Weekend Gaelic football predictions and GAA betting tips: Mayo to sign off impressive spring with silverware

Best bets

Mayo
2pts 5-4 general

Dublin v Derry over 31.5 total points
3pts 5-6 Paddy Power

Cavan -2
5pts11-10 general

Cavan to score over 1.5 goals
2pts 2-1 Boylesports

Sligo to score over 18.5 points
2pts Evs Paddy Power

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Weekend Gaelic football predictions

Galway v Mayo

4pm Sunday, TG4

Mayo are on the drift for the Division 1 decider, with last year's beaten finalists now out to 5-4 underdogs with most firms, but don't let that put you off. They have played the best football at the top table this spring and perhaps too much has been read into their Connacht championship opener coming up so soon next weekend. 

It is, of course, not ideal to have so little time between league and championship - Kevin McStay asked for the game to be brought forward 24 hours, a request that was refused. 

When these sides met in round one, Ryan O'Donoghue's superb late strike salvaged a share of the spoils for McStay's troops. 

Mayo improved as the league wore on and if they can incorporate O'Donoghue, a revitalised Aidan O'Shea, and the returning Tommy Conroy into their attack, they will be a very tough nut to crack. 

The speed at which Mayo are moving from defence to attack is impressive and David McBrien at full-back with Conor Loftus at number six has given the side a new and improved spine. 

With Stephen Coen and Paddy Durcan attacking from deep and Matthew Ruane and Diarmuid O'Connor forming a formidable partnership in midfield, the new-look Mayo side are definite All-Ireland contenders. 

Perhaps McStay will have an eye on their tussle with Roscommon but he will be very keen to get his hands on a first piece of silverware for his native county and odds of 5-4 about him doing that look generous.

Derry v Dublin

1.45pm Sunday, TG4

The total points spread of 31.5 looks low for the eagerly-awaited rematch between Dublin and Derry in the Division 2 decider. 

There were 34 points in the stalemate between Derry and Cork last weekend and the Ulster side averaged over 17 points per game on their way to the final.

Dublin didn't really need to accelerate out of second gear to look after Louth in round seven but there were encouraging signs in the second half and Colm Basquel is developing into a reliable scorer up front. 

Paul Mannion was introduced in the latter stages against Louth and with Con O'Callaghan, Cormac Costello and Ciaran Kilkenny forming the spine of the Dublin attack, it is not hard to envisage them  scoring at least 16 points whether they win, lose or draw. 

It's hard to split the sides - Dublin might just be more likely to come out on top but a safer play is for 32 or more total match points. 

Cavan v Fermanagh

7.15pm Saturday, TG4

Cavan have already secured back-to-back promotions and they can secure silverware for the second year in succession at the expense of neighbours Fermanagh in the Division 3 decider. 

The Breffni boys have lost their last two games en route to the final but they had banked maximum points from their opening five games so they could afford to take their foot off the gas. Their work was done. 

Cavan won their first five games by an average of eight points, scoring 1-19 against both Tipperary and Longford, 0-21 in their wide-margin win over Offaly and 2-14 in disposing of Down by seven points in round five. 

Fermanagh, in contrast, won three of their group games by a single point.

Paddy Lynch has the potential to run riot at Croke Park and there is far more scoring power in the Cavan camp than there is in Fermanagh's. 

Cavan led Fermanagh 2-3 to 0-6 at half-time last week but the Ernsiders had a lot more to play for and they scored late points to win by two. 

Expect a hungrier Cavan side to turn up at Croke Park and backing them to defy a two-point handicap at odds-against is the best bet of the weekend. 

Given Cavan netted twice last weekend, odds of 2-1 about them repeating the feat look generous. 

Sligo v Wicklow

5pm Saturday, TG4

If you put a line through Sligo's tame opening-round effort in losing to Laois, they are six from six and averaging more than 18 points per game in Division 4. 

Wicklow performed heroics in getting to the decider, but Sligo eased to a six-point win when the sides met in Aughrim and they deserve to be so short in the market for the final. 

The most appealing wager on the coupon is for Sligo to score 19 points or more, something they managed against Waterford and Wexford in the group stages, and Croke Park could see plenty of gaps in the Wicklow rearguard unit. 

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