Mayo vs Dublin Preview
The National Football League continues this week, and fans are eagerly awaiting the Mayo vs Dublin clash. Dublin struggled at Croke Park last week and faced defeat at the hands of Monaghan. Mayo started the new campaign with a bang, thanks to an impressive win over Galway. This match at MacHale Park on Saturday, February 3, at 7:30 pm, has the makings of a memorable brawl.
This season, Mayo finds themselves at the top of the table ahead of Tyrone, Monaghan, and Derry. Dublin is fifth in Division One, level on point difference with Kerry. We all knew heading into this Allianz Football League that Roinn One was going to be full of drama. However, nobody could have predicted how things would line up after the first game. If this week continues in the same vein as the last, this NFL season is going to be a cracker.
Mayo vs Dublin Head-To-Head and Key Stats
The Mayo vs Dublin rivalry has been a Gaelic Football highlight since the teams first faced off in 1906. Since then, the sides have met 18 times in the All-Ireland Championship, with Dublin proving the more dominant force. The Dubs have beaten Mayo 11 times and only tasted defeat on three occasions. The match has ended in a draw four times, but anything could happen next week.
The last time these clubs met was in the All-Ireland Quarterfinal. Dublin was the worthy winner on the day. Both sides started the match with serious attacking intent. Mayo got the first point of the game, but it didn’t take long for Dublin to equalize. The match continued in this fashion until the 18th minute when Dublin got the first goal. Colm Basquel caught a hopeful long ball inside the 20-meter line before turning the defenders brilliantly. Basquel shrugs off the last man to fire home brilliantly, making the score 1-03 to 0-04.
The rest of the first half saw points and some scrappy defending. With 38 minutes played, the score was 1-07 to 0-08 in favour of Dublin. However, a defensive mistake from Mayo gave Dublin a gift of a second goal, also scored by Basquel. The Dubs read the Mayo defender was trying to let the ball run out of play. Mannion stopped the ball dead, and Costello picked it up and drove at the goalie. He squared it for Basquel, who finished the chance with a simple tap-in. Mayo had the chance to respond with a goal on the 50-minute mark, but McLaughlin missed a sitter by stabbing it into the foot of the post.
The result finished 2-17 to 0-11, and Dublin had yet another win in this contest. Mayo missed a golden chance to get back in the game, and you can’t afford to miss opportunities against the Dubs, even in their rare off days. Although there was plenty of time for a comeback, Dublin flexed their muscles and edged further and further away until the final whistle.
Dublin’s most recent match was a surprise defeat to Monaghan at Croke Park. The score finished 1-14 to 3-09, and the Farney Army picked up an unlikely win by one point. Dublin started on top and scored the first in the fourth minute. Cormac Costello picked up the ball from a fast counterattack around the 13-meter line and finished the chance brilliantly. A few minutes later, the Dubs nearly scored again with another exceptional counterattack. The way they moved the ball up the park was far too hot for Monaghan to handle, but Colm Reape pulled off a fantastic save.
Monaghan was not fazed by Dublin’s attacking prowess, and a penalty by Jack McCarron got the away side back into the game. The score was 1-05 to 1-02 early in the match, but a brilliant Monaghan move caught Dublin napping. Stephen O’Hanlon fired a fantastic shot into the top right corner of the net. With both teams trading points, Ciaran McNulty came off the bench to finish a tidy chance under the Dublin goalkeeper, putting the score 1-10 to 3-06. Dublin fought back to level the game and was pressing for the winner. However, Monaghan seized upon a rare mistake from one of the best GAA footballers of all time, Brain Fenton. McNulty secured the winning point four minutes into stoppage time.
Mayo got their NFL campaign off to a winning start by defeating Galway 0-10 to 2-12. At a rainy Pearse Stadium, Mayo got the first point. The Tribesmen fought back, but a brilliant strike from Eoghan McLaughlin gave the visitors the advantage. Despite some spirited points from Galway, they could not level things up. Mayo continued to dominate in the second half, even with both sides trading points. A penalty scored by Cillian O’Connor in additional time was enough to secure the win.
Mayo vs Dublin Predictions
Betting on GAA events is never easy, especially after the results from last week. In case you missed it, Dublin suffered their first defeat of the season against Monaghan with a point late in the match. Mayo got a fantastic result on the road, comfortably beating Galway. This week, the online bookmakers do not have a clear favourite. The odds for the home side to win are even. This means if you bet €10 on Mayo to win, it will return €10 in profit. The odds for Dublin are 11/10, yielding €21 if they win this weekend.
If you did not bet on the NFL last week, this is a tough game to jump into. Not only do the bookmakers see this as a tight match, but we predict a close and cagey game. Our prediction for the Mayo vs Dublin match is for Dublin to win on Saturday. Yes, they started the season with an unlikely defeat, but it would be a genuine surprise if they went without a victory in back-to-back games. Mayo is playing well so far this season, but they have struggled historically against the Dubs. They will need a monumental performance to remain undefeated.
While the odds are tight, betting on Dublin is probably the safer bet. On paper, they have an incredibly strong team and should be able to get the result even when on the road. However, Dublin didn’t measure up last week. An uncharacteristic mistake from Brian Fenton was enough to give Monaghan the win last weekend, but it would be crazy to bet on something like that happening again. While there were clear signs Dublin was far from their best in the last match, we predict they will only get stronger as the season progresses.
If you are going to bet on the home side, it could be worth waiting until the match kicks off. Last weekend, Dublin started on the front foot and scored within five minutes. If you place a live bet on Mayo to turn the result around, you could receive significantly more rewarding odds than placing the wager in advance. Plus, the joy of live betting is that you can change your mind and wager as the game progresses.
Mayo vs Dublin Betting Tips
NFL betting has already proven tricky this season, and we are only in week two. Division One is full of top teams, which means unexpected results are bound to happen, even in games with a clear favourite. That is the sentiment to remember when betting on the GAA this weekend. We expect Dublin to bounce back, but there is no way of knowing how the game will go and if the weather will play its part.
If you look at the markets available at the online betting sites, it’s tight across the board. Usually, handicap wagers can offer better returns as a team will have to overcome a point deficit to win the bet. This week, Mayo has a handicap of -1 and odds of 11/8. That will return €23.75 from a ten-euro wager, which is a higher margin of profit compared to an outright bet. However, if you want greater returns, consider other options.
Last week, Dublin scored the first goal but conceded three times. Mayo did not concede any goals and scored twice in a 0-10 to 2-12 victory. Betting on a club to score first could be a good wager this weekend, as both sides have looked sharp. Once again, the odds are tight for either side, but it could be profitable, especially if Dublin strikes early. Alternatively, you can also wager on both teams failing to find the back of the net. This has the superior odds, but it also feels unlikely given how each club has started the campaign.
If you chose not to bet last weekend, you can sign up for an online bookmaker and claim a welcome bonus to use this week. The bonuses out there allow you to bet on GAA events without risking your cash. This is a tricky fixture to get right, so being able to reduce the risk of losing money is a brilliant idea. However, if you can’t agree on a bet for Mayo vs Dublin, then hold your horses. There are dozens of GAA matches this weekend that could prove to be more profitable.
