Monaghan vs Kerry Preview
The Allianz National Football League continues after some unexpected results in week one. This Sunday, February 4, at 1:00 pm, we have Monaghan vs Kerry. Both teams had an unusual start to the NFL last weekend. Kerry suffered a surprise home defeat to Derry and Monaghan beat Dublin on the road. It might only be round two, but you can tell we are in for an exciting season of Gaelic Football.
Kerry has been in Division One since 2003, making them the team with the most consecutive years at the top of the NFL. They are also the most successful team of all time, with 23 titles in the competition’s history. Monaghan has been in the first division since 2015, but they have only picked up the title on one occasion. Last season, Kerry finished fifth, and Monaghan came sixth in the group stage. Both are seeking to improve on their previous result.
Monaghan vs Kerry Head-To-Head and Key Stats
Kerry faced Monaghan at this stage of the competition last season and came out as worthy winners. Traditionally, Kerry has enjoyed the spoils in this fixture, but Monaghan has got a result or two over the years. It’s fair to say that entering this contest, both sides will fancy their chances of winning. However, after the performances last week, the momentum will be with Monaghan.
When the GAA clubs met at this stage last season, both were winless after the first match. Surprisingly, Kerry and Monaghan lost to the relegated sides of Armagh and Donegal. Monaghan faced defeat at home to Armagh by two points, and Kerry failed on the road to Donegal by one point. When Kerry welcomed Monaghan in the first week of February, they won by 11 points at the final whistle. The score finished 3-16 to 0-14 with goals from Darragh Roche, Donal O’Sullivan, and Paudie Clifford.
Besides the group stage meeting last year, the two sides have not faced off in a championship game for a while. Looking at last year’s All-Ireland Senior Football Championship, both Kerry and Monaghan made it to the semi-finals. Monaghan squeezed through after beating Armagh 8-9 on penalties. Kerry beat Tyrone in the quarters comfortably and Derry in the semi-final. However, Monaghan fell short against Dublin 1-17 to 0-13. The Dubs beat Kerry in the final, even though David Clifford was the Player of the Year for a consecutive season.
This year, there is a lot to love about Monaghan. The Farney Men came from behind to beat a strong Dublin side by 1-14 to 3-09. Dublin started on the front foot, scoring inside five minutes with a wonderfully worked goal by Cormac Costello. The home side should have doubled their advantage, but a fantastic save by Colm Reape kept Monaghan in the game. A penalty neatly converted by Jack McCarron made the match a three-point game. Monaghan then turned on the style and caught Dublin asleep at the back. A shot from Stephen O’Hanlon went right into the top corner, giving the away side a boost.
Substitute Ciaran McNulty had a tremendous impact on the game, scoring one goal and the game-winning point right at the death. His goal was another tremendous move, finished tidily towards the near post. Plus, the game-winning point came when Dublin had levelled the match and chased the winner in stoppage time. Pressure on Brian Fenton caused a late breakaway, and McNulty made no mistake, giving Monaghan their first win of the season.
When Kerry played Derry last week, there were high hopes of a powerful performance against the newly promoted side. However, without the prowess of the Clifford brothers, they fell short. Kerry started with control of the ball, but Derry proved lethal scoring with almost every chance they got. At half-time, Kerry was behind by four points, the score was 0-04 to 0-08.
The second half started with a couple of points, but Kerry missed a big chance to score a goal. Odhran Lynch pulled off a fantastic save to keep out Jason Foley. However, the goalkeeper played his part in giving Kerry a golden chance. Lynch ran with the ball and tried to play it to Brendan Rogers, who could not gather it. Kerry pounced on the opportunity, and Conor Geaney cooly fired it into an empty net.
With the score 1-07 to 0-13, Kerry sent a long ball to Graham O’Sullivan. He duped the defender and passed to Dylan Casey, who made no mistake finding the back of the net. Kerry levelled the game right near the end, 2-08 to 0-14. However, a close-range free in the last minute of additional time was enough to give Derry the win, ending Kerry’s hopes for a comeback.
Monaghan vs Kerry Predictions
It’s only the second round of the Allianz Football League, and we have already seen a mix of results. Kerry has started the campaign with a surprise defeat, but could that be the only one they face this season? Monaghan was fantastic against Dublin, but do they have the personnel to mount a serious charge for the top spots in Division One? The online bookmakers have assigned Kerry as the clear favourite this week. Even after their defeat at home and playing on the road this weekend, the odds of Kerry winning are 9/4. That will give you €14.44 if you wager €10 on this market. Betting on Monaghan will yield €32.50 from the same value bet.
Our prediction this week is for Kerry to win by five points or fewer. While we loved the strong and positive performance of Monaghan last week, we expect Kerry to bounce back strongly. They have the players needed to get a result anywhere this season, so playing away from home does not seem to matter as much. The Monaghan fans will back their team, especially after last weekend’s display. However, it will require another slice of luck to get all two points this Sunday. Especially after they capitalised on a rare mistake from Brian Fenton to bag the points against Dublin.
The #AllianzLeagues are back with a bang! Check out the Division 1 Football standings after an action-packed Week 1. Who's leading the charge, and who's ready to make a comeback? pic.twitter.com/cN0S8Dk2kp
— The GAA (@officialgaa) January 29, 2024
Betting on Gaelic football this week should be a little more straightforward. The first game of the season is always full of upsets, but we predict clubs like Kerry will win games. There were positive signs against Derry, even though they lost the match. They had plenty of the ball, fought back well, and could have finished with a draw. We expect the green and gold to come out strong this weekend and flex their muscles to control a GAA match.
There are several exciting matches to consider if you are going to bet on the NFL Round Two fixtures. This one feels like it’s going to be a victory for the visitors, but don’t underestimate Monaghan. They are capable of counterattacking and finding the back of the net. Betting on either side to fire in a goal seems like a smart move in our books. Especially if you are looking at live betting on this fixture. If Kerry comes out strong, who knows how many points they could get inside 70 minutes?
Monaghan vs Kerry Betting Tips
Betting on the NFL has been exciting, and we are only one week into the season. While last weekend saw a few unexpected results, this is the point where the good teams stand out. If Kerry loses again, they are facing another campaign towards the bottom of Division One. If Monaghan can get the result, it would be monumental, as nobody would have seen that coming.
To avoid being stung by another upset, you can examine markets that do not rely on the full-time result. We predicted both sides will score goals this weekend. A wager that could prove profitable is deciding which team will score first. The odds are similar for both teams, but the edge is with the away side. Kerry to score the first goal has even odds. That means betting ten euros will give you $20, including your stake back. Monaghan has odds of 5/4, which will return over double your investment.
Another option to consider when betting on GAA matches is the winning margin. We predict Kerry will win this match by around five points. Choosing Kerry to lead by four to six points at the final whistle has fantastic returns. The odds are 4/1, which turns your €20 wager into €100. If you think the home team has got a chance, you can investigate their winning margins. Betting on Monaghan to win by one to three points also has odds of 4/1.
If you have not decided on an online betting platform to join, then you are in luck. Signing up for any major bookmaker will give you a welcome offer to start with. This provides you the opportunity to bet on an event without risking your deposited funds. You can place a safe bet or risk it all on the underdog. Whether you win or lose, your cash is safe. Remember, there is a long season ahead. So don’t get carried away by placing wagers. Pace yourself and set weekly limits to control your betting activity.
