Derry vs Dublin Preview
The National Football League has an exciting matchup for fans this week. Derry vs Dublin is shaping up to be one of the most important matches this season. The league leader, Derry, hosts second-place Dublin in a crucial game of Gaelic football.
There aren’t many GAA fans who would have predicted Derry would be undefeated after four games. Even fewer people would have guessed Dublin, Mayo, and Kerry would struggle to get going this season. However, Derry has eight points on the board, four more than Dublin. The Dubs are up to second following a slow start of this campaign after a dominant display against Kerry last week. With everything in the group stage still to play for, Derry can’t afford to let their advantage slip.
Derry vs Dublin Head-To-Head and Key Stats
Last season, Derry and Dublin were in Division Two of the Allianz Football League. They faced off twice in 2023, once in the regular season and once in the NFL Division Two final. They traded blows, with Derry winning the group stage and Dublin taking the title.
The first match took place in round five, and Derry hosted the game at Celtic Park. The match was close, with only one point separating the sides at the final whistle. Dublin opened the scoring inside the first minute, and it took Derry almost five minutes to respond. From there, the Dubs stretched their advantage, dominating the attacking play and ending the half 0-02 to 0-07. Ten minutes into the second half, the teams were five points apart. McKinless went on a fantastic solo run past the 13-meter line. He passes it across the goal to an unmarked red shirt who fumbles with the chance. Toner is the first to react, and he prods the ball home for the only goal in the game.
After scoring a goal, Derry found some confidence and levelled the game. The end of the match was spectacular as both sides were fighting for the lead into additional time. With the score 1-10 to 0-12, Dublin scored a free to tie the match with the clock in the red. Fitzsimons picked up his second yellow card of the game, and Dublin had to hang on to a draw with 14 men. However, the ball fell to Rogers, who danced and weaved past several blue shirts. As soon as he got inside the 20-meter line, he fired the ball between the posts, winning the game for Derry in the 75th minute.
The next time these two famous GAA clubs faced off was the Division Two final. Derry started on the front foot, taking a two-point lead into the second half. However, Conor Glass picked up an injury shortly after the restart, and Derry crumbled. Without their star man, the Dubs put four goals past Odhran Lynch. O’Gara, O’Dell, Mannion, and Small got the goals for Dublin, ending as seven-point winners at full-time.
However, this season has seen Dublin struggle more than anyone predicted. Betting on the Dubs in the first game would have been a mistake, as they lost at home to a spirited Monaghan. That remains the Farney Army’s only victory so far this season. The Dubs lost the next match against Mayo but are now on a two-game winning streak. They comfortably dispatched Roscommon before destroying Kerry 3-18 to 1-14. Dublin has looked far from their best during this campaign, but achieving a ten-point victory over Kerry should spell trouble for Derry.
Without a doubt, Derry is the team to watch this season. They have already beaten Kerry in round one, but the big tests are yet to come. This week, they will play a Dublin side that looks to have found their feet in the NFL season. If Oak Leaf County can get a result, they move one step closer to securing first place in the division.
Derry vs Dublin Predictions
Prediction: Derry 1-11 to 2-13 Dublin
Even though Derry has enjoyed a fantastic season and is playing at home, we think this victory is going to Dublin. The Dubs have found form after dominating Kerry last week, and we predict they will use this momentum to great effect. Derry will be full of confidence, having not lost an NFL game, but we think they will stumble on Saturday. The home side will score first, but we can see a late charge from Dublin taking the points this weekend.
If you have followed Gaelic football this season, you will know how challenging it has been to predict GAA events. Last year, both Dublin and Derry were competing in Division Two. Betting on Derry to lead the National Football League after four games would have been an outrageous guess. However, this is where late title challengers reveal themselves. If Dublin can get a result on the road, they throw this group stage wide open.
The last time these two GAA clubs faced off, Dublin dominated the second half and put four goals in the Derry net. We don’t see this match finishing as one-sided as the previous meeting, but we think Dublin will give it their all. There has been a lot to admire about Derry this season. If they can win this match, there is little to stop them going all the way and finishing this season without a blotch on their record.
Placing a bet on Dublin is unconventional. The Dubs have already lost two matches this season, and Derry is the only top-flight team not to drop a point. However, fortune favours the bold, and there is no chance Dublin will leave Celtic Park without a fight. They will throw the kitchen sink at the home side, and this will be Oak Leaf County’s biggest test of the season so far. We predict it will be a close game, but Dublin has the personnel to put a hold on any Derry celebrations.
Even if Derry starts this match with a comfortable lead, we still predict live betting on Dublin will be a good move. They started slowly when the teams last met in the Division Two final, and we can see both teams taking a similar approach this weekend. Derry will know that a victory this week can almost guarantee one of the top two spots in the NFL. A loss to Dublin will allow teams like Mayo and Kerry back into the title race.
Derry vs Dublin Betting Tips
Looking at the odds available at the online sports betting site reveals a favourite. Derry has the backing from the bookies to win this match. Putting a ten euro bet on the hosts at 10/11 will see €19.09 returned if they are successful. Backing Dublin in this fixture at 6/5 will give you €22 at the final whistle. While platforms like Novibet favour the league leaders, there is not much to split the two sides this week. If Derry were to lose any game this season, it would be against a high-flying Dubs.
Betting on Gaelic football this season has been incredibly entertaining but difficult to predict. With teams like Mayo, Kerry, and Dublin all picking up two defeats in this campaign, anything can happen between now and the final round of the group stage. A draw would be an unlikely result, but it could come into play given how much is on the line for Derry. If they can escape this round with one point dropped, they remain the frontrunners to top the division.
Recent history offers a little guidance when betting on GAA events. Derry won this match the last time they were the hosts in Division Two. However, they bottled the chance to win the final in April 2023 following a poor second-half performance. This will still be fresh in the minds of the fans and coaches and could come back to bite Derry. Dublin started the NFL season with two losses, but the recent win over Kerry will be worth its weight in gold. Not only did they disrupt a rival, but the manner of the performance was exactly what they needed.
🏐🇦🇹 | Next up for Derry in the National Football League is the visit of All Ireland Champions, Dublin. Match details below ⬇️
🆚 @DubGAAOfficial
🎟️ https://t.co/kzHmeIRZur
🏟️ Celtic Park
🗓️ Saturday 2 March
🕓 5pm
📺 @RTEgaaPlease note, all entrants to Celtic Park will… pic.twitter.com/3EPMlNWJLe
— Derry GAA (@Doiregaa) February 28, 2024
Betting on Derry could be a good move for a halftime wager, but we back the Dubs to get a full-time result. This Gaelic football match has plenty of opportunities to land a successful wager. When two teams are evenly matched heading into the fixture, it could be a good idea to hold off placing a bet. Betting on GAA events is a bit of fun, but why not keep your money in your pocket and enjoy this one as a neutral?
If you are determined to bet on the NFL this weekend, we think taking a gamble on the underdog is worth the risk. This is a fantastic opportunity to go against the bookmakers with much less risk than you would expect. Yes, Derry has the support of the home crowd, but that won’t faze a team as strong as Dublin. You could sign up for an online bookmaker and use the welcome bonus to back the visitors. That way, if our GAA prediction is wrong, you will not lose your deposited funds.
