All-Ireland Senior Hurling Championship final: Best bets for Clare vs Cork

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We’ve included instructions on how to grab your offer later on in this article.

Where to watch Clare vs Cork

BBC Two & RTE2, 3.30pm

Best bets

Clare
3pts 13-8 BoyleSports, Paddy Power

Over 56.5 points
2pts 10-11 BoyleSports

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You can bet on Clare vs Cork here and get £30 in free bets with Sky Bet

All-Ireland Hurling Championship final predictions

This promises to be an electrifying encounter between two sides seeking to bridge an intolerable gap between their last All-Ireland medal, particularly Cork who have suffered somewhat of a famine by their standards since their last success in 2005.

Clare defeated Cork after a replay in 2013 to claim their last Liam McCarthy in what was an amazing spectacle over the two games. Cork have two survivors from that game in their starting 15, while Clare have four and everything seems in place for another captivating battle, especially if their Munster championship encounter from earlier in the year is anything to go by.

Clare edged that contest 3-26 to 3-24 and a high-scoring game looks inevitable again as Cork have been the highest-scoring team in this year's championship by some way.

They are averaging 33.4 points per game, while neither side can boast an airtight defence with Cork conceding 29 points per game and Clare 26.6.

Cork's firepower relies a lot on Alan Connolly and Brian Hayes as their direct running and dynamism is hugely problematic for full-back lines. However, Clare are well poised to deal with that threat.

Conor Cleary and Adam Hogan will likely be detailed to mark them and forwards tend to find it difficult to get away from those two, particularly Hogan, who didn't give Eoin Cody a second's peace against Kilkenny in the semi-final, while Conor Leen has also been solid for the Banner County.

Cork could get joy from Shane Barrett at centre forward as his athleticism could cause John Conlon problems and it will be interesting to see if Cathal Malone can curb Darragh Fitzgibbon's influence given his incisive runs forward from midfield have been a potent weapon for Cork.

Clare weren't at their best against Kilkenny but still got the job done and that was an enormous victory as it's a game they might have lost in recent years. They haven't quite clicked yet this year but have still been winning games which is always a healthy sign.

The bookmakers have Cork as comfortable favourites on account of their astonishing win against Limerick a fortnight ago but it may not be as straightforward as that. Pat Ryan's men put in a seismic performance, but Limerick missed a few golden opportunities late on and there was a couple of huge momentum shifts that went in Cork's favour.

Clare haven't put in a full 70-minute performance yet this year and they've only impressed in patches, particularly in the second-half against Kilkenny, but once the likes of Tony Kelly, David Fitzgerald, Shane O'Donnell and Mark Rodgers click properly in attack then they should have the scoring power to match Cork and have more solidity at the back.

If Brian Lohan's men avoid the sluggish start they suffered against Kilkenny and their forward line start motoring, Cork's defence may struggle to contain them. Kelly hasn't been firing on all cylinders since his return from injury but there's a huge performance in him, especially against a team like Cork who leave gaps in their defence.

The bench will have a big impact and Cork boast a strong squad with the likes of Shane Kingston, Robbie O'Flynn and Conor Lehane waiting in reserve but Clare had a massive boost to their options with Ryan Taylor returning from an ACL injury against Kilkenny. He hit the ground running, creating two scores almost immediately and his influx of energy will be a big asset to Clare down the stretch.

Cork have successfully countered their leaky defence this year by simply racking up a huge score of their own but Clare look well-equipped to cope with their attacking threat. They should be favourites and can edge a pulsating affair.

Best bets

Mark Rodgers to win RTE Man Of The Match
1pt 16-1 Paddy Power

Mark Rodgers anytime goalscorer
1pt 12-5 BoyleSports

Clare subs to score more than Cork subs
2pts Evs Paddy Power

Mark Rodgers is having an excellent season for Clare and was one of the few bright lights for Brian Lohan's men in the Munster final when Limerick defeated them by six points.

He was again a pivotal player in their semi-final against Kilkenny, sticking over two points, including a late leveller but it is his playmaking abilities that have been an integral part of Clare's play.

In the semi-final, he had an early shot on goal saved by Eoin Murphy and he got into plenty of threatening positions against Limerick. Shane O'Donnell has been switching out to centre forward quite a bit which allows Rodgers to play on the inside line for spells and he's a significant goal threat.

He is an underrated component of this Clare team and he could be set for a huge final.

The impact of Clare's bench is underestimated given Cork's substitutes are favourites to outscore them. Pat Ryan's bench has bigger names on it but Clare's substitutes have been making a considerable impact of late. Ian Galvin has scored 1-3 from the bench in the last three games, while Aron Shanagher is a huge threat on the edge of the square if introduced.

Darragh Lohan, Shane Meehan and the recently returned Ryan Taylor are further options that should see Clare finish strong.

Get £30 in free bets when you place a bet with Sky Bet

We’ve already mentioned that Sky Bet are offering £30 in free bets when you place a bet on Clare vs Cork.

Here is how you can claim this Sky Bet £30 free betting offer when you place a qualifying bet.

Head over to Sky Bet through this link to sign up
Click the sign-up button and follow the process to fill in your details
Place a single or each-way bet of at least 5p (£0.05)
Once your qualifying bet settles, 3x £10 free bets will be automatically credited to your account
Note that your 4x £10 free bets apply to different markets, so ensure you read full T&Cs

Sky Bet betting sign-up offer: terms and conditions

It's worth taking a few minutes to read through the terms and conditions associated with the new player promotion before signing up. Doing so will help you get a better grasp of the details of this Sky Bet betting offer and what's expected of you as a new player.

The promotion from Sky Bet gives you 3x £10 free bet tokens. It’s worth taking a minute to read through the T&Cs of this offer.

New customers only
Offer applies to first single & each-way bet only
5p (£0.05) minimum stake. Odds of 1-1 (Evs) or greater
3x £10 bet tokens
Free bet stakes not included in returns
Free bets exclude virtuals
bets are non withdrawable
Free bets expire after 30 days
Eligibility restrictions and further T&Cs apply. Visit Sky Bet for more details
18+. For more info visit Gambleaware.org

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Conor FennellyReporter

Published on 20 July 2024inGAA tips