Weekend Gaelic football predictions and GAA betting tips: Expect goals in Leinster final

Best bets

Cavan -7
3pts Evs Paddy Power

Over 1.5 Dublin goals
4pts 6-5 Boylesports

Over 2.5 Dublin goals
2pts 4-1 Boylesports

Over 3.5 Dublin goals
1pt 10-1 Boylesports

Armagh -1
2pts 23-10 Boylesports

Armagh -3
1pt 9-2 Boylesports

Already advised (April 22)

Armagh to win Ulster
3pts 7-2 general

Weekend Gaelic football predictions

Cavan v Laois 

4pm Saturday - GAAGO

Cavan are outright 9-4 favourites to win the Tailteann Cup and they can begin their campaign with a wide-margin win over Laois. 

This Laois side conceded a massive 4-15 in the opening half of their Leinster loss to Dublin, whereas Cavan stuck at it and got within five points of Cavan in their Ulster outing after looking like they might be beaten by a double-figure margin at one stage. 

Cavan were beaten finalists in this competition last year and can go one better in 2023, starting the process by defying a seven-point handicap on home soil against a poor Laois outfit. 

Dublin v Louth

1.45pm Sunday - RTÉ2

Dublin have scored four goals in two of their last three competitive games, yet you can get 10-1 about them doing so against Louth in the Leinster final. That seems more than generous. 

It looks like a foregone conclusion that the Dubs will secure their 13th provincial title in a row and they are 1-25 with Paddy Power to win the game in 70 minutes. They will probably take care of the nine-point handicap as well but the goal markets are of far more interest. 

Dublin put five past Kildare in last year's Leinster final and have scored 25 goals in provincial deciders since the first of their 12-in-a-row in 2011. They are averaging more than two goals per final so take the 6-5 available about them continuing that trend on Sunday. 

They have scored two or more goals in nine of those 12 finals and the only time they failed to find the net was in their 0-20 to 1-9 win over Kildare in 2021. 

The Dubs looked unusually lethargic up front in their tight semi-final success over Kildare but perhaps that was the scare they needed. You could hardly blame them for being complacent having beaten Laois by 27 points in the previous round. That lacklustre performance should ensure they are champing at the bit on Sunday. 

Louth have been leaking goals too, despite their rapid progress under Mickey Harte. 

They conceded two to Offaly, albeit one of those arrived in extra-time, and another to Westmeath on their way to their first Leinster final since the infamous one of 2010 when Meath's Joe Sheridan broke hearts with the most controversial goal in the history of the game. 

If Dublin start well, as they did in last year's Leinster final when hitting five goals in the opening 20 minutes, it could be a long afternoon for Louth at Croke Park. 

Dublin scored four goals against the meanest defence in the country when beating Derry in the Division 2 league final and it is hard to envisage Louth keeping a clean sheet no matter how well they play. 

Armagh v Derry

4pm Sunday - RTÉ2 & BBC NI

Armagh probably haven't been as flashy as Derry on the way to their first Ulster final since 2008, but they negotiated a potentially tricky trip to Cavan and a semi-final encounter against Down with the minimum of fuss. The stage is set for them to prove themselves as genuine All-Ireland contenders. 

There is no doubt Derry were pretty flawless in dismantling Monaghan, but the way in which they were opened up in the Division 2 league final by Dublin suggests a pacy Armagh attack could find gaps. 

With Rian O'Neill regaining full fitness and joining Conor Turbitt and Andrew Murnin in the full-forward line, and a dangerous half-forward line consisting of Stefan Campbell with Jason Duffy and Rory Grugan either side of him, there is a nice balance to this Armagh side. 

Armagh played a lot better than their points tally gave them credit for in the league and Kieran McGeeney has his troops exactly where he wants them now. There is far too much between the sides in the betting and separate bets on Armagh to defy a one-point and thee-point handicap could pay handsome dividends.