In this week’s sports accumulator, we’re trying to make it a long weekend to remember by nailing a 28/1 four-timer.
Scotland to beat Italy on the handicap (Scotland -2 v Italy @ 10/11)
Okay, so the Scots came unstuck against ourselves last weekend but they have been an improving side all season and now have a few backs who can actually threaten to score the odd try. Italy are as weak as they’ve been in a while – they did well to limit Wales to two tries last weekend but still took a 21-point stuffing.
There’s no doubt that they’ll have been looking at this one in Rome as their chance to take a win from the 2012 Six Nations, but it’s the story for the Scots and their performances have been a few levels above Italy’s, so it would be a surprise if they couldn’t cover the two-point handicap here.
Jamie Clarke to score a goal at any stage (Crossmaglen Rangers v Garrycastle @ 8/5)
Clarke (pictured top) has rattled the net regularly enough at inter-county level over the last couple of years and he’s a class apart when it comes to the club game. The wide open spaces of Croker should ensure he gets the room to do some damage, exactly as he did when scoring 1-3 – including the game’s decisive goal – against St Brigid’s in last year’s final.
Kilkenny to cover the handicap (National Hurling League, Kilkenny -6 to beat Dublin @ 10/11)
It might be foolish to predict a wide margin win for Kilkenny against a side that had their measure twice during last year’s league campaign. However, there are a lot of factors in the Cats’ favour this weekend, including Nowlan Park and the persistent feeling that Dublin have slipped a few notches this year. Kilkenny are virtually certain to win. Whether they’ll win by seven or more remains to be seen, but I’m sure several players are smarting from the margin of last year’s league final defeat and they’re unlikely to ease up if they get into the ascendancy in the second half.
Chelsea in the “Draw No Bet” market on Wednesday night (Manchester City v Chelsea @ 21/10)
It’s a crazily stop-start weekend in the Premier League, and for the fourth leg of the bet we’re looking long-term, to this match on Wednesday night. Notwithstanding a possible Cup upset against Leicester on Sunday, Chelsea go into the game on the crest of a wave, the departure of Andre Villas Boas having brought about an immediate – and fairly unforgivable by the players, it must be said – upturn in their fortunes.
Brilliant against Napoli on Wednesday night, they travel to Eastlands on Wednesday to take on a City side that has wobbled as the Premier League finishing line appeared into view. It could well end up a draw so take the safe option of Chelsea in the “Draw No Bet” market. If Chelsea win we get paid (provided the accumulator is still standing at that point), if they draw we still get paid, only a bit less (provided… etc, etc.)
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