The GAAmbler: Points to win prizes

April 23, 2016

Tyrone's Sean Cavanagh.
©INPHO/Ryan Byrne.

There are four great games in store this weekend at Croke Park and they are very unique to most of the other games that take place in headquarters throughout the year.

All eight teams have already succeeded in what they set out to do at the start of the league.Most managers have made the point throughout the week that they are glad to have been promoted and the chance to win the divisional title is a bonus, as well as providing some competitive game time before their championship openers.

This mind set will, in my opinion, lead to teams playing a more open brand of football.

Looking at the last three years of league finals across the four divisions they have been extremely high scoring, which adds strength to my belief that the finals will be more free flowing and less defensive.

The average points totals in the Division One to Division Four finals were 38, 34, 35 and 37 respectively. Taking these statistics into account it leads me to my NAP for this weekend.

Antrim and Louth contest the first final of the weekend, having both had solid campaigns to date. Both managers have made the point that they are in bonus territory and a game in Croke Park will be fantastic motivation for both sides. The points total of 32.5 at 5/6 with Bet 365 is the lowest of all the points totals offered by the bookmakers for any of the four finals.

Both teams were very solid defensively whilst not really putting up large score lines when defeating teams either. This, in my opinion, can be put down to the opposition that they were playing as well as conditions at pitches in Division Four. For example, Antrim played their home fixtures on a very tight club pitch in west Belfast.

I firmly believe that the conditions and occasion in Croke Park will ensure a much higher scoring affair; the space and surface of the pitch alone should benefit the forwards on both teams and help create a few extra goal chances.

My second choice for this week is Kerry and Dublin to score over 34.5 points, which is again best priced with Bet 365 at 4/6.

Both of these sides were in devastating form in their semi-final victories a few weeks ago and this encounter again has all the makings of a high scoring game.

There is set to be 80,000 people in to watch this game and, as mentioned earlier in this article, the shackles should be off for both teams, which should see an improvement from the 34 point total posted when they met in round one of the league.

My final choice for this weekend's matches is a player points total market. Paddy Power has a points total of 2.5 for Sean Cavanagh, and I believe there is value in backing him to score under this total at a rather large 6/5.

Sean has probably been one of the best servants to Tyrone football of all time and his experience is still key for this Tyrone side. But I can't see him scoring three points from play or a goal as he has been relieved of his free kick duties this season and Cavan are very stingy when it comes to coughing up goals.

If he was to score three points from play he would almost certainly win man of the match which is 12/1 with Ladbrokes.

I suggest a bet on him to score under 2.5 points and another small bet on him to win man of the match, which leaves you in a position where you're getting a very low risk bet on him to score under 2.5 points

Recommended bets:

  • Antrim/Louth under 32.5 points @ 5/6
     
  • Kerry/Dublin under 34.5 points @4/6
     
  • Sean Cavanagh under 2.5 points @5/6

Follow @TheGAAmbler1 for more tips and previews


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