Derry vs Kildare Preview
Hurling fans have an exciting weekend ahead. Derry will play Kildare in the Christy Ring Cup Final on Sunday, June 2nd at 2:15 pm. The match will take place at Croke Park. The winner knows they will play in the Joe McDonagh Cup next season.
Derry smashed past Sligo in the previous round. Meanwhile, Kildare enjoyed a hard-fought win against the Exiles. The Christy Ring Cup is an exciting competition and always sees plenty of action.
Kildare are firm favourites to win this hurling game against the Oak Leaf County. They have a strong tradition in the Christy Ring Cup and will have the advantage. However, Derry will fancy their chances against the Lilywhites.
Derry vs Kildare Key Stats and Head-to-Head
Derry hopes to claim their first Christy Ring Cup title with a win over Kildare this weekend. This is the third final in three seasons for the Oak Leaf County, but they’ve never won this competition. However, they enjoyed league success earlier this year.
Meanwhile, Kildare enters this cup final full of confidence because they’ve already beaten Derry in April. They will believe they have enough to make it two from two and claim their fifth Christy Ring Cup. No team has won this competition more often than the Lilywhites.
In the previous meeting, Kildare defeated Derry 2-19 to 0-18. This was a hard-fought game at Manguard Park, with both teams putting their unbeaten records on the line. Jack Sheridan’s goals were the difference between the sides. He scored one in each half as Kildare’s firepower was too much for Oak Leaf County.
However, the blustery conditions made this a tough afternoon for both teams. They hit eight wides each in the first half as they struggled against the wind. Cormac O’Doherty kept Derry in touch with his four second-half frees. Ruairí Ó Mianáin was lively up front as he added a brace of points.
Ultimately, the Lilywhites proved too clinical for Derry. It was a brave effort by the Oak Leaf County, but they came up short. Kildare has a strong recent record against Derry and beat them 2-23 to 0-19 in Division 2A in 2023.
Kildare enters this game with a victory over London. The Exiles gave a brave account of themselves as they came up short. Kildare won 2-20 to 3-14 as London pushed them. The Exiles took an early 1-6 to 0-8 point lead after Jack Goulding’s goal.
However, the Lilywhites fought back to lead by seven points at the break. London was clinical but hit too many potential points wide. James Dolan and David Qualter scored the crucial goals for Kildare, giving them the edge. Jack Sheridan suffered a costly second yellow card, but it was too late for a London comeback.
Derry reached the final after they defeated Sligo. They won 4-30 to 0-19 at Markievicz Park. Johnny McGarvey’s men put on a clinic with Ruairí Ó Mianáin and John Mullan, scoring two goals. It’s been a poor year for Yeats County who suffered relegation.
The Oak Leaf County proved their firepower and youthful exuberance against Sligo. However, Eoghan Rua McGowan’s red card killed this game as a contest and Derry ran away with the victory. Kildare will offer a grittier test. Most analysts think they shouldn’t be playing at this level and belong in the Joe McDonagh Cup.
James Burke and Jack Sheridan are Kildare’s two standout players. They could compete for a starting spot on any team in the country. These forwards are prolific, with several goals and points in each of their games in this campaign. Sheridan was clinical against Derry in their last clash and could hurt them again.
https://twitter.com/officialgaa/status/1795771930278252763
One of the most exciting aspects of this Derry team is that they’re spreading scores across the field. Ruairí Ó Mianáin has been phenomenal this year for Oak Leaf County. Meanwhile, Dara Mooney and John Mullan have added goals and points. Mullan’s threat from centre-back is a key weapon for his county.
This is crucial for Derry because they previously had an overdependence on Cormac O’Doherty. There’s no denying that he remains their standout player. However, there’s less pressure on him to produce moments of magic in every game because their overall panel is stronger.
The big question is whether it will be good enough to beat Kildare. The Lilywhites have the experience and the nous to beat this Derry team. However, Oak Leaf County is determined to leave Croke Park with that elusive trophy.
Derry vs Kildare Predictions
Correct Score Prediction: Derry 1-18 Kildare 2-20
We predict Kildare will defeat Derry in this hurling match. Kildare’s experience and deeper roster give them the advantage against the Oak Leaf County. They’ve also beaten Derry already this season and will be confident of doing it again.
The return of James Burke is a massive boost for Kildare. He missed the London game as he recovered from a hamstring injury. The coaching staff didn’t want to risk him against the Exiles. He will provide a dangerous goal threat alongside Jack Sheridan. These men are two of the most dynamic attackers in Leinster. They will provide a stern test for Derry’s defence.
If Derry hopes to produce an upset, they’ll need their forwards to be on fire. We’ve raved about Ó Mianáin already, but there’s no overstating how important the Slaughtneil star is to their prospects. However, there’s the chance that this is a season too early for Derry.
They came up short against Meath in last year’s final, losing by two points. The signs suggest they could suffer similar heartbreak against the Lilywhites. Our GAA prediction leans towards Kildare’s maturity being decisive because they have some outstanding leaders.
We caught up with Kildare Senior Hurling Captain Paddy McKenna after they secured their spot in the 2024 Christy Ring Cup Final. pic.twitter.com/s9VWkqzpTD
— Kildare GAA (@KildareGAA) May 20, 2024
Brian Dowling’s team also has some excellent young talents like Cian Boran. He played brilliantly against London on a challenging day for the county. This result could have gone the other way if Kildare didn’t keep their heads.
Live betting is a great option for this game. Derry’s young stars have the potential to cause an early shock and take a lead against Kildare. If they do, the odds will shift and it may be worth betting on Kildare to win the second half. This promises to be an exciting game of hurling at GAA HQ.
Kildare vs Derry Betting Picks
Kildare is the favourite to win this game on our betting site. The Lilywhites have enjoyed a strong Christy Ring Cup campaign and defeated Derry this season. Kildare is available at 2/7 to win this game outright. This means that a €10 stake could make a €2.86 profit. However, these aren’t the most favourable odds because this could be a competitive game. Kildare are justifiable favourites but Derry is a close underdog.
The same stake could see returns of €40 at 3/1. This is a good option because Derry has made multiple finals over the past few years. They’re also one of the highest-scoring teams in the competition with their forwards impressing.
Betting on hurling is exciting because there are so many scores. It’s always fun to watch competitive games because there’s end-to-end action. One great prop bet could be to place a stake on one team taking a seven-point lead at any stage. It’s 1/4 for Kildare to achieve this feat against Oak Leaf County. A €20 bet could make a €5 profit. Meanwhile, a €10 stake in Derry could net €27.50 at 11/4. While the latter may be unlikely, it is an option given their firepower.
Why not bet on the game’s highest scorer? Kildare’s lively duo of James Burke and Jack Sheridan have the potential to wreak havoc on this Derry defence. Ruairí Ó Mianáin has had an effective season for Derry, while Cormac O’Doherty is always dangerous. There will also be higher odds if you think this game won’t have any goals.
Another good market is choosing the winner of each half. Kildare are the favourites, but it may be worth picking Derry to bring a lead into the break. Don’t forget to take advantage of the welcome bonus. Use this across a range of markets and sports after registering a new account online. These include hurling wagers and betting on Gaelic football.
Why not bet on the winner of the All-Ireland Senior Championship? Limerick is the current favourite to lift the Liam McCarthy Cup at the end of the season.
