Weekend Gaelic football predictions and GAA betting tips: Cork could prove to be the surprise packages

Best bets

Donegal
2pts 5-2 Boylesports  

Over 13.5 Cork points
5pts 8-11 Boylesports

Cork to lead at half-time
2pts 11-4 William Hill

Cork-Cork double result
1pt 12-1 bet365

Over 1.5 Kerry goals
3pts 11-10 Paddy Power

Over 2.5 Kerry goals
2pts 3-1 Boylesports

Over 3.5 Kerry goals
1pt 8-1 Boylesports

Tyrone -6
3pts Evs general

Weekend Gaelic football predictions

Donegal v Monaghan

6pm Saturday, GAAGO

Donegal are in a bit of disarray this year but they played better than the margin of defeat gives them credit for against Derry and it is surprising to see them priced up as big as 5-2 to beat Monaghan. 

Donegal beat Clare by the same margin as Monaghan did - five points - and for long periods of the Derry game they looked every bit as good as them. Wayward shooting and wrong options in the final third of the pitch cost them , but they didn't play as badly as a five point defeat suggests. 

Had this game been last summer, Donegal would have been odds-on favourites and they look overpriced against a Monaghan outfit with a bit to prove themselves. They might have regressed, but so too have the Farney army and the market hasn't taken that into account enough. 

Cork v Mayo

2pm Sunday, GAAGO

Cork had every chance to throw in the towel against All-Ireland champions Kerry last weekend but they kept picking themselves up and went down fighting. 

The Rebels are improving and it is hard to believe a Mayo side who stumbled over the line against Louth are so short in the betting. They have banked maximum points, have already secured their slot in the knockout stages, and it is hard to envisage them entering this encounter with the same intensity as when they thumped Kerry in the opening round of the All-Ireland series. 

There are quite a few bets in this game which catch the eye and most appealing is for Cork to score 14 points or more. They scored 0-15 against Kerry and should have got more. They kicked 1-19 in the win over Louth and, with Brian Hurley continuing in fine form alongside Steven Sherlock and Sean Powter, Cork have the capacity to reach a decent total against Mayo. 

Given the laboured display from Mayo last time, Cork look decent value at 11-4 to lead at half-time and it is worth having a little nibble of the 12-1 in the double result mark too. 

Kerry v Louth

2pm Sunday

Louth proved they deserved their slot in the All-Ireland series with a gutsy defeat at the hands of Mayo last time, but they could not be facing Kerry at a worse time and the floodgates may soon open. 

Kerry were awful for long periods against Cork and lacked any cohesion up front. David Clifford, as ever, was magnificent and Sean O Shea played reasonably well but there were so many poor displays elsewhere. 

It was not too long ago that Kerry notched 5-14 against Clare in a Munster final, though, and they look strong enough to break down this Louth defence. 

Louth kept Mayo to 0-14 and Cork scored only one goal against them in round one, but they did cough up five goals to Dublin in a Leinster final and something similar could happen here. 

Kerry's pace and power up front might break through their blanket defence and backing the All-Ireland champions to score two or more goals, three or more goals and four or more goals looks the way to play this game. 

Jack O'Connor needs a response from his troops. He needs to get them back purring for the knockout stages and this looks the perfect occasion to rack up another big score. 

Tyrone v Westmeath

4pm Sunday, GAAGO

Westmeath utterly frustrated Armagh in round one and probably deserved to get something out of the game, while for long periods in their next game against Galway it looked as though they would keep well within the handicap. 

Galway won by eight in the end and Tyrone's class should shine through too. If they are to have any All-Ireland aspirations, they ought to be winning this game by a double-figure margin. 

The handicap is six points and that can be taken care of with the minimum of fuss. Tyrone have the patience and the personnel to break down this Westmeath rearguard unit and there is a big performance brewing. This might well be it. 

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