this year. They scored a massive 7-38 against Offaly last weekend and yes you have to take into account the standard of the opposition but still, 7-38 is a huge scoreline. That takes a huge effort to get a scoreline like that. I was at that match and they looked like the Tipperary of old. They had loads of energy, the support play was great and had a huge appetite for goals.
Some of the forward and link-up play was just top-notch. The only worry from manager Liam Cahill’s point of view is that they conceded 3-18 and I think Galway manager Henry Shefflin will take a lot from that.
Also, Galway scored 2-26 in their Leinster Final loss to Kilkenny and most of the time that would be more than enough to win a game of hurling. But they conceded 4-21. The question is then, which team do you have more faith in?
For me, I’d have more faith in the Tipperary forward line than the Galway one. I think all six of them are flying at the moment; Jake Morris, Séamus Callanan, Mark Kehoe got 3-3 against Offaly, it was great to see Jason Forde back too, Alan Tynan looked good and Noel McGrath, he’s 32/33 years of age now and he’s still able to pull the strings in midfield.
I think a Clare – Tipperary All-Ireland final might just be written in the stars and while I could have egg on my face next week regarding that prediction, I think Tipperary are going to get over this hurdle. Declan Hannon, Sean Finn are out for Limerick and we still don’t know how Cian Lynch is doing and Tipperary are on a bit of a roll at the moment and they’ve got a good opportunity here and would relish going up against Limerick too.
You’d have to wonder emotionally where are Galway at after that sucker-punch Leinster Final loss to Kilkenny thanks to Cillina Buckley’s late goal. I think they’ll turn up and they’ll perform, I’m expecting goals too, I’d be going for Over 3.5 Goals if that’s a market you like but I think Tipperary will Win this by 1-3 points.
Jake Morris First Goalscorer
Jake Morris didn’t get a goal last weekend for Tipperary but was magnificent. He’s in a rich vein of form and he’s after elevating his game overall. It’ll be interesting to see who Shefflin has marking him on Saturday but the way he’s playing at the moment, he’s really hot so I’m backing him for First Goalscorer.
John Mullane’s Best Hurling Bets
Clare v Dublin
Clare To Win By 7-9 Points &
Mark Rodgers First Goalscorer
Galway v Tipperary
Tipperary To Win By 1-3 Points
Jake Morris First Goalscorer
*All prices are bang up to date with our snazzy widgets, while odds in copy are accurate at time of publishing but subject to change.
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