GAA Betting: Who Are The Contenders For 2025 National Hurling League Title?

By Daire Walsh

A little over six months on from winning an All-Ireland senior hurling championship title for the fifth time in their history, Clare will be looking to mount a successful defence of the other national title they secured in 2024.

Courtesy of a 3-16 to 1-20 win over Kilkenny at Semple Stadium in Thurles last April, Clare claimed the Allianz National Hurling League Division One title after an eight-year gap.

Their triumph against Cork in the Liam MacCarthy Cup decider later in the year was unquestionably the crowning glory of their year, but it can be argued that a strong spring campaign was the ideal tonic for the Banner men moving into the summer months.

Many of the expected challengers for the championship are set to face the title holders in the early months of the year in what is now being called Division 1A following a restructuring of the National Hurling League.

The action gets under way this weekend (Jan 25-26) and Gambling.com has looked at the best GAA betting sites to find the likeliest winner of the league crown.

Defending Champions Clare Third Favourites

Despite sealing a league and championship double in the past year, Clare are only regarded as third favourites for NHL success with bookmakers.

Ahead of Sunday’s clash with Kilkenny at Cusack Park, Brian Lohan’s side are priced at 5/1 by Bet365 for an eventual final victory.

While it is unlikely they will be fielding a full-strength team in the early weeks of the season – work commitments have often led to Shane O’Donnell returning to the fold at an advanced stage in the year – you can expect there will be enough quality on display to make Clare a genuine threat.

Veteran All-Ireland winning skipper John Conlon is on board for a 17th season as a Clare player and this is a signal of their intent for the year.

Motivated Limerick Favourites For NHL Title

Although a Munster senior hurling championship title was the only major honour they accrued in 2024, big things are once again expected from Limerick.

After all, the Treaty county did defeat Clare twice on their way to securing that provincial crown.

With John Kiely and Paul Kinnerk remaining at the forefront of their management set-up, Limerick will be eager to regain their place at the top table of hurling.

Following in the footsteps of talismanic centre half-back Declan Hannon, two-time Hurler of the Year Cian Lynch has been named captain of the side and it is anticipated he will exert a major influence on their play.

Because there are an uneven number of teams in Division 1A, Limerick won’t be in competitive action until their Saturday week trip to Cork in Pairc Ui Chaoimh.

Nevertheless, with the likes of Aaron Gillane, Gearoid Hegarty, Darragh O’Donovan and Diarmuid Byrnes still very much in the picture, the Munster giants are the current 5/2 favourites for NHL glory with betting apps.

Cork Behind Limerick In Glory Hunt

Just behind Limerick in the betting are their upcoming opponents Cork, who went agonisingly close to toppling Clare in last year’s All-Ireland senior hurling final.

Three years on from a comprehensive defeat to Limerick in a Liam MacCarthy showpiece, the Rebels claimed a brace of wins over their local rivals during the 2024 championship.

Their second victory ended the Treaty’s bid for an historic fifth successive All-Ireland SHC title and with veteran attacker Patrick Horgan showing no signs of hanging up his boots just yet, it could be another big year for the Rebels.

Their league campaign begins at Wexford on Saturday and in advance of that fixture, Pat Ryan’s charges are 10/3 with 10bet for an ultimate league triumph.

Kilkenny In The Reckoning

Ahead of their meeting this weekend, the aforementioned Kilkenny join Clare as 5/1 hopefuls for this year’s National Hurling League.

In their third season under the guidance of former player Derek Lyng, the Cats will be looking to go a step further than they did in 2024.

Whilst Lyng has guided his county to a brace of Leinster senior hurling championship titles, he has suffered defeats in three national finals – including the All-Ireland decider of 2023.

Walter Walsh announced his retirement from inter-county hurling in the off-season, but there is still plenty of firepower in the Kilkenny attack in the form of Eoin Cody, John Donnelly and the evergreen TJ Reid.

Galway May Need Overhaul

After an underwhelming exit from the championship in 2024, there is a sense that Galway might need a substantial rebuild before they become serious contenders for top honours again.

Yet with Micheal Donoghue returning as team manager – he led the Tribesmen to NHL Division One and All-Ireland SHC titles in his previous tenure from 2016 to 2019 – there has been some renewed optimism around the county.

There may not be a quick fix for the westerners, but the likes of Cathal Mannion, Conor Whelan and Daithi Burke still remain from Donoghue’s first spell in charge.

Ahead of their duel with Tipperary in Salthill on Sunday, Galway are rated at 6/1 to win the National Hurling League top-tier crown – a title they last won under their current boss in 2017.

Tipperary Dark Horses

Since securing the All-Ireland senior hurling championship in 2019, Tipperary have struggled for consistency and failed to progress beyond the Munster championship in both 2022 and 2024.

That said, last year saw the Premier making it to a Division One league semi-final and their manager Liam Cahill guided Waterford to an NHL title as recently as 2022.

Though the competition around them is fierce, the odds of 7/1 that are available on Tipperary for league glory could be enticing for some punters.