MATCHBOX
TODAY
Ulster GAA Senior Football Championship quarter-final
Cavan v Monaghan
(Kingspan Breffni, 7pm, live on Sky Sports Action)
CAVAN are aiming for a Championship win over Monaghan at Kingspan Breffni for the first time since 1987. Monaghan will be without Darren Hughes but his younger brother Kieran could return to the side after recovering from a hamstring injury.
Odds: H: 21/10 D: 15/2 A: 8/15
Verdict: Monaghan
Joe McDonagh Cup round two
Laois v Antrim
(O’Moore Park, 3pm)
BOTH these sides had tremendous opening wins with Antrim comfortably putting Kerry to the sword while Laois defeated Offaly for the second time this season having already beaten them in Division 1B – both by four-point margins. Home advantage should give Eddie Brennan’s side the edge.
Odds: H: 1/2 D: 9/1 A: 15/8
Verdict: Laois
Westmeath v Offaly
(TEG Cusack Park, 3pm)
OFFALY manager Kevin Martin has described this as a “do or die” clash following their round one loss to Laois. Westmeath had a bye last weekend but will fancy their chances of earning a famous win over their neighbours.
Odds: H: 5/6 D: 8/1 A: 6/5
Verdict: Westmeath
Christy Ring Cup Group One round two
Derry v Donegal
(Owenbeg, 3pm)
DONEGAL battled gamely against Wicklow last week but it’s hard to make a case for them against a Derry side that produced some great play against Down last week. Mickey McCann’s side will be again be without sharp-shooter Declan Coulter.
Odds: H: 1/14 D: 16/1 A: 15/2
Verdict: Derry
Wicklow v Down
(Aughrim, 3pm)
DOWN lost comfortably to Derry last week but only for the concession of some silly goals, the game could have been a lot tighter. Ruairi McCrickard and Caolan Taggart remain injured but Liam Savage and Gerard Hughes will return.
Odds: H: 1/2 D: 9/1 A: 15/8
Verdict: Wicklow
Christy Ring Cup Group Two round two
London v Roscommon
(McGovern Park, 1pm)
LONDON lost their hurls in transit last week so had to borrow some off Meath, and maybe that disruption explained why they lost so heavily. Roscommon come into this game on a high after a shocking a Kildare side that had beaten them by 25 points in 2018.
Odds: H: 4/5 D: 9/1 A: 5/4
Verdict: Roscommon
Kildare v Meath
(Newbridge, 3pm)
HOLDERS Kildare were shocked by Roscommon last week. Their Leinster rivals showed no such nerves in front of the post to record a 16-point win over London. Unsurprisingly, Nick Fitzgerald has named the same starting side.
Odds: H: 3/1 D: 10/1 A: 2/7
Verdict: Meath
Nicky Rackard Cup Group One round two
Warwickshire v Armagh
(Páirc na hÉireann, 1pm)
ARMAGH took their time against Monaghan last week but a strong finish secured a crucial two points. Warwickshire had a difficult League campaign but earned a three-point win in Longford last week.
Odds: H: 7/4 D: 9/1 A: 1/2
Verdict: Armagh
Monaghan v Longford
(Inniskeen, 3pm)
MONAGHAN played the better hurling for much of their loss to Armagh last weekend, so it was frustrating for them to lose out. Trevor Hilliard will be expecting a win here though.
Odds: H: 1/5 D: 12/1 A: 7/2
Verdict: Monaghan
Nicky Rackard Cup Group Two round two
Sligo v Tyrone
(Sligo Centre of Excellence, 1pm)
TYRONE will be on a high following their terrific win over Mayo in Omagh. Mattie Lennon is sticking with a winning formula and hasn’t made any switches. Sligo veteran Keith Raymond helped his side to a super win in Louth last weekend.
Odds: H: 3/1 D: 11/1 A: 1/4
Verdict: Tyrone
Mayo v Louth
(Elvery’s MacHale Park, 3pm)
A YOUTHFUL Louth fell apart in the second half against Sligo last week and they’ll likely experience more Connacht pain against a Mayo side aiming to strike back after their shock loss to Tyrone.
Odds: H: 1/20 D: 20/1 A: 7/1
Verdict: Mayo
Lory Meagher Cup
Lancashire v Leitrim
(Old Bedians Sports Ground, 1pm)
LANCASHIRE were relegated from Division 2B but they will still carry favouritism into the Lory Meagher Cup. Leitrim lost all four League games and their luck isn’t going to change in Manchester.
Verdict: Lancashire
Cavan v Fermanagh
(Kingspan Breffni, 5pm)
FERMANAGH hammered Cavan in the League but the Breffni county finished with 12 men in a bizarre contest. The sides drew in last year’s tournament and this should be another close contest.
Verdict: Fermanagh
TOMORROW
Ulster Senior Football Championship quarter-final
Down v Armagh
(Páirc Esler, 4pm)
DOWN claimed their first Championship win over Armagh in 25 years when the sides met in Newry in 2017. Kieran McGeeney has named a surprise starting team and late changes are expected.
Odds: H: 11/8 D: 15/2 A: 4/5
Verdict: Armagh
Connacht Senior Football Championship semi-final
Sligo v Galway
(Markievicz Park, 3.30pm)
GALWAY produced a very poor performance away to London and Kevin Walsh has made four changes in response. Paul Taylor’s side also have the ability to trouble them but the Tribesmen should book a final spot.
Odds: H: 10/1 D: 25/1 A: 1/25
Verdict: Galway
Leinster Senior Hurling Championship round two
Carlow v Kilkenny
(Netwatch Cullen Park, 3pm)
CARLOW pushed Galway a lot harder than anyone outside the camp would have expected last week and they’ll be relishing the chance to pit their wits against Brian Cody’s charges. Kilkenny showed some real spirit in the second half of their win over Dublin last week with TJ Reid scoring two goals.
Odds: H: 12/1 D: 28/1 A: 1/50
Verdict: Kilkenny
Dublin v Wexford
(Parnell Park, 3pm)
DUBLIN played some fine hurling in the first half against a youthful Kilkenny last week but they were out-scored 2-11 to 0-8 after the break. Wexford had no game last week and they will be desperate to take something from their next two games – which are both away from home.
Odds: H: 5/6 D: 8/1 A: 13/10
Verdict: Wexford
Munster Senior Hurling Championship round two
Tipperary v Waterford
(Semple Stadium, 2pm, live on RTE2)
LIAM Sheedy wiggled some bait for his players last week by stating that some of their fans questioned their work-rate and they responded by producing a brilliant 70 minutes in Cork. Waterford, by contrast, were subdued in their defeat to Clare as they only came to life in the final stages.
Odds: H: 2/5 D: 10/1 A: 5/2
Verdict: Waterford
Limerick v Cork
(LIT Gaelic Grounds, 4pm, live on RTE2)
CORK’S season could be all but over if they can’t surprise the All-Ireland champions after last week’s loss to Tipp. Richie McCarthy (cruciate) is the only absentee for Limerick.
Odds: H: 8/15 D: 8/1 A: 2/1
Verdict: Limerick