After an entertaining game between Mayo and Tipp last week The GAAmbler was delighted when Conor O'Shea planted the ball in the bottom corner of Tipperary's net to score Mayo's second goal and ensure our 11/10 tip came through. We hope to bring the same level of success as we preview the clash of two major pillars of the GAA in the form of Kerry and Dublin.

Often when teams come to Croke Park to play Dublin they dramatically alter their playing style to try and combat the strengths of the Dubs, which over the years has rightly given Dublin the mental edge over teams. As by doing this they are showing the Dubs an awful lot of respect. Kerry are no different and Eamonn Fitzmaurice's whole year has been developed towards this one 70-minute game this weekend. This is something that Kerry traditionally do not like, Kerry like being in Dublin's position, that is the position of power, where teams are altering their game plan to play the traditional aristocrats of the GAA. Which is why hearing Kerry players and pundits throughout the week claiming that they believe that they can give the Dubs a game, quite a humbling experience.

When teams do change their style to suit the Dubs it usually always has defence in mind, this often leads to teams keeping the score down as low as possible and keeping the defence tight at the back so that no early goals are conceded in the first half. When looking at the stats from the Dublin games this year, it has played out like that, with three out of four of Dublin's games so far being higher scoring in the second half. The only exception was when Dublin met Meath in a game where the Dubs did look very under power missing several goal chances.

This is why I was quite shocked when looking at the second half to be the highest scoring and it was priced at a very generous even money with Bet 365, especially when Paddy Power, the standard bearers in the GAA market has priced the same market at 8/13. With the injury time now often exceeding five minutes in the second half in games this adds further value to the bet. I can see this game being a tight cagey affair in the first half until the Dubs get on top, with Kerry hopefully then opening up in the second half to really go at Dublin, like they really should do from the start. A 3.5 point bet is advised here.

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Recommended bets:

Dublin/Kerry second half to be highest scoring at 1/1 with Bet 365. 3.5 points.

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