GAA: Allianz Hurling League Sunday match betting preview and tips

Best bets

Galway to win by seven to nine points
1pt 9-2 Paddy Power

Waterford
2pts 13-8 Boylesports

Dublin
2pts 15-8 Betway

Dublin +2
3pts 21-20 Betway

Sunday analysis

Galway v Westmeath

12.30pm Sunday

Promoted Westmeath have been handed a tough task for their opening date in Division 1B of the Allianz Hurling League as they travel to Pearse Stadium to face Galway.

New Tribesmen boss Shane O'Neill will be eager to hit the ground running in the league and his side should win comfortably. But the 12-point handicap mark could be a little ambitious considering they drew with Carlow early in last year's competition, and showers are forecast, which could impact the game.

A seven to nine-point margin of victory would seem more likely and is worth backing at the prices.

Waterford v Cork

TG4, 2pm Sunday

A youthful Cork side could be vulnerable to Waterford in an enticing all-Munster first-round clash.

The Rebels were dealt a blow with the news that Daniel Kearney has opted out this season, while key men Alan Cadogan, Christopher Joyce and Mark Ellis won't feature this weekend.

Cork, who haven't won the league since 1998, lost their opening two fixtures in this tournament 12 months ago and face a Waterford outfit bidding to bounce back from a poor championship run last season.

With the Munster scene looking extremely strong, this competition will be important to the Deise and their recent league form is strong, having landed the prize in 2015 and reached the final in 2016 and 2019.

Excluding their final defeat to Limerick, Waterford's only other loss during last year's league came when they fell short by two points against Dublin.

They went unbeaten in all three home games and could be able to turn around the form with Cork from their recent four-point defeat in the Munster Senior Hurling League, with the Leesiders having folded late on against Limerick in the final of that tournament.

Waterford may need more time to gel under new manager Liam Cahill and will be without some of their stalwarts but they look the value.

Kilkenny v Dublin

TG4 delayed coverage, 2pm Sunday

Kilkenny's hurlers have won nine of the last 18 editions of the Allianz League but following the county's clean sweep of the All-Ireland club series, they will be without a number of key men for Sunday's clash with Dublin.

There was encouragement to be taken from their opponents' single-point defeat to Galway in the Walsh Cup semi-final this month and failing to come out on the right side of that contest could well have done Mattie Kenny's side a favour with this assignment in mind.

That game on January 12 was the Dubs' third in a week and they were also without 14 players due to the Fitzgibbon Cup, so a fresh side coming into Nowlan Park this weekend must be taken seriously.

Kilkenny ran out comfortable winners in last season's Leinster clash, but Dublin led by six points after 28 minutes and made the Cats battle for their victory.

Expect them to push the beaten All-Ireland finalists all the way again, with the league surely an important element of Dublin's calendar considering the competitiveness of Leinster. They should be fancied to at least oblige with a handicap of +2.

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