Gaelic football predictions and GAA betting tips: Goals on the menu at Croke Park

Best bets

Cork -1
3pts 10-11 general

Over 2.5 goals in Dublin v Roscommon
3pts 15-8 Boylesports

Over 3.5 goals in Dublin v Roscommon
1pt 11-2 Boylesports

Over 4.5 goals in Dublin v Roscommon
1pt 12-1 Boylesports

Over 1.5 Kerry goals v Mayo
2pts 7-4 Boylesports 

Over 29.5 points in Meath v Louth
2pts 10-11 Boylesports

Weekend Gaelic football predictions

Cork v Cavan

4pm Saturday

Relegation from Division 2 is now a real threat for Cork and a third defeat on the trot would all but consign them to Division 3 given they still have Armagh to come. 

It might be foolish to read too much into the first two rounds, though, as the Rebels were away in Ballybofey to face a rejuvenated Donegal side under Jim McGuinness and then made the trip to a tight pitch in Ardee to face Louth. 

The fortnight break will have benefited them greatly and John Cleary is likely to welcome back a few key cogs in his machine. Despite being without a plethora of important players, Cork still led Louth with about a dozen minutes remaining but never scored in the final quarter.

A first home game at Pairc Ui Chaoimh is sure to ensure some sort of bounce factor and it is about time the Rebels starting to accelerate out of first gear. Expect to see a reaction and it's worth backing them to win comfortably. 

Dublin v Roscommon

5pm Saturday, TG4

The only outing at Croke Park in the league so far was Dublin's shock loss to Monaghan in round one, which produced four goals, and we could have seen more had the hosts been more clinical in front of goal. 

Since then Dublin somehow snatched defeat from the jaws of victory against Mayo, conceding a sloppy late goal and losing out by the minimum margin despite controlling the game from start to finish. They really should have four points on the board, instead they have none. 

Dublin will be ravenous when Roscommon visit Croker on Saturday evening and they can win with something to spare. But the Dubs are only even money to beat a five-point handicap and I feel there is better value in the goals markets. 

You can back three or more goals in the game at 15-8 and that looks a cracking wager. Con O'Callaghan is a different animal in Croke Park than anywhere else and at his best when he is at his most direct.

The last time Dublin were in Division 1, in 2022, they had three home games at Croke Park and there were nine goals scored in those three games. The weather forecast is reasonably good, with only light showers and a calm enough evening in prospect. 

The conditions won't be anywhere near as attritional as they were for the last round a fortnight ago so scoring could be higher than expected. 

The Dublin defence has leaked four goals in two games, so it wouldn't be a surprise if Roscommon hit the back of the net at least once in the continued absence of Stephen Cluxton.

Kerry v Mayo 

7.30pm Saturday, RTE2

Keeping with the theme of goals, Kerry look overpriced at 7-4 to score twice against table-toppers Mayo. 

It is almost a case of job done for Mayo, who have managed to bank maximum points from their first two outings against Galway and Dublin. Winning the league did nothing for their season last year, so it remains to be seen how enthusiastic Kevin McStay will be about winning it again. 

Mid-table obscurity is probably the aim for McStay and there will be no Sam Maguires handed out at Austin Stack Park in February. 

David Clifford made an instant impression after being introduced against Monaghan and he is likely to start here. 

Kerry have scored five goals in their opening two games against Derry and Monaghan so it is hard to understand why the Kingdom are as big as 7-4 to score two or more goals for the third outing in a row.

Meath v Louth 

2pm Sunday, RTE2

Louth have been all the rage since betting opened up on their round-three clash with neighbours and arch-rivals Meath in Division 2. All the 13-8 has dried up and the Wee County are as short as 5-4 in places. 

Louth could easily be two from two and were unlucky not to shock Armagh in round one, whereas Meath have been really poor in both their outings with Fermanagh and Armagh. It is a hard one to call but perhaps the best course of action is to back over 29.5 match points at a shade of odds-on. 

Conditions are set to be decent and Meath coughed up 2-16 in their recent loss to Armagh. They are missing key defenders  Ronan Ryan and Padraic Harnan but should have enough firepower up front to get the job done. 

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