GAA Sunday football tips including Monaghan v Galway

Monaghan v Galway
Inniskeen, 2pm Sunday

The Galway side who will line out at Inniskeen against Monaghan will not bear any resemblance to the team who will take to the field for their Connacht championship opener against London in May, and the home side ought to be able to take full advantage.

Not only is Kevin Walsh missing his Corofin contingent but he must also make do without ace attacker Damien Comer as well as Sean Andy O Ceallaigh, Eamonn Brannigan, Michael and John Daly, Adrian Varley, Declan Kyne and Paul Conroy. All of those absentees could be starters in May.

Galway got away with it in week one as they edged out Cavan, but they were not so fortunate last Saturday as Dublin exposed their weaknesses in the second half. It was a poor performance from a side who are lacking firepower.

It is no surprise to see Monaghan with two points after their opening two outings but most people presumed those precious points would have been banked against Roscommon rather than Dublin. However it was the other way around.

Unlike Walsh, Monaghan boss Malachy O'Rourke has options everywhere. So much so that he can even afford to keep Conor McManus on the bench for a third game, as well as Conor McManus and Conor McCarthy.

There is more depth to the Monaghan squad and even with McManus and McCarthy held in reserve they still have solid scoring options in Ryan McAnespie, Dermot Malone, Fintan Kelly, Shane Carey.

This is a must-win game for Monaghan and excuses won't wash if they fail to secure maximum points.

Galway will find it hard to recover from their Dublin drubbing and the advice is to back the home side to win by three points or more.

Ladbrokes have set Monaghan's points line at 15.5, one point lower than Paddy Power, and they should comfortably surpass that total.

The other wager worth having is Monaghan to score two or more goals. They were clinical against Dublin, taking both their goals with conviction, and it is hard to envisage Galway keeping them out.

Recommendations
Monaghan -2
3pts Evs Betfair, Paddy Power
Over 15.5 Monaghan points
3pts 10-11 Ladbrokes
Monaghan to score two or more goals
1pt 13-5 BoyleSports

Meath v Armagh
Pairc Tailteann, 2pm Sunday

Some firms are quoting Meath at 4-6 against Armagh but there is a valid argument to be made for them not deserving to be favourites at all and the value surely lies with the visitors.

Meath should have beaten a depleted Donegal side in Ballybofey last weekend and it was only a bad mistake by goalkeeper Andrew Colgan which cost them victory.

It could be foolish to read too much into that near-miss as Donegal continue to function without a whole host of their first-choice team.

It was a similar story in round one when Tipperary were missing at least five starters and Meath still struggled to overcome them.

Andy McEntee's men have improved and the introduction of Daragh Campion has injected energy and a source of scores into their attacking unit. Cillian O'Sullivan and Graham Reilly remain on the bench but expect them to be called upon sooner rather than later.

Armagh should be top of Division 2. They have coughed up big leads against Kildare and Clare and earned only one point in each of those outings. They deserved more as they were the better team in both.

Ronan Ryan and Seamus Lavin are useful additions to the Meath defence but this will be their biggest test as they try to keep tabs on Jamie Clarke and Stefan Campbell.

Meath have not done enough to warrant their skimpy odds, so back Armagh to win by two points or more.

Recommendation
Armagh -1
2pts 21-20 Betfair, Paddy Power

Offaly v Louth
O'Connor Park, 2pm Sunday

It could be dangerous to read too much into Louth's latest success over Laois at Croke Park and Offaly can bring them back down to earth with a bang at O'Connor Park.

Louth exploded into life last weekend, scoring three goals in the opening 12 minutes. Laois were down to 14 men after 20 minutes after Kieran Lillis was sent off and Louth couldn't lose from there.

Offaly could have maximum points from their opening two outings, yet they only have a single point on the board.

They lost by the narrowest of margins against Westmeath, favourites for promotion, and drew with Longford at Pearse Park last Sunday. Both those pieces of form are solid.

Louth look vulnerable and Offaly can exploit their weaknesses on home soil.

Recommendation
Offaly -1
2pts 21-20 BoyleSports

Laois v Sligo
O'Moore Park, 2pm Sunday

Laois can be forgiven for last weekend's shock loss to Louth and are fancied to make amends at the expense of a Sligo side who could struggle in Division 3.

The O'Moore men conceded three early goals and had a man sent off last week but this is a perfect chance for them to get their promotion push back on track and the hosts are fancied to win by four points or more.

Recommendation
Laois -3
2pts 10-11 BoyleSports

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