Weekend hurling predictions and GAA betting tips: Limerick and Kilkenny set to continue provincial dominance
Conor Fennelly is expecting this weekend's provincial finals to live up to anticipation
Best bets
Over 58.5 points in Limerick v Cork
3pts 20-23 Paddy Power
Limerick to win by four to six points
1pt 4-1 BoyleSports, Paddy Power
Kilkenny -3
2pts 10-11 BoyleSports, Paddy Power
Over 3.5 Kilkenny goals
2pts 9-4 BoyleSports, Paddy Power
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All-Ireland Hurling Championship predictions
Limerick vs Cork predictions
RTE, 6pm Saturday
Cork famously halted Limerick's drive for five successive All-Ireland titles when dumping them out at the semi-final stage last year in an enthralling encounter but now they face a far more daunting task - beating Limerick in a final.
Since John Kiely took over nine years ago, Limerick have never been beaten in a decider. That record reads 14 wins and no losses including five All-Irelands, six Munsters and three Leagues. Clare and Cork have caught Limerick on the hop on a few occasions in recent years but Kiely's men are astoundingly reliable on the big day, illustrated by the fact they've won every Munster title since Cork made their last appearance in the final in 2018.
It was clear that Cork's two victories over Limerick last season would provide significant fuel for Kiely's men in this year's Munster clash but few could have predicted how it would go as it turned into an annihilation.
The margin was 15 points at half-time before they coasted home to win by 16. Cork didn't show up but such a trouncing has to have a sobering effect.
Cork's Munster campaign hasn't been bursting with the promise that was expected of the All-Ireland favourites and they got through with a reasonable final-day performance against a Waterford team who have been largely disappointing since their opening victory.
They have a few injuries going into the final - Rob Downey, Niall O'Leary and Declan Dalton are sidelined - while Kiely has the rare luxury of a full complement of players to choose from with Declan Hannon, Darragh O' Donovan and Cathal O'Neill all getting much needed game-time in the final round.
Cork will put up a spirited display, and it will be nowhere near as lob-sided as their meeting last month, but everything points to a Limerick win. Their two games last year resulted in 60 and 72 points, while their last meeting resulted in 54 despite Cork only mustering 1-16, so the total points line should be eclipsed if both sides play to their usual standard.
Kilkenny vs Galway predictions
RTE, 4pm Sunday
Over in Leinster, Kilkenny are seeking to extend their provincial dominance by landing a sixth title in a row and they come up against a Galway side who are awkward to weigh up.
Galway put in a desperate performance in the opening round against Kilkenny, going down by 12 points. But to their credit they have recovered well in the interim, winning all their matches including promising showings against Wexford and Dublin.
Their physicality is one of their most potent assets, best evidenced by Wexford's attempt to play through the lines when they met and Galway devoured them in the tackle, repeatedly turning them over. That's a weapon that will be less prevalent against Kilkenny given they will match them in that area and have no issue going direct with Martin Keoghan, TJ Reid and Stephen Donnelly in the full forward line.
The return of Richie Reid to centre back allows Adrian Mullen to move further up the pitch, giving them a potent set of forwards also including John Donnelly and the in-form Billy Ryan.
Despite plenty of rotation in the front six, Kilkenny have been impressive in front of goal, averaging three a game. They put 3-24 up against Galway in round one and they've beaten the Tribesmen in two of the last three Leinster finals. Galway don't look any better this year than they have been in recent seasons.
It's hard to assess where Kilkenny are in the context of an All-Ireland title bid, especially after a poor second half against Dublin a few weeks ago but they give the impression they can step up a gear so Derek Lyng's men should get the job done again with a bit to spare.
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