Cavan v Dublin: All-Ireland football semi-final predictions, free tips & TV

Free football tips, best bets and analysis for Dublin v Cavan in the first All-Ireland semi-final on Saturday.

Where to watch

RTE2, 5.30pm Saturday

Best bet

Cavan to score a goal
3pts 6-5 Boylesports

Ciaran Kilkenny Footballer of the Year
5pts 2-1 Paddy Power

Already advised (October 29)

Raymond Galligan (Cavan) to win an All-Star
1pt 50-1 Paddy Power

Match preview

Expecting another chapter of the Cavan fairytale to be penned at Croke Park on Saturday might be far-fetched, but it is still worth snapping up the prices available about the underdogs getting a goal.

Dublin have yet to concede a goal in the championship. Stephen Cluxton kept three clean sheets on the way to winning yet another Leinster championship, but that statistic papers over some cracks and both Laois and Meath should have found the net.

Indeed, Meath had two gilt-edged goal opportunities and about three or four more half-chances. Cluxton made a brilliant save to deny Joey Wallace in the second half and the Royal County just lacked conviction in the final third on other occasions.

That is not to say there is anything particularly wrong with the Dublin defence. They have conceded 0-11 to Westmeath, 0-7 to Laois and 0-9 to Meath. Those are superb stats for any rearguard unit no matter what the opposition.

But, Cavan could breach that defence. They have developed the canny knack of getting goals at crucial stages. They scored two against Monaghan, and found the net against Down and Donegal too.

There was a moment in the closing stages of their famous Ulster final victory over Donegal when Martin Reilly could have taken a point to extend their advantage. Instead, he tried to kill off the game and brought a super save out of Shaun Patton.

A few minutes later Conor Madden did what Reilly couldn't do and that goal ended Donegal's challenge.

Madden's goal came from a route-one delivery from Gearoid McKiernan and that could be their best avenue to finding the net again.

The Dublin full-back line is not huge, but no team has been able to exploit that. Cavan could, and 6-5 about them getting at least one goal is more than fair.

As regards the likely outcome, a double-digit Dublin win looks most likely. The All-Ireland champions had 21 points to spare over Meath in the Leinster final but this should be a bit tighter.

Mickey Graham is a very shrewd coach and he will have a few things up his sleeve in trying to derail Dublin.

The handicap does not appealas it all depends on whether Dublin keep their foot on the throttle or not, so the only advised bet is the wager on Cavan getting a goal.

Dublin are 1-50 with Paddy Power to beat Cavan in 70 minutes so another All-Ireland final appearance is almost assured. That makes the price on Ciaran Kilkenny being crowned Football of the Year at the end of the campaign attractive.

He has unquestionably been Dublin's best player in 2020 with Dessie Farrell's decision to play him closer to goal paying handsome dividends. He has added scoring power to his game this season.

Kilkenny has been the one Dublin player to have held his form together from the start of the year to the end. He has never won the award, despite the fact many believe he has been the glue holding the team together, and this is without doubt his best chance.

Two more solid performances should be enough to secure the coveted gong. If he excels in either, then he will be a shoo-in.

Paddy Power make him their 2-1 favourite to be Footballer of the Year, but he is 15-8 with BoyleSports and I think he should be odds-on.

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