Pete’s Picks – Weekend GAA Football Action

Last April, in Parnell Park, Tipperary and Tyrone collided in a fractious All-Ireland U21 Football Championship final.

Tipperary v Tyrone, Football, Sky Sports 5, 3pm
Given the crossover between the Premier County’s U21 and senior groups there is sure to be an added bite to proceedings in Thurles in front of the Sky Sports cameras.
Tipp, under, Peter Creedon, definitely are progressing.

They hammered Waterford in the provincial quarter-final and Louth since in the qualifiers in the manner of a side arrowing towards the elite.

Yet, they are 17/10 to win at home against a Tyrone side that struggled to overcome Meath in Omagh. Tyrone, factoring in the experience of Seán Cavanagh in particular, are deserved favourites.

However, BoyleSports are laying a top price of 4/6 about Mickey Harte’s men advancing and the odds-compilers are correct to take the northerners on at those odds.

Pete’s Picks:
Tipperary -1 @ 11/5

Galway v Derry, Football, Sky Sports 5, 5pm
The Tribesmen are marginal odds-on favourites to reach round four of the qualifiers.
However, Kevin Walsh’s side have drifted slightly out to 5/6 with BoyleSports.

Derry, meanwhile, are being laid at 11/8 and given their sterling performances against Donegal and Wexford, those odds seem excessive, to a point. In fact, Galway’s Paul Conroy had much praise for the Oak Leafers.

He said: “Derry are a team that’s on the rise, with some very good players. They drew with Tyrone and gave Dublin a hard game (in the League). They’ve been playing Division 1 football whereas Armagh were playing Division 3 football.”

However, it is in the goals markets that the value exists. I expect this to be a game of goalscoring opportunities and at least two should be taken.

Pete’s Picks:
Over 1.5 Total Goals @ 8/11
Over 2.5 Total Goals @ 12/5

Kerry v Cork, Football, RTÉ, 7pm
Kerry were backed off the boards to sink Cork in what turned out to be a dramatic drawn Munster SFC final. The Rebels notched 3-12 and it took a Fionn Fitzgerald additional-time booming score to save Kerry’s bacon.

However, Éamonn Fitzmaurice has rung the changes for the All-Ireland champions with Aidan O’Mahony, Paul Murphy, Anthony Maher and Paul Geaney all coming into the side.

Certainly, the ruthless nature of his switches signals intent. Given both Colm Cooper and Paul Galvin, experienced operators, are available in reserve, Kerry, on paper at least, are an even more formidable outfit.

David Moran was black-carded in the first instalment but had been performing excellently in the middle-third and could have a massive bearing on this replay.
Kerry could draw a few points clear in the closing 10 minutes of this tie which is in contrast to my thinking prior to the team selections being released.

However, Cork are a steely unit and if they do get over the line, Mark Collins could be their in-game leader-in-chief.

Pete’s Picks:
Kerry -2 @ 5/6
David Moran RTÉ Man of the Match
Mark Collins RTÉ Man of the Match