Dublin prepare to maintain their 100% start to the Allianz National Football League with the visit of Mayo on Saturday in a busy weekend of fixtures.
Bet on GAA with Ladbrokes and get a free €50 bet
Jim Gavin’s Dublin charges are installed as the 7/4 favourites to lift the NFL trophy this season with
Ladbrokes and bridge a 20-year gap since their last success back in 1993. In form Tyrone are next best at 9/2 with All-Ireland champions Donegal priced at 11/2 to add the title to their resume in April.
Kildare join Dublin and Tyrone at the summit of the NFL Division one with two wins from two and Kieran McGeeney’s charges are 6/1 for the title followed by last year’s finalists Mayo at 13/2.
At the opposite end of the table, winless Cork are 7/1 to win a fourth successive title with rivals Kerry lengthened to 10/1 and Down, also seeking their opening points, are 100/1 outsiders for glory.
The 2011 All-Ireland winner and eight-time Leinster title winner, Cahill, has brought the curtain down on his Dublin career after 11 years. The 31-year-old versatile player made his debut for the Metropolitans back in 2001 and played at centre-forward in the side that defeated Kerry to lift the Sam Maguire Cup in 2011.
Cahill, who won an All Star in 2007, will continue to play for his club St Brigid’s whom he helped win the Dublin Football Championship in 2011.
Dublin lead the NFL Division One table after convincing wins over Cork and Kerry. The Blues demolished reigning champions Cork on the opening weekend of the campaign with a 1-18 to 2-09 win and recorded a fabulous 1-11 to 0-4 last time out on February 10 in Killarney.
They host James Horan’s Mayo charges at Croke Park on Saturday night and are 4/7 to continue their winning ways with Mayo priced at 7/4 and the draw pays out at 15/2.
Donegal coach Jim McGuinness expects to have Frank McGlynn and Paddy McGrath available to bolster his defence on Sunday afternoon as Donegal travel to Omagh for the clash with neighbours Tyrone, while forward Colm McFadden has resumed training following a hamstring injury.
After the four-point defeat against Kildare, McGuinness’ charges disposed of Down with a 0-12 to 0-7 win at home on February 9 and they will aim to push for a top four finish and a place in the NFL semi-finals.
Donegal are 5/4 with
Ladbrokes to get the result in Omagh over a Tyrone side who recorded wins on the road over Down and Mayo. The Red Hands are 4/5 to win with the draw on offer at 15/2 at Healy Park.
Elsewhere, southern powerhouses Cork and Kerry are lingering at the wrong end of the standings after two defeats each and they will desperately look to get their opening points this weekend.
Conor Counihan’s Rebels lost to Dublin on the opening weekend before losing to Kildare by four points at home and will travel to Newry to face Down on Sunday. The Rebels are 4/9 to get the win with the Mournemen priced at 9/4 and the draw is a 15/2 chance.
Kerry, under new boss Eamonn Fitzmaurice, travel to Kildare on Sunday having suffered heavy defeats away to Mayo and at home to Dublin . The Kingdom are 11/10 to get the result in Newbridge with McGeeney’s Lilywhites priced at 10/11 with
Ladbrokes to make it three wins on the bounce and the draw pays out at 15/2.
