All-Ireland Football Championship match predictions and betting tips: Count on Cork to scare the Kingdom

Best bets

Galway -8 
3pts Evs Paddy Power

Cork to score over 13.5 points
5pts 5-6 Paddy Power

Cork to score over 1.5 goals
2pts 9-2 BoyleSports

Cork to lead at half-time
1pt 5-1 Paddy Power

Roscommon
2pts 9-4 Betfair, Paddy Power

Weekend Football Championship previews

Sligo v Galway

3.30pm Saturday

Sligo suffered a 12-point loss to Down in the league and managed to score only 1-5 in losing out to Clare in round one. 

There remains a huge gulf in class between top teams and the rest but that doesn't appear to have been sufficiently factored into the handicap market for Galway's visit to the Yeats County in the Connacht championship. 

Despite missing a whole host of aces, Galway still scored 5-21 against London and beat them by 27 points. It won't be as straightfoward at Markievicz Park, but the visitors should oblige by a double-figure margin, especially with Shane Walsh returning to the starting 15. 

Kerry v Cork

4pm Saturday, GAAGO

The most recent instalment of Cork v Kerry was in last year's All-Ireland series where the Kingdom scrambled over the line by two points, yet the handicap has been set at eight for the Munster championship clash at Fitzgerald Stadium and that looks too big. 

The gap between the counties is not widening and there were plenty of positives to be taken from the second half of Cork's league campaign. 

Cork look well capable of keeping within that eight-point handicap, but they could give the home side a real fright and it wouldn't be a surprise if they lead at half-time. 

Cork scored 0-15 against Kerry last year, averaged 20 points per game in their final four league outings this year and notched 3-13 in an 11-point romp over Limerick in their Munster opener so backing them to score at least 14 points looks the best bet of the weekend. 

There are goals in this Cork forward line so take the 9-2 about them getting two or more. That looks at least a point too big. 

The weather has been wretched for most of 2024 but, for once, a glorious sunny day is forecast on Saturday and that should see decent scoring. It would be a shock if Cork didn't get to 14 points at the very least, no matter which way the result goes. 

Roscommon v Mayo

4pm Sunday

The Connacht championship is probably not at the forefront of Kevin McStay's mind this year so Roscommon might be worth a nibble at 9-4 against Mayo given they have home advantage. 

Roscommon had four points to spare over Mayo in the provincial campaign last year and now could be the perfect time to catch Mayo, who have only won two of the last eight Connacht titles. 

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