GAA Betting: Kerry Favourites For All Ireland Crown
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The first weekend of football action has come and gone, and betting sites are providing odds on who the main challengers are for this year’s All-Ireland senior championship.
While the group stages won’t get underway for another few weeks, we will know who will play whom in that phase of the Sam Maguire Cup after the conclusion of the four provincial championships.
Below, we’ll take a look at the betting market and the contenders for this year’s crown.
Provincial Championships Up And Running
Last weekend saw no fewer than nine provincial championship games, with Donegal defeating Derry on a scoreline of 1-25 to 1-15 in Ulster’s sole encounter.
At the same stage of the Leinster championship, there were morale-boosting triumphs for Laois, Meath and Wicklow (after extra time) at the expense of Wexford, Carlow and Longford.
Cork enjoyed a 0-24 to 0-13 win in Munster over NFL Division 4 champions Limerick at the Gaelic Grounds.
There was also a 1-22 to 1-19 success for Tipperary at the expense of Waterford in Semple Stadium, Thurles.
NFL Division 1 finalists Mayo secured a hard-earned 2-20 to 2-17 victory against Sligo in a Connacht senior football quarter-final on Sunday.
This was the only game in the competition to take place on Irish soil over the weekend.
On Saturday at McGovern Park in Ruislip, Roscommon used a second-half wind advantage to good effect in their 2-26 to 0-13 win away to London.
In the weekend’s final game, 2024 All-Ireland SFC runners-up Galway were pressured by New York in the first half of their game on Sunday before the Tribesmen ultimately eased to a 3-28 to 0-20 success.
Over the weekend, 18 teams were involved, and by this Sunday evening, nine more counties will have launched their 2025 championship campaigns.
That will leave six sides waiting to begin their summer journeys – including the current favourites with betting apps for All-Ireland glory.
Kerry Favourites For Sam Maguire
At Croke Park last Sunday week, Kerry picked up a piece of national silverware by defeating Mayo on a score of 1-18 to 1-12 in a National Football League Division 1 showpiece.
Two-time Footballer of the Year David Clifford helped himself to eight points in this game, despite also registering a number of wides, while the evergreen Paul Geaney amassed an impressive personal tally of 1-2.
Having previously threatened to be relegated to Division 2 for 2025, the Kingdom’s upturn in form has seen them earmarked as the frontrunners for the Sam Maguire Cup.
They won’t be in action again until a Munster senior football championship semi-final against Cork on April 19.
This hasn’t stopped BoyleSports from making Jack O’Connor’s side 11/4 favourites to claim what would be their 39th All-Ireland senior title.
Of course, there are several other teams that are more than capable of challenging for championship honours.
Donegal And Dublin Are Big Contenders
Donegal are in the second year of Jim McGuinness’ second term as manager and have been spoken about as potential All-Ireland champions since the start of the year.
Excellent league wins against Kerry and Dublin offered a glimpse of their potential for the year.
Even though there were defeats to Galway, Tyrone and Mayo in the spring, there was a sense that McGuinness and Donegal were in fine fettle ahead of their championship odyssey.
It was undoubtedly an accomplished start against Derry last Sunday, and with Michael Murphy now back in the fold, they are currently rated as second favourites by Quinnbet at 7/2.
Dublin are next best, ahead of their Leinster championship opener away to Wicklow this weekend.
Even though the Sky Blues have lost experienced figures such as Brian Fenton, James McCarthy, Paul Mannion, Jack McCaffrey and Michael Fitzsimons since their disappointing All-Ireland quarter-final defeat to Galway last year, there is still plenty of quality within Dessie Farrell’s ranks.
The presence of Stephen Cluxton and John Small in the squad for their summer programme is also a boost, and Dublin are expected to emerge as winners of the Leinster championship for a 15th consecutive season.
Galway In The Reckoning
All-Ireland finalists in two of the past three seasons, Galway, are also in the mix for this year’s Sam Maguire Cup, with GAA betting sites rating their chances of success at 6/1.
With a win already under their belts, they will seek to continue their quest for a fourth successive Connacht title when they face Roscommon in a provincial semi-final on the weekend after next.
Matthew Tierney finished last Sunday’s game in New York with 2-4 to his name, and with Shane Walsh, Damien Comer, Liam Silke and Dylan McHugh all set to come back into the team, Padraic Joyce’s Tribesmen won’t be an easy team to stop.
Champions Armagh And Tyrone The Outsiders
Outside of the four teams mentioned above, a selection of sides are seen as potential candidates for an All-Ireland championship bid.
Despite being the current title holders, Armagh are only viewed as 14/1 outsiders for a second Sam Maguire Cup victory on the bounce.
Kieran McGeeney’s men were only given an outside chance of an All-Ireland victory for most of last year’s campaign, and they will be eager to show that it is within them to defy the odds once again.
Meanwhile, in advance of beginning their Ulster championship campaign against Cavan this Sunday, 2021 All-Ireland winners Tyrone are priced at 12/1.
Mayo made it all the way to an NFL Division 1 decider and got the better of Sligo in Castlebar last weekend.
They are priced at 20/1 to win their first All-Ireland senior crown since 1951.
Ahead of last year’s championship, Derry were viewed as one of the leading contenders for the Sam Maguire Cup.
This year, the out-of-form Oak Leaf men are unfancied 40/1 shots in the All Ireland football odds.