GAA predictions, odds and Gaelic football betting tips: Armagh ready to pounce under McGeeney

Best bets

Armagh to win Division 1
1pt 8-1 Boylesports

Armagh to finish top of Division 1
2pts 13-2 Boylesports

Armagh to go unbeaten in Division 1
1pt 25-1 Boylesports

Armagh to be highest finishing Ulster team in Division 1
5pts 5-4 Boylesports

Kildare to be promoted from Division 2
2pts 4-1 Paddy Power, Boylesports

Down to win Division 3
3pts 5-2 Boylesports

Laois to win Division 4
2pts 9-4 Paddy Power

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National Football League preview

With so many of the top teams in transition right now, everything points to 2023 being a huge year for Armagh and they are fancied to win their second league title, 13 years after their first in 2005. 

The main reason the Orchard County looks ripe for success this year is the fact that they have some stability in a division where half of the teams have new managers. 

This will be Kieran McGeeney's ninth year in charge of his native county and there were definite signs of progress in 2022. 

Armagh finished third in Division 1 last year and beat Dublin in Croke Park by five points in round one. Their three defeats were at the hands of All-Ireland and league champions Kerry, away to Donegal by a single point and to Mayo by two points, a game they were in control of only to concede the last five points in a row. 

Armagh were bitterly disappointing in their Ulster Championship opener to Donegal, bowing out of the provincial race with a whimper but they dusted themselves off and beat Tyrone and Donegal in the qualifiers by six and ten points respectively. 

They met their All-Ireland exit at the quarter-final stage when going out to beaten finalists Galway after a dramatic penalty shoot-out and should be going into the new campaign full of hope that they build on that in 2023. 

Rian O'Neill is among the top five attackers in the country, while Ethan Rafferty has been a revelation since switching roles and becoming a fly-keeper. His kicking and general play was absolutely outstanding all through 2022. 

Add in the likes of Rory Grugan, Aidan Nugent, Conor Turbitt, Stefan Campbell and Aidan Forker and you realise Armagh are ready to make a big statement this year. There are very definite signs of progress in almost every department.

McGeeney has taken his time to mould Armagh into All-Ireland contenders but they may finally be there now. 

They kick off their league campaign away to Monaghan, a game they ought to be able to take maximum points from given the Farney Army found it very hard to even find a manager. It might be a few years too early for new boss Vinny Corey who hasn't a great deal of managerial experience at this sort of level. 

Armagh then have Mayo at home at the Athletic Grounds and Roscommon away. They could easily have six points from six after the first three rounds before heading to Kerry in round four. 

They have Donegal and Galway at home in two of their final three fixtures and McGeeney will certainly fancy his chances of reaching the Division 1 decider. 

While a lot of teams in the top division are trying out new players and new systems, Armagh know exactly what they are at now. They have a settled squad who look more than ready to pounce at the highest level.  

Odds of 8-1 about them lifting league silverware seems generous and even more appealing is the 13-2 on offer about them finishing the group stages on top of the pile. 

They could bump into a full-strength Kerry side in the decider so that would look the slightly better of the two options. A small nibble of McGeeney's men to go though the league unbeaten at 25-1 is worth chancing too. 

The most appetising bet of all is for Armagh to do best of the Ulster sides in Division 1. They are 5-4 to finish in front of Donegal and Monaghan who both have new managers and Tyrone hardly looked world-beaters in 2022 either. They should comfortably win that four-runner race, especially with the way the fixtures have fallen. 

Dublin are likely to win Division 2 with the minimum of fuss but Derry look far too short in the promotion market where Kildare are much better value at 4-1. 

The Lilywhites have both Cork and Derry at home in Newbridge and they were very unfortunate to be demoted from the top division last year given they beat Dublin and Monaghan and drew with Kerry. A late Monaghan scoring surge against the Dubs in the final round proved their undoing and Glenn Ryan's troops are more talented than the betting is giving them credit for. 

Down have the potential to progress under Conor Laverty, who seems a popular figure in the county, and the early signs were very positive in the McKenna Cup where they made their exit at the semi-final stage to Derry on penalties. 

Their conquerors went on to hammer Tyrone in the decider and Down are strong fancies to win Division 3.  

Laois can emerge victorious from a weak-looking Division 4. Billy Sheehan's side played quite well against Meath in the O'Byrne Cup and in Evan O'Carroll they a reliable point-builder who will get them out of holes with his accuracy.

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