After two weeks of the betting challenge JOE and Paddy Power are both in the red. Well if it’s true what D-REAM say, things can only get better, right?
As we do every week, before we announce our selections, complete with misplaced degree of confidence, we have a quick recap at the previous week.
After managing just one winning selection apiece in Week 1, we fared even worse with our €5 Patent bet last time out (total outlay €35).
Paddy drew a blank with his Heineken Cup, Champions League and GAA Championship picks while we managed just one winner, Longford’s bit-of-a-surprise win over Laois in the Leinster Championship.
So as it stands, and it doesn’t make for great reading at this stage, we’re both in the red (although we’re a bit less in the red than Paddy…)
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Now to this week’s picks…
JOE’s selections:
We’re concentrating exclusively on GAA matters this time around with three from the weekend’s Championship action.
Monaghan -2 points v Antrim Evens
It’s only three years since Antrim got to an Ulster final but they’ve slipped back a little since then and they’ll be up against it when they travel to Clones to take on Monaghan.
Monaghan have at least one decent performance in them every summer and there’s every chance it’ll be on home turf this weekend, so we reckon they look decent value to win by three points or more in the handicap market.
Tipperary v Kerry under 2.5 goals 1/2
Kerry got all the way to the league final in the spring but they didn’t score many goals on the journey – just four in their eight games, which included extra-time in the final. There are few forward lines across the country who like scoring brilliant points more than Kerry, and it would be no surprise if they hit the 20-point barrier and won easily against Tipperary without finding the net. “Under 2.5 goals” is a short enough price so the odds makers at Paddy Power don’t expect it to be a goal-fest. Neither do we.
Leighton Glynn – Anytime goalscorer v Meath 5/1
Fresh from their relegation to Division 3 of the league and an unseemly battle between manager Seamus McEnaney and the County Board, Meath face a banana skin in the form of Division 4 champions Wicklow at Dr Cullen Park on Sunday. It could be argued, on an unofficial ranking based on divisions in which they play, that Meath are around about eighth best team in Leinster at the moment so Wicklow will fancy their chances of causing an upset with a first ever Championship win over the Royals this weekend.
If they are to win then captain Leighton Glynn will surely play a key role. He scored four goals in nine games in the league and is also the Wicklow penalty taker, so 5/1 for Glynn to find the net looks tasty to us.
Paddy’s Selections
Leinster -7 v Ospreys Evens
Following the epic disaster that was last week’s tips we’ve vowed never to underestimate this Leinster side again – no matter how hungover they may be! A number of freak injuries in their last fixture led to the Ospreys sneaking the win. We feel however that a Leinster side buoyed by their recent Heineken Cup success and a home crowd will make no mistake this time.
Tipperary -6 v Limerick 10/11
The Munster Hurling championship, the only argument for sticking with the provincial system, kicks off this weekend with the meeting of Tipperary and Limerick. Both sides will have felt that they could have done better during their league campaigns and will be well up for this fixture. Having failed to do so in the league Tipperary will look to lay down a marker in this fixture and should beat the handicap of six points.
Wicklow halftime/Meath fulltime 4/1
Meath have been more Coronation Street than Jones’ Road in recent weeks with their infighting and emotional departures/returns. Many have been quick to ear mark this fixture as a potential shock. We expect Wicklow, fresh off their impressive Division 4 win, to come out all guns blazing early on but for Meath’s extra bit of class and experience to see them through.
And don’t forget the free €50 Bet for All New Paddy Power Customers
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