After two months off, the club footballers of Limerick resume their senior championship campaigns this weekend. All 12 senior teams are in action, with three of the six matches taking place at various venues this weekend.
Four teams are currently unbeaten in the 2012 Limerick SFC but at least one of those records will fall unless the scores finish level at the Bog Garden.
Newcastlewest are the 4/9 favourites to prevail with Paddy Power bookmakers, but at 2/1 Ballysteen are likely to have some support in the betting market, and not without just cause. Both these sides are in decent form and while we wouldn’t go so far as to say that Ballysteen are a good bet, we certainly wouldn’t like opposing them at odds as short as 4/9. Indeed the aforementioned draw could be a runner and that too will be popular at 15/2.
Fr Casey’s are 4/11 to beat Adare and they look like a much more bankable short priced selection. The Abbeyfeale club have an outstanding defensive record this year, conceding less than seven points per game on average. Adare are decent certainly, but their upcoming hurling quarter final against Patrickswell will be the main focus for the club and they should have their work cut out for them this week. 4/11 usually implies a three point handicap but we’d take Fr Caseys to win by a lot more than three here.
Odds of 4/11 doubled with 6/5 pays 2/1 and that’s what you’ll get if you include Drom/Broadford to beat Monaleen in your bet with Fr Caseys. These two clubs have played out some crucial games in recent years but right now Monaleen are not going well and their status as narrow favourites here looks questionable at best. Either side could win this fixture and with no win from two games so far, Monaleen’s need is greater, but they just don’t look sharp at the back and they’re giving their opposition too many good scoring chances. If it was 5/6 Drom/Broadford we’d leave it alone, but at 6/5 we have to recommend a bet.
Finally, take Mountcollins at 15/8 to turn over Galbally. This looks like a very even game and Mountcollins showed some good form in their recent league semi-final defeat to Fr Casey’s. The 2011 intermediate champions struggled in their most recent SFC outing against St Kierans, but Galbally aren’t a free-scoring team and a side that doesn’t score well always gives an underdog a chance. Again, if the betting was closer we wouldn’t be suggesting a bet here, but 15/8 is a big price about the Reds getting a second win of the campaign and we expect Powers will cut this price before throw in.
By Kevin Egan
