Month: July 2018

Only one place to start this week and that’s the two All Ireland semi finals in Croker this weekend!!!  Saturday sees the clash of Galway(4/11) v Clare (3/1) and Sunday – Cork (10/11) take on Limerick(11/10). Let’s start off with the clash on Saturday, in fairness, I have been going against the banner all year and in my eyes they are way over achieving by getting this far but fair play to them. The only way I can see them being competitive this week is to run at the Galway defence as I think there are serious deficiencies in both corner backs, but that’s where Galway’s weakness finishes. At this moment they are the best in the land and for them not to succeed this year they will have to seriously put in a very poor performance.

Sunday’s clash has the makings of a cracker!! I have been a big fan of the rebels for a while and at the start of the championship i tipped a Galway/Cork final. The bookies have them very close so all three results come into play in this clash. As a Limerick fan you can only be delighted the way the team are playing this year. Again, I’m going to name Peter Casey who was superb coming off the bench last time and if Limerick are going to make the final this boy might need a bit more game time. It’s great to see the Limerick bench so strong at the moment and let’s hope the boys in green can step up again on Sunday.

On the Domestic soccer front Dundalk take on AEK Larnaca on Thursday evening. Let’s hope Stephan Kenny and the boys get a positive result going into the second leg. Limerick have a lots of problems on and off the pitch but let’s hope they get a fair crowd on Friday night at the markets field for the clash against Waterford.

Good to see friend of the blog Frankie Molinari winning the British Open last week!

Back to the bread and butter of the tour this week. In Europe the tour heads to Germany for the European Open where Patrick Reed is back to defend his crown, he heads the betting @ 9/1 followed by Casey, DeChambeau and Perez. Yes it is a European tour event but with four full time PGA tour players heading the betting. Yusaku Miazayto @ 80/1 a solid performance again last week, still value in this fellows price.

The PGA tour heads to Canada this week where Dustin Johnson heads the market @ 6/1 followed by Brooks Koepka @ 12/1. If any of these two are in the mood one of them could run away with it.. Bubba Watson @ 20/1 and our own Seamus Power @125/1 the ones that catch the eye. Power tied tenth in this last year and playing well at the moment, has an early tee time Thursday morning which is a good thing and if the big guns fail to fire Seamus could well go close to gaining his maiden title.

Next week sees the start of the Galway racing festival, so a daily racing blog will be available on site with tips to hopefully pay for the All Ireland tickets !!

Bets:

Yusaku Miaziyato @ 80/1 ew ( European Open)

Seamus Power @ 125/1 ew (Canadian Open)

P/L: Horse + €84.  Sports + €34. Both to €10 level staking plan.

The British Open takes centre stage on the sporting calendar this week. The draw and the weather always play a big part so keep an eye out on that. It’s dry most of the week apart from rain forecast on Friday morning up to around lunchtime. Dustin Johnson heads the market this week @ 12/1 followed by Justin, Rickie, Rory and Rahm. Last year’s winner Jordan Speith is no way near the top of his game so looks unlikely to defend his title even though our man Paddy Harrington was the last winner of the claret jug in Carnoustie. This tournament is always an in play event and there will be value during it. Saying that our main pick is going to be the Spaniard Jon Rahm @ 22/1. Jon made a big effort on the last day of the Irish Open to defend his crown and resting up last week should see him primed for his first major victory.

Last week’s blog you were advised the world cup winners @ 2/1 and just a quick word on our 250/1 selection in the Scottish Open, Miyazato was 5 under after 6 holes but hitting the ball out of the rough on the eight felt a twinge and pulled out after the first round, not one to give up on yet. Nicks Lost was advised on the Facebook page Friday night @ 11/8 and winning comfortably at Evens. Best of luck to the league of Ireland clubs playing their second legs this week.

Please keep an eye out on Twitter and Facebook for updates as it pays to have your finger on the pulse. Membership still open to the Racing Club and good to see a few euros coming in. Keep it coming.

Bets:

Jon Rahm @ 22/1 ew (British Open) Ladbrokes going 25/1 they might lay you €1 ew!!!

P/L  Sports  + €44.  Horses  + €94 both to €10 level stake.

Busy week ahead on the sport betting front, so we will get stuck into the two world cup semi finals straight away. Tonight sees France take on Belgium, two of the three teams I selected at the start of the world cup that could win it along with the Spanish. Belgium put in a good team performance to overcome Brazil but I think the French are motoring well and will get the better of Belgium tonight and go on to lift the trophy. England take on Croatia in the other semi and this is very hard to call. With the Croats having gone all the way to penalties in their last two ties, fatigue must be a factor. A major plus for them is the form of Modric, Rebic and Rakitic and these three alone will cause the English middle lots of headaches. In summary, France and Croatia to contest the final Sunday with the French claiming the title with an Antoine Griezmann brace.

The hurling quarter finals take place over the weekend with Clare @ 2/5 taking on Wexford @ 9/4. Lets keep this simple… Clare’s season was over when losing the Munster final to Cork and @ 2/5 are the worse price I have ever seen about a hurling team in recent times. Limerick take on Kilkenny in SempleStadium on Sunday and the bookies can’t separate these two with evens your choice. The signs are just pointing towards the Shannon siders with Kilkenny coming off two tough weeks against the strongest team in the country at the moment. So we will travel to Thurles on Sunday with some optimism hoping that Limerick pick the right team but I have my doubts..

With only just over a week till the start of the British Open the Scottish Open sees eighteen PGA tour regulars heading across the pond to play this week. Rose and Fowler head the betting this week. Going to throw a big price bomb at you Yusaku Miyazato @ 250/1. This guy is playing some of his best golf at the age of 38 and if he can’t get his head across the line soon, still a great each way price.

The John Deere classic takes place this week in the US and no Jordan Speith in the field.. Molinari and DeChambeau head the betting and it will be no surprise to see these two fight this out but again we look down the field for a bit of value and Nick Watney @ 100/1 is the one who could hit the frame.

Please keep an eye out on the social media platforms of Twitter and Facebook for updates and more tips. Membership to the racing club always open, please check out the website for details.

Bets:

France to win World Cup @ 2/1.

Wexford to beat Clare @ 9/4.

Yasaku Miyazato @ 250/1 ew (Scottish Open)

Nick Watney @ 100/1 ew (John Deere Classic)

P/L Sports + €54.  Horses + €81 both to a €10 level stake.

 

Don’t do this often but going to give myself a mention on the tipping. Our golfers did not make the frame last week but Francesco Molinari was tipped up @ 9/2 on the social media outlets after two rounds in the Quicken Loans and went on to win by eight shots. Uruguay beat Portugal and Dundalk came out on top against Cork. Finally the Cork hurlers did the job against Clare! that’s all in the past now so onto this week.

The Hurling has the two prelim games between Carlow & Limerick and Westmeath v Wexford, could one of these be sticky for the big boys!! The Leinster Hurling final reply is a unique one. Sunday sees the game on in Munster between a Leinster and a Connacht team, I think Galway will come out on top this time as Kilkenny played to their best last week, while Galway still on the upgrade.

The World Cup has been excellent in my eyes with some great games to keep us entertained! Have to feel a bit sorry for Japan last night but saying that the clash between Brazil and Belgium Friday night looks interesting. As I have been saying on social media, I think Brazil need to break the midfield partnership of Paulinho and Casemiro, which will happen now as Casemiro suspended but also, Jesus up front is not the answer and if Marcello comes back in at left full they are vulnerable. Saying that Belguim need to play better as a team or they will be heading the same way as Spain – Home. France and Uruguay is a game I’m really looking forward to seeing, with Griezmann clashing with his two Atletico Madrid buddies Godin and Jimenez.

The Irish open takes place this week in Inishowen Co Donegal on the Ballyliffin golf links. It will be interesting to see the lay out of the course and how it plays with the hard and fast conditions. Rory heads the betting @ 7/1 just over last years winner Jon Rahm @ 15/2. Two catch my eye this week, Thomas Pieters @ 40/1 a winner waiting to happen and our own Paul Dunne @ 33/1. The PGA tour hosts the Greenbrier classic where Tony Finau heads the betting @ 14/1 over Bubba @ 16/1. If Watson is in the mood 16/1 is a very fair price as his game is top notch at the moment. Brian Harman @ 33/1 will be our selection.

Please keep an eye out on the Twitter and Facebook pages as tips will appear!!  Bellewstown starts tomorrow so we might get a selection or two for the hill of crockafotha!!

Bets: Paul Dunne @ 33/1 ew (Irish Open)

Thomas Pieters @ 40/1 ew (Irish Open)

Brian Harman @ 33/1 ew (Greenbrier Classsic)

P/L: Horses + €81.  Sports + €84 both to €10 level stake.