GAA Betting: The All-Ireland Football Championship: Dublin Favourites To Win Sam
Daire Walsh
With just one round remaining in the group stages of the All-Ireland Senior Football Championship, the best betting sites are yet again looking at who the main challengers are for the Sam Maguire Cup in 2024.
Having kick-started their Group One campaigns with five-point wins, Galway and Armagh secured knockout spots in the All-Ireland SFC courtesy of respective victories at the expense of Westmeath and Derry.
Even though their final clash at Markievicz Park in Sligo on June 16 will determine who progresses straight to the quarter-final stage, both teams are guaranteed a place in a preliminary quarter-finals at the very least.
This is also the case for Dublin and Mayo ahead of their final round showdown at Dr Hyde Park in Roscommon on the same day in Group Two.
Whereas the Sky Blues got the better of Cavan at Kingspan Breffni last Saturday, Mayo held off a late surge from provincial rivals Roscommon to earn a slender triumph at Dr Hyde Park.
There will still be plenty to play for on the final weekend of Group Three with Cork’s magnificent 3-9 to 0-16 success over Donegal at Pairc Ui Rinn on Saturday leaving them at the summit of the table.
Tyrone comfortably saw off the challenge of Clare at Healy Park, Omagh, to put them on the same points as Donegal and they will now embark on their forthcoming meeting against Cork on June 15 with considerable confidence.
Meanwhile, Kerry’s convincing 2-18 to 0-9 win against Meath at Pairc Tailteann in Navan on Sunday puts them in pole position for a first-place finish in Group Four.
A late Sam Mulroy free earned Louth a draw with Monaghan in Clones on the same day and the Wee County will now take on The Kingdom in a final round encounter at O’Moore Park, Portlaoise.
Dublin Remain The Most Likely All-Ireland Winners
There isn’t any All-Ireland Senior Football Championship action this weekend, but it is nevertheless interesting to see who betting apps are viewing as the principal contenders for Sam Maguire glory.
Despite the likes of Con O’Callaghan, Paul Mannion and Ciaran Kilkenny failing to register any scores from play, Dublin had 19 points to spare (5-17 to 0-13) in their Group Two showdown with Cavan last weekend.
This was their fourth double-digit victory from five games in this year’s championship – the one exception being a four-point triumph against Louth in the Leinster final.
Even before this run of games, Dublin were seen as the most likely winners of the All-Ireland football title and nothing has changed in this regard.
Dessie Farrell’s men are 6/4 favourites to retain their crown later this summer and take the Sam Maguire trophy back to the capital for the 32nd time.
Kerry And Galway Also Featuring Highly In All-Ireland Betting
Kerry are still viewed as second favourites behind their Leinster counterparts in the race for Sam, but there are some enticing odds available on The Kingdom nonetheless.
Jack O’Connor’s side are 5/2 to reclaim the All-Ireland title in 2024, and while it remains to be seen how the rest of the championship will play out, Kerry are expected to feature at the business end of the competition.
They were never in danger of suffering a shock defeat to Meath in their Group Four clash last weekend, when David Clifford wasn’t necessarily at his brilliant best.
However, the Fossa ace did claim a brace of goals on a day when no fewer than 11 Kerry players got their names on the scoresheet.
It took a Shane Walsh goal on 67 minutes to finally create some daylight in the contest, but Galway ultimately had the measure of Westmeath at Cusack Park in Mullingar last Sunday.
In advance of their duel with Armagh on Sunday week, the Connacht champions are 9/1 third favourites for the All-Ireland title on new betting sites.
Armagh Coming Into Contention For Sam Maguire Success
Galway’s forthcoming opponents Armagh were viewed as an outside bet up until now, but the odds on Kieran McGeeney’s charges have been shortened in the wake of their superb 3-17 to 0-15 victory away to Derry last weekend.
Thanks in no small part to goals from Conor Turbitt, Rian O’Neill and Ross McQuillan, Armagh overcame their Ulster rivals with minimal fuss.
Although it is 22 years since their sole Sam Maguire Cup success, their current form makes them one of the teams to watch in the football championship. Dublin, Kerry and Galway might be out in front for now, but the Orchard men could be a compelling option at odds of 11/1.
Poor Form Makes Derry Outside Bet Along With Donegal And Mayo
After being recognised as the third best team in Ireland following their National Football League Division One final success, three consecutive defeats to Donegal, Galway and Armagh have seen Derry drop down to seventh in the betting stakes for the Sam Maguire Cup.
Even though a victory over Westmeath in the closing round of Group One would secure them a spot in the All-Ireland preliminary quarter-finals, the Oak Leaf county are 25/1 to climb the steps of the Hogan Stand in Croke Park on July 28.
Despite the setback of losing out to Cork in the group stages of the All-Ireland championship last Saturday, Donegal (who face Clare in the final round of Group Three on June 15) are still up for grabs at 16/1 with a number of bookmakers.
While there are still some doubts surrounding them after convincing quarter-final defeats in the past two seasons, Mayo will have a shot at securing an automatic last-eight spot when they face Dublin in Roscommon next weekend.
Ryan O’Donoghue remains in fine scoring form for the green and red outfit and with BoyleSports heading up a group of bookmakers that are rating their chances at 16/1, Kevin McStay’s men can never be completely ruled out of contention for All-Ireland glory.
Elsewhere, Tyrone may have reignited their campaign with a 14-point success over Clare last Sunday, but the 2021 All-Ireland champions are 40/1 to repeat that success. Having caught the eye with an excellent win over Donegal, Cork are also 40/1.