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Five steps to heaven: because we just don't know when to stop trying
LAST WEEK WAS another glorious week of failure for Five Steps to Heaven as we failed to make a single correct prediction with our five tips.
God loves a trier though, so here are this week’s five. I’ll be amazed if at least some of these aren’t right …
1. On the face of things, Ulster’s Magners League tie against Aironi tonight at Ravenhill should be a relatively straightforward affair.
However, the bookies have set the handicap margin at a rather high mark of 25 points. The Italians have only been beaten by that margin on four occasions so far this season and not since early November. Our rudimentary statistical analysis has led us to go for Aironi (+25) at odds of 10/11.
2. Now that we have suitably calmed down following Ireland’s win in the cricket on Wednesday, it’s time to face the rather more sobering prospect of a game against India on Sunday morning.
We’re not going to do anything crazy like tip Ireland to win (not publicly anyway). We do expect Kevin O’Brien to continue with his recent good form however, and so we’ll include him at odds of 9/2 to be Ireland’s top runscorer on Sunday.
3. After a rest week last weekend, the National Hurling League is back again. The pick of the fixtures is a repeat of last year’s Division One final when Galway travel to Páirc Uí Chaoimh to take on Cork.
We’ve been mightily impressed with the Tribesmen’s performances against Wexford and Offaly in their opening two games so, despite the fact that they’re on the road, we’re going for a Galway win at 11/8.
4. One of the fiercest rivalries in English football resumes again on Sunday as Manchester United travel to Anfield to take on Kenny Dalglish’s Liverpool.
Liverpool might be struggling a bit this season, but United haven’t beaten them in Anfield since December 2007 and TheScore.ie‘s resident Liverpool fan has a hunch that streak might continue.
Call it wishful thinking, but we’re going for Liverpool to beat United 2-0 at 12/1.
5. It’s very early days over in Florida, and if the weather continues to play havoc, absolutely anyone could win the Honda Classic.
The class act in the field though is world number two Lee Westwood. He’s only three shots off the pace after the opening day of play, so he’s definitely in with a shout at odds of 8/1.
Stake: €10
Potential Returns: €29,176.88
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Aironi Cricket World Cup Five Steps to Heaven Flutter Foresight Honda Classic India Ireland Lee Westwood Magners League National Hurling League Ravenhill Liverpool Manchester United Ulster