Tyrone vs Mayo Preview
With the National Football League well and truly underway, fans have the Tyrone vs Mayo fixture to enjoy this Saturday. Mayo has been the team to beat this season, but a full-strength Kerry side handed the champions their first defeat of the new campaign. Tyrone started strongly, but consecutive losses to Derry and Galway left them towards the bottom of the table. This match at Healy Park on February 24, at 5:15 pm, could be vital for both clubs.
After picking up their first defeat of the season, Mayo is no longer the league leader. They are level on points with Kerry after three matches but trail because of point difference. Tyrone is sixth in the Allianz Football League Division One table, level with Monaghan and Dublin. Every Gaelic football season is full of excitement, and this year has been a fantastic watch. If this match lives up to our expectations, then the battle for the NFL title is wide open.
Tyrone vs Mayo Head-To-Head and Key Stats
Tyrone and Mayo have faced off countless times over the years. The most famous recent meeting between these clubs came in the All-Ireland Senior Football Championship Final 2021. Mayo made it to a consecutive All-Ireland Gaelic Football final following the 2020 defeat to Dublin. They were hoping to break their curse of not winning the biggest prize in football since 1951. Unfortunately, Tyrone was the better side, and they won by five points at Croke Park.
For the uninitiated, the curse of Mayo dates to the 1951 victory, the last time Mayo lifted the trophy. The team failed to pay their respects to a funeral on their return journey, so rumour has it that an enraged priest cursed the team. Many believe the only way Mayo would win the title again is after every member of the original side had passed on. The last member of the team passed away shortly after the defeat, so the curse might be lifted. However, this meeting is in the Allianz Football League and should not matter to anyone betting on this GAA match.
The match in 2021 was the first time these two clubs have faced each other in an All-Ireland Final. Mayo missed a huge chance to score 14 minutes into the match thanks to a brilliant goal-line clearance from the Tyrone defenders. 15 minutes later, McCurry is through on goal, but a fantastic stop by the Mayo goalkeeper keeps the Westerners within two points. Right at the start of the second half, the referee gives Mayo a penalty. Ryan O’Donoghue missed the chance to score a goal as his effort hit the outside of the right post. Tyrone immediately punishes wasteful Mayo. McShane flicked a hopeful ball into the box past Hennelly, giving his side a comfortable lead. Darren McCurry finished another brilliant move to score Tyrone’s second goal of the match, and the score finished 2-14 to 0-15.
The most recent match between these clubs came last season, almost a year ago exactly. Mayo hosted Tyrone in the 2023 NFL season at Hastings MacHale Park. The match was incredibly one-sided as Mayo stormed into a ten-point victory. They started on the front foot, capitalising on some poor Tyrone defending. Aidan O’Shea bundled in the first goal, and James Carr cooly swept in the second before halftime. The score was 2-05 to 0-04 at the break, and Mayo was good for their lead. Enda Hession added a third after a sensational solo run, and Diarmuid O’Connor finished things off by walking through the Tyrone defence. This was the first victory against the O’Neill Men on Mayo soil since 1992.
The match last season showed the gulf in quality between the sides. Kevin McStay has changed the county, and they looked unstoppable last campaign. They started this year in the same way, but the defeat last weekend to Kerry is sure to affect the squad. Tyrone might have enjoyed the All-Ireland victory in 2021, but they struggled since then. The Red Hands are edging closer to a relegation battle this season, and Mayo will need to keep winning to maintain pace with Derry and Kerry.
Tyrone vs Mayo Predictions
The last time these GAA clubs met was in round four of the NFL last season, and Mayo were the hosts. This time, if they want to get a result, they are going to have to do it at Healy Park. The online bookmaker sees this fixture as being tight, especially given the history. However, there is a favourite, and it had to be Mayo. Placing a bet on the Westerners this week has odds of 8/11. A €10 wager on the away side will return €17.27, which is a lot more than other matches you will see. Making the same value bet on Tyrone at odds of 6/4 will yield €25.
Predicting a GAA event is never easy, but this fixture is especially difficult. Mayo has been the better side the past season or two, especially after picking up the NFL title for the 13th time last season. However, they suffered a one-point defeat last week to Kerry. Everyone knows what a fantastic side Kerry is but, perhaps Mayo is not as unstoppable as we first thought. We predicted Mayo would be one of the top three sides this season, and they will have to beat Tyrone to keep up with the other clubs going for the title.
If you were going to bet on the NFL this weekend, you need to be wary of Tyrone. Yes, they have not played their best football this season or even last campaign, but they are a bogey side for Mayo. The odds at the betting site show how there is not much between the clubs, and either side could get a result on Saturday. But, out of the two teams, Tyrone needs the win more. The bottom two NFL Division One sides face each other this round, so the Red Hands need to get a result. Otherwise, they could end up in a three-way relegation scrap for the rest of the campaign.
We predict Mayo will win this match by two points or fewer. While they dominated Tyrone this time a year ago, we don’t expect to see the same attacking intent away from home. Tyrone will also make life harder for the visitors with support from the home crowd. A walkover performance does not seem on the cards, and the score is likely to remain close for the entire match. We would bet on there being one goal or fewer in the match. Especially since Tyrone has yet to find the back of the net for this campaign. If the Tyrone defence looks solid, then placing a live bet for both sides not to score a goal seems like a wise move.
Tyrone vs Mayo Betting Tips
Betting on Gaelic events has been incredibly exciting this season. As we enter Round Four of the competition, only one team has an unbeaten record, and one club is yet to win. It might still be early in the campaign, but this is shaping up to be an excellent NFL season. We expect Mayo to bounce back after their defeat away to Kerry, but having consecutive matches on the road is difficult. Tyrone has proven tough to beat in previous seasons. Will they do it again on Saturday?
As we are unsure about which team will be victorious at the end of the match, it’s time to look at the other markets available at Novibet. One of our favourite options when there is a tight game is which team will score first. The odds for Tyrone or Mayo to score are close, but there is a marginal favourite. Mayo has odds of 11/10, and Tyronne would return 5/4. A €25 in these markets will yield €52.50 and €56.25, respectively. Given the performances this season, both teams failing to score also seems like a good option. The odds of a clean sheet is worth 9/2 in this fixture.
We don’t predict either side will run away with the scoring in this match. While Mayo won by ten points at this stage of the competition last season, a lot has changed since they lifted the title. Still, star man Ryan O’Donoghue is bound to be amongst the points in this fixture. We predict he will contribute four or more points against the Red Hands. Whether you make this bet now or wait to place it live will not see the odds change too much. It feels like a rewarding and likely bet.
If you are going to bet on the football this weekend, check out our welcome offer. Any new player at Novibet can enjoy a bonus to help them enjoy the online betting experience. This week, using your bonus on this match feels like a 50-50, which you should not overlook. There are plenty of other fixtures around this weekwith much smaller returns for the favourite. This could be a good fixture for your first bet on an online betting platform.
