GAA Betting: Cork Still All-Ireland Hurling Favourites
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Following a pulsating opening weekend, the best betting sites for GAA are once again having a look at who the leading contenders are for the All-Ireland senior hurling championship crown.
Due to there being five teams in the Munster senior hurling championship, one team in the province will find themselves idle for each round of the competition.
It was Waterford who were able to put their feet up last Sunday, but in their absence, the remaining four sides kick-started this year’s Munster round robin series in spectacular fashion.
Two Thrilling Draws Kick Off Action In Munster
After storming into a 2-15 to 0-9 interval lead at Cusack Park in Ennis, National Hurling League champions Cork looked set for a statement victory against Clare, who got the better of the Leesiders in last July’s All-Ireland SHC decider.
Even in the wake of Aidan McCarthy and David Reidy rattling the net in the early stages of the second half, Cork still led by nine points inside the final quarter of their clash with the Banner.
Yet Clare pushed hard for a comeback victory after Cork’s Shane Barrett was red-carded, and it took an equalising free from Declan Dalton deep into stoppage-time to earn the Leesiders a draw on a final scoreline of 3-21 (Clare) to 2-24 (Cork).
There was another stalemate in Munster’s other game on Sunday with Tipperary and Limerick ultimately sharing the spoils on 2-23 apiece.
The lead changed hands on several occasions, but in the end, Darragh McCarthy knocked over a late free of his own to secure a point for Tipp, whose most recent competitive game was a league final defeat to Cork.
Dublin, Wexford And Kilkenny Win In Leinster
While Leinster is (perhaps unfairly) regarded as the poor relation to the Munster championship, Dublin and Offaly played out a compelling battle at Parnell Park on Saturday.
Thanks in no small part to a nine-point haul from Sean Currie, the capital side secured a 1-25 to 2-19 success over their Faithful County rivals.
On the same day, Lee Chin registered a magnificent haul of 0-16 as Wexford claimed a 2-24 to 0-19 victory against Antrim at Wexford Park.
Much was expected of the meeting of defending Leinster champions Kilkenny and Galway at Nowlan Park on Saturday, but the Noresiders ultimately emerged with an emphatic 3-24 to 0-21 win over the Tribesmen.
Cork Remain Favourites For All-Ireland Title
Ahead of last weekend’s action, Cork were rated as favourites to go a step further than last year’s championship and get their hands on the Liam MacCarthy Cup for the first time in 20 years according to betting apps.
They may have missed out on a chance to earn maximum points in the opening round of the Munster round robin. However, before facing Tipperary next Sunday, the Leesiders are still regarded as the frontrunners for All-Ireland hurling glory.
Pat Ryan’s men are 13/8 favourites to win the top small ball prize in 2025.
When you consider Cork began the Munster championship in 2024 with back-to-back defeats and still made it to an All-Ireland final, there is no reason why they can’t go on from here to enjoy another long summer.
Limerick Still Strong Contenders
Cork brought Limerick’s quest for a fifth successive All-Ireland senior championship crown to an end last July, and the Treaty County are undoubtedly eager to get themselves back to the top of the hurling ladder.
It is their turn to rest this weekend, and they won’t return to competitive action until May 3 – an away trip to Waterford.
They might have hoped to win against Tipperary last Sunday, but Shane O’Brien and Aaron Gillane’s performances were positives for John Kiely and his management team.
Another bonus is goalkeeper Nickie Quaid’s quicker-than-expected return from injury. With Boylesports pricing them at 9/4, Limerick are clear second-favourites for the Liam MacCarthy Cup.
Don’t Count Out The Cats
Despite being in the so-called weaker province, Kilkenny are coming up behind Limerick in the betting for the All-Ireland hurling championship.
Of course, the fact that the winners of the eastern province go straight through to the semi-final of the competition possibly has something to do with this.
It should also be noted that two of the five teams in Munster won’t feature in the knockout phase of the Liam MacCarthy Cup.
Nevertheless, the Cats made light of some injury issues in their convincing victory over Galway, and with some GAA betting sites offering 8/1 on them winning their first All-Ireland in a decade, it could yet be a big year for Derek Lyng’s men.
Clare And Tipp In The Reckoning
Although there are seemingly three teams ahead of them in the running for the Liam MacCarthy Cup, Clare are still available at decent odds of 9/1 with Ladbrokes.
In the second half of their draw against Cork, they reminded people why they are the defending All-Ireland champions, and this Sunday’s visit to Waterford is another great opportunity to show they still mean business in 2025.
Tipperary can also emerge from their titanic battle with Limerick feeling good about themselves.
Having flattered to deceive since their All-Ireland final win of 2019, the Premier County now seem ready to push forward again.
Remaining in contention beyond the provincial championships is a tough task in itself. Still, ahead of a difficult encounter with Cork this weekend, they are available with bookmakers at odds of 16/1.
Galway, Waterford And Wexford Outsiders
Their heavy defeat to Kilkenny last weekend has seen Galway drift in the market to 25/1, and the Tribesmen can ill-afford another loss to Offaly in Tullamore this Saturday evening.
Beyond the six counties mentioned above, Waterford and Wexford are the only others who could be considered outside bets for an All-Ireland title.
The best odds available on the former are 25/1, while the latter are up for grabs at 50/1 with William Hill.
Although they are certainly not out of the reckoning for a knockout spot in the All-Ireland championship, Dublin, Offaly and Antrim are seen as rank outsiders in the race for the Liam MacCarthy Cup.