FAI Cup second-round predictions: betting preview and free football tips

Free football tips, best bets and analysis for this weekend's FAI Cup second-round matches.

Best bets

UCD draw no bet v Galway United
7.45pm Friday
4pts 11-10 Betfair, Paddy Power

Cork City +1.25 on Asian handicap v Derry City
7.45pm Friday
2pts 11-10 bet365

FAI Cup second-round preview

Bohemians, our outright selections for the FAI Cup, should breeze into the last eight as they make the short trip to play Lucan on Friday evening.

Bohs, advised at 16-1 before the last round, overcame Finn Harps and will be hoping for another favourable draw should they dismiss their last-16 opponents.

Last season Bohemians came within a penalty shootout of winning the competition and realistically have nothing else to play for this time around.

There is only one all-Premier Division match-up this weekend as Shamrock Rovers visit Drogheda United on Sunday.

That gives Rovers nearly three days to get over their Europa League qualifier at home to Ferencvaros on Thursday night, but Drogheda have been seriously competitive against the better teams this term.

It's a statistical anomaly that UCD have won more matches than Galway United in Galway, although Galway have a better head-to-head record in Belfield. College look value to get something from their clash in Terryland on Friday evening.

Galway's last two home games have yielded just a point. They drew against Wexford before suffering a dismal defeat to a poor Bray side.

It's hard to have confidence in United and UCD have beaten Sligo away, seen off Finn Harps at home and drawn away to Drogheda in the past five weeks. They look a fair bit superior to Galway on recent form.

Cork City are set to return to the Premier Division and have an excellent manager in Colin Healy.

They may be able to keep it tight against Derry City at Brandywell, with the hosts seemingly unable to turn dominance into goals.

Cork looked to be wobbling a little but Galway have blown their chance of catching them. Healy's side could view this as something of a free hit, so back them with a 1.25-goal start on the Asian handicap at a shade of odds-against.

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