GAA: Allianz Hurling League Saturday match betting preview and tips

Free GAA hurling tips, best bets and match previews for Saturday's Allianz National League fixtures.

Best bets

Wexford -3
3pts 11-8 Betfred

Laois -4
2pts evens BoyleSports

Only Laois to score a goal v Carlow
1pt 5-2 Coral, Ladbrokes

Saturday hurling analysis

Dublin v Wexford

Eir Sport, 5pm Saturday

Dublin have made progress since their dismal opening defeat to Kilkenny last month but taking on Wexford on Saturday evening will be a totally different examination. It should prove too much for them and the Leinster title holders are expected to oblige pretty comfortably.

The Dubs have recorded wins against Laois and Carlow, but Davy Fitzgerald's men will also have high confidence levels after a battling victory against Kilkenny last week.

The manner of that thrilling two-point victory in the face of a strong second-half wind bolstered their status as one of the leading sides in the country.

The ability to bring on Lee Chin, Diarmuid O'Keeffe and Matthew O'Hanlon late on proved crucial on that occasion and those star men are expected to feature again this week.

The slick south-eastern side need to minimise their wide count, which got them into trouble in round two against Clare, but they have too much firepower for Dublin and the two-point handicap underestimates their ability.

Take the 11-8 about Wexford -3, with the Model County side having scored an average of 27.5 points on their visits to Croke Park last year - a tally that the hosts should struggle to match.

Laois v Carlow

7pm Saturday

Laois can make home advantage count in a must-win tie against a struggling Carlow side, with a four-point handicap seeming manageable for the hosts.

Eddie Brennan's men look to be a much superior outfit to the Barrowsiders and they have been playing far better than their 0-3 league record in this year's suggests.

The O'Moore County side put up a respectable 2-16 in their opening fixture with Wexford, hurling with credit for three-quarters of the game before the Leinster champions' class told, while a closing tally of 2-17 against Dublin at Parnell Park was a decent haul.

Laois battled well and were by no means disgraced in almost unplayable conditions away to Clare last week, holding their own for large spells.

Carlow haven't shaped with much encouragement, conceding a total of 4-68 in their three defeats, and Laois appear a step ahead of them.

Carlow have yet to score a goal in the league, as well as in their trio of Walsh Cup fixtures during the winter, while Laois have rattled the net four times during this competition and bagged the same number of goals in the Walsh Cup.

The 5-2 about Laois being the only team to score a goal in the match looks decent value.

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