SEVERAL WEEKS LATER and we are back where we started. Exactly €100 of The Score’s precious budget still in the account and not a cent in profit or so says the editor.
But me, I’m a positive type of guy and tell him there’s not a cent of lost money either and look at the fun we’ve had along the way. And it’s been free. Some say it’s a mug’s game, I say it’s recession-busting entertainment. Now for some more, which is badly needed on the sleepiest Sunday of football so far this season!
Bet One: €15 on Down (-2) to beat Monaghan at 11/10
One got lucky against Antrim last day out. The other crushed Fermanagh even when the opposition parked the tractor. One was relegated from Division Two. The other made the knock-out stages of Division One. One is hugely reliant on the midfield dominance of Dick Clerkin and Owen Lennon. The other has the best midfield in Ulster with the power of Kalum King and the mobility of Ambrose Rogers. One needs a big game from Paul Finlay to win big games. The other has a hugely talented half-forward line of Daniel Hughes, Mark Poland and Aidan Carr to share the burden, not to mention the movement and distribution of Conor Laverty who has excelled in the absence of Benny Coulter. One is fighting against the dying of the light. The other believes that with confidence in their step 2011 was the exception, 2010 was the rule. The handicap is hugely generous.
Bet Two: €5 on Mayo at (-11) to beat Leitrim at 11/10
The stake suggests we aren’t overly confident but if we were to drop on either side of the handicap it would be in Mayo’s favour. They are of course the last team out in the football championship but there’ll have been a whole lot of hurt and frustration building up across the break after their league final defeat. Last week Kildare showed what future Division One teams can do to future Division Four teams based crucially on size and we expect that in a game between sides already inhabiting those divisions. Mayo are hugely physical and that will tire Leitrim as they try to make and break tackles so after a closely contested first 15, expect the gap to widen from then on in. This is Castlebar rather than Carrick, a venue where the minnows tend to at least be competitive. On top of that Leitrim can’t score a lot which brings us nicely to our final bet of the day.
Bet Two: €5 on Leitrim to score under 10.5 at 4/7
A punt at best but even though Emlyn Mulligan is a really good free-taker who is back on form after an horrific couple of seasons with injury and even though James Glancy can cause problems closer to goal, Leitrim have been so limited going forward. Against Limerick, Fermanagh and Clare during the league they failed to reach double figures, against Roscommon in last year’s championship they reached just six points while against London they struggled to 12. They’ll have faced nothing like this and if the weather remains bad it’ll just make it an even harder ask.
Left in the bank: €75
