Midweek games might be great for footballing enthusiasts in the county, but they certainly make life difficult for a tipping column like this, coming as they do in the narrow window between when this column is written and when this edition of the Limerick Post hits the streets.
Consequently, something of a health warning must be attached to the first of these tips, since it’s based on the information available to hand before Wednesday night’s fixtures.
Presuming Monaleen did what they needed to do against St Patricks at Askeaton last night, Paddy Power are expected to offer odds of around 1/2 Monaleen and 2/1 St Kierans for the table topping clash in Group 1 at the Bog Garden on Sunday. When we see these prices, we’re almost inclined to think of the bookies as a modern equivalent of Doubting Thomas. All the evidence suggests that the Ardagh club are the real deal this year and they are entitled to be respected for their victories so far, yet Powers aren’t convinced, preferring instead to side with the proven force of Monaleen. Kierans’ most recent outing was sufficiently convincing to suggest that they haven’t lost a step since early summer and while Monaleen’s greater big time experience has to be respected, narrow favouritism along the lines of 8/11 or 4/6 would probably be correct. St Kierans at 2/1, with a saver on the draw in what’s likely to be a very tight game, looks like a decent bet this week.
Powers are also expected to make Adare favourites over Pallasgreen in the same group and here too the bookies appear to attach a lot more significance to historical results than they do to current form. Both sides are struggling terribly up front, with just twenty scores each in three games, however Adare’s full back line has struggled badly this year, shipping over two goals per game in all competitions, while Pallasgreen have at least done moderately well in that sector. Most local pundits would make this a 50/50 tie and our narrow preference would be for a Pallasgreen win by a small margin, based on their greater likelihood of scoring a vital second or third goal. If Powers are willing to go 11/8, that has to be taken up, while the double with St Kierans pays out at 6/1 for those so inclined.
Don’t forget this week either that Paddy Power are refunding all losing single bets on last Sunday’s minor hurling debacle at Croke Park. The Hawkeye debacle is a painful topic and justifiably so right now, but there is no point losing money on top of broken hearts. Be sure to collect all due refunds.
