Expect early scoring spurt from Kildare with noisy Newbridge crowd to help

Kildare v Tyrone
Newbridge
Sky Sports, 5pm Saturday

Kildare have been early risers this summer, playing their best football before the break. With a noisy home crowd behind them at Newbridge, take the Lilywhites to be leading Tyrone at half-time.

Kildare were in cruise control at the halfway mark against Wicklow in their Leinster opener, easing into a 0-9 to 0-4 lead, they were 1-12 to 1-8 ahead at the change of ends in their drawn encounter with Longford. They led by three at the same stage in the replay.

They trailed Dublin by only four points, 0-11 to 0-7 at half-time, and the interval scoreline could have made for more pleasant reading had Ben McCormack converted a glorious goal chance in the opening period.

They galloped into a seven-point half-time lead in their qualifier win over Antrim last Saturday and it is worth noting they also led Meath by five points at the interval when the sides met at Navan, a game they went on to lose by a point.

There has been absolutely nothing wrong with Kildare's first-half displays this year - it has been their performances after the break which have been less impressive.

This Tyrone side have done so much strength and conditioning that they tend to finish games strongly, as we saw in their Donegal defeat, so expect them to do their best work late on.

Kildare sprinted into a 0-6 to 0-2 lead in the early stages of their back-door win over Mayo last summer, so expect a similarly smart smart.

This Tyrone side look a pale shadow of the one which reached the 2018 All-Ireland final and Kildare could find a few chinks in their armour, most likely in the opening 35 minutes.

Kildare go into the game high on confidence as their 14-point win away to Antrim last Saturday was without doubt their best display of the year. Expect them to pick up where they left off, especially if Adam Tyrell continues his hot streak of scoring form.

Recommendation
Kildare to lead at half-time
2pts 2-1 Ladbrokes, Paddy Power

Westmeath v Clare
TEG Cusack Park, 6pm

These two sides have been burrowing away behind the scenes and making decent progress, but it is not easy to figure out which side has progressed the most over the last few weeks and picking a winner in 70 minutes is an arduous task.

Of much more interest are the goals markets as Westmeath have prided themselves on a solid defensive structure this year and their three championship games this year have only contained four goals in total.

Despite gaining promotion from Division 3 of the league, Westmeath failed to find the net in three of their games, but they managed to keep four clean sheets.

They didn't concede a goal against Laois or Waterford in the championship either.

Clare's full-forward line will not strike fear into the Westmeath defence. They didn't find the net against a really poor Waterford side or Kerry in the Munster semi-final and, while they netted three times in the win over Leitrim, breaking down a more resolute Westmeath side will not prove so straightforward.

Recommendation
Under 1.5 goals
2pts 9-5 Paddy Power

Mayo v Armagh
MacHale Park
Sky Sports, 7pm Saturday

Given Mayo are without Diarmuid O'Connor and Matthew Ruane it is hard to resist having a nibble on outsiders Armagh.

O'Connor broke his wrist at training on Tuesday and he will be a massive loss to a Mayo side who didn't deserve to be as short as they were even before the news of the Mayo captain broke. They look vulnerable.

Armagh are at their best as underdogs and not much is expected of them. The favourites' tag weighed heavily on them against Down, when they stumbled over the line in extra-time, but they outplayed Cavan for long periods of their drawn Ulster semi-final and some would say their Monaghan mauling was the best display of the Kieran McGeeney era. They are always dangerous underdogs.

Armagh have something Mayo don't - two natural scoring forwards at the peak of their powers. Rian O'Neill has been a revelation this summer, while Jamie Clarke remains one of the most dangerous attackers in the game. Add Stefan Campbell into the mix and James Horan has three hugely talented attacking aces to try to contain.

Mayo were not overly impressive against Down, although they did what they had to do and won by five. Armagh are about a five-point superior team to Down so that's makes this game fascinating. It could be much tighter than the betting suggests.

The fact that the game is being played at MacHale Park could be a help to Armagh and it takes even more pressure off them.

Mayo have changed their goalkeeper again and they have conceded three goals in their last two games. Armagh could exploit their weaknesses in the rearguard unit and have the potential to get a couple of goals. They got two against Down and Monaghan and it would come as no surprise to seem them do likewise against Mayo.

Recommendation
Armagh
2pts 100-30 BoyleSports
Armagh over 1.5 goals
1pt 9-4 BoyleSports

Laois v Offaly
O'Moore Park, 7pm Saturday

Laois are two games away from the Super 8s despite averaging just 13 points per game. That tells you all you need to know about John Sugrue's philosophy and a low-scoring, nervy encounter looks in store when Offaly visit O'Moore Park.

Laois have scored only one goal in the three games which have got them to this stage, failing to find the net against Westmeath or Meath, and their development this year has been based on a solid defensive structure.

The concession of two goals in the closing stages of the first half against Meath proved their undoing in the Leinster semi-final and 11-point loss, as well as conceding 3-13, did not do their performance justice at all. The 11-point gap was not a fair reflection of the gulf in class between the two sides.

Offaly adopted quite a negative approach against Meath, packing their defence with big numbers, and but for a fortunate Bryan McMahon goal that strategy might well have paid off.

They have been more expansive against London and Sligo, scoring 1-21 and 3-17 respectively in wide-margin wins, but do not expect John Maughan to go gung-ho against Laois. He knows better than that. That is exactly what Sugrue will want him to do.

Don't forget Offaly were the second-lowest scorers in their division of the league, averaging just 12.7 points per game.

There is so much at stake. For either of these sides to reach the Super 8s would be a mammoth feat considering neither are among the top three teams in Leinster.

Laois won 2-12 to 0-15 when the sides met at O'Connor Park in Division 3 of the league in March. They might edge this one too but much safer plays are under 32.5 points and under 1.5 goals.

Recommendations
Under 32.5 points
4pts 5-6 general
Under 2.5 goals
2pts 13-8 BoyleSports
No goals
1pt 6-1 BoyleSports

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