Northern Ireland

Arlene Foster 10/1 to attend All-Ireland final

Arlene Foster is 10/1 to attend an All-Ireland GAA final, according to a bookmaker
Arlene Foster is 10/1 to attend an All-Ireland GAA final, according to a bookmaker Arlene Foster is 10/1 to attend an All-Ireland GAA final, according to a bookmaker

FOLLOWING Arlene Foster's appearance at Sunday's Ulster Final, a bookmaker has given odds on the DUP leader's possible attendance at an All-Ireland final.

BoyleSports has given odds of 10/1 that the DUP leader, and GAA's newest fan, will turn up to either a football or hurling All-Ireland final at Croke Park within the next two years.

Mrs Foster received a good reception when she arrived at Clones in Co Monaghan on Sunday for the showdown between her native Fermanagh and eventual winners Donegal.

The bookmaker said Mrs Foster is far more likely to visit Croke Park than Fermanagh themselves, who are 66/1 to make the final this year.

BoyleSports has also suggested Sinn Féin could follow Mrs Foster's lead and pay a visit to the Orange Order.

Sinn Féin president Mary Lou McDonald and deputy Michelle O’Neill were both quoted at 10/1 to make their own gestures of reconciliation by visiting the order's headquarters in east Belfast before the end of 2018.

The bookmaker has also offered odds of 2/1 that Stormont will be restored before the end of the year.

BoyleSports spokesman Lawrence Lyons said: "Arlene’s appearance at Clones has brought a few strange bet requests out of the woodwork, but it’s safe to say that before the Ulster Final we would have offered much more than the 10/1 available now for the DUP leader to take a seat at Croke Park for an All-Ireland Final".

He added: “The selfies and the smiles from last Sunday have brought the restoration of Stormont back into the conversation and while the betting on an Assembly return had been totally dormant over recent months, we’ve replied to a few optimistic punters this week by offering 2/1 that the MLAs will be back in business before the end of the year.”