Kerry vs Derry Preview
The All-Ireland Football Championship quarterfinals will take place this weekend. Kerry will play Derry at Croke Park on Sunday, June 30th. It’s an exciting clash between two of the nation’s best GAA teams.
This is a repeat of 2023’s All-Ireland semifinal and promises to be one of the most thrilling games of the season. Both teams have flaws but are also capable of moments of magic. It’s a tough one to call because they both have brilliant players.
Kerry is the favourite in this game, but Derry is the NFL winner this season. Don’t take your eyes off this match because it has the potential to be a classic.
Kerry vs Derry Key Stats and Head-to-Head
Many GAA pundits expected these teams to be here at the business end of the season. They have played each other many times, but this is the closest the sides have looked for a long while. Plus, it’s been a curious journey for both teams up to this point.
Kerry won the Munster Championship as everybody expected. However, they faced a stern test at the hands of Cork. Jack O’Connor’s men cruised through the All-Ireland group stage with relative ease as they beat the likes of Meath and Monaghan.
Derry’s Sam Maguire quest has been a tumultuous affair. They were the favourites for the Ulster title but suffered a harrowing defeat to Donegal in the semifinal. Then they had a brief championship meltdown with losses to Galway and Armagh. They scraped into a preliminary quarterfinal against Mayo after they narrowly beat Westmeath.
Mickey Harte has endured significant criticism this season for his tactics and his insistence on pushing his goalkeeper forward to create a high line. Somehow they stunned Mayo in Castlebar to end the Westerners’ 53-year All-Ireland dream.
This was an unbelievable victory for Derry, as they kept fighting. Mayo led by a single point at the end of normal time before Chrissy McKaigue’s late leveller. Derry took a three-point lead before Mayo returned fire and sent the game to penalties.
Substitute Paul Towey agonisingly missed his spot-kick. Odhran Lynch then saved from Ryan O’Donoghue. Ultimately, Conor Doherty was the hero as he scored the winner for Derry. The game finished 1-12 to 0-15, and the Westerners wondered how they lost.
Derry and Kerry faced each other back in January when they met in the league. The Oak Leaf County won this game by a single point in Tralee. Shane McGuigan scored the winning point at Austin Stack Park. This was an entertaining game despite the reality that both teams were missing several of their key stars.
Mickey Harte’s men led by five points after 25 minutes, but Kerry cut the deficit. Conor Glass and Brendan Rogers dominated the midfield for the Oak Leaf County. Harte will hope they do the same on the Championship stage. Derry won 0-15 to 2-8 as they outpointed the Kingdom. McGuigan was on fire in this clash with seven scores. Sean O’Shea was Kerry’s top scorer with five points.
They’ve met at the business end of the championship recently too. Last season Kerry and Derry played each other in the All-Ireland Football Championship semifinal. This time Kerry emerged victorious as they booked their spot against Dublin. It was a phenomenal game with incredible tension until the end.
Kerry needed their goalkeeper, Shane Ryan, to keep them in this nail-biting clash. He produced a couple of outstanding saves as Derry put the Kingdom under pressure. This game could have gone the other way on another day.
Arguably, Derry played with more purpose and direction than Kerry. However, Jack O’Connor’s men exploded into life late in this match. David Clifford was brilliant for Kerry as he kept his team in touch. Sean O’Shea and Stephen O’Brien kicked the late points that took the game beyond Derry.
The Oak Leaf County missed some massive goal-scoring chances and rued these at the end. This wastefulness cost them dearly as Kerry moved forward to play Dublin in the Final. Derry will want to take revenge this season. They’ll take confidence from the victory over Mayo because they showed phenomenal spirit.
Mickey Harte has two All-Ireland Final victories over the Kingdom and the iconic 2003 semifinal. Meanwhile, the team has been through the wringer this year with many ups and downs. Kerry has enjoyed more rest before this quarterfinal and isn’t as battle-hardened.
Kerry vs Derry Predictions
Predicted Score: Kerry 1-14 Derry 0-15
Our GAA prediction is the Kingdom will win this Gaelic Football match. They’re a strong team with excellent players and a magnificent coach. They haven’t faced the same adversity as Derry this season, but that’s partially because they’re better than most teams.
It’s likely that Derry will bring the fight to Kerry and will stay in touch for long periods. However, Kerry’s goalkeeper is one of the best in the country. His penchant for great saves is a top asset for his team. It’s going to be very difficult for Derry to score a goal against the Kingdom.
🏐 2024 All-Ireland Senior Football Championship Group 4 Round 3.
Diarmuid O'Connor.#WeAreKerry #CiarraíAbú pic.twitter.com/ebSSn0i1Vr
— Kerry GAA (@Kerry_Official) June 16, 2024
Kerry also has outstanding attacking options. Their bevvy of forwards includes David Clifford, Paul Geaney, and Sean O’Shea. Most counties dream of producing one player with half of the talent of these men. It’s almost unfair that they have so much firepower. Clifford is one of the best Gaelic footballers of all time, and he still has time on his side.
Weaker teams have exploited Derry this season. Armagh and Westmeath are good footballing counties but they’re not on the same level as Kerry. That’s why this game should be a bridge too far for the Oak Leaf County.
It would be foolish to count Derry out. They stunned Mayo, despite entering the game as underdogs. They also have a chip on their shoulder because they think fans are underestimating them. It could be their tough experiences this season that will help them. Kerry’s only major test was against Cork, so Derry could rattle them.
There’s no denying that Derry has had a tougher path to this point than the Kingdom. They’ve also beaten them already this season, albeit in the League. Betting on Gaelic football is tricky because there’s always an opportunity for an upset. Mickey Harte’s men believe that they’re capable of one on Sunday.
Check out live betting during this match. If Derry takes an early lead, it may be worth betting on Kerry to come back and win the second half. There’s a lot of potential for drama and excitement in this football game.
Kerry vs Derry Betting Tips
Kerry is a 4/11 favourite to win this game on our betting site. These are surprisingly low odds because they’re playing at Croke Park against a resilient Oak Leaf County. We wouldn’t back them to win outright because a €10 stake would only win €3.64. This is quite low given the potential risk.
Betting on Derry to win is a more sensible option. Yes, they’re underdogs, but they should be competitive. Kerry should win this match, but Derry is a tough team with a veteran manager. They also have beaten another top side in Mayo and overcome adversity. It’s 11/4 for them to win, with €10 potentially making a €27.40 profit.
Check out other prop bet opportunities for more lucrative odds. The goalscorer markets are excellent, with two players immediately jumping to mind. It’s 11/10 for David Clifford to score at any time in this game or 4/1 for him to snatch the first goal. Meanwhile, Derry’s Shane McGuigan is 15/4 to score for his team at any stage.
The winning margin is another great opportunity to make a profit. We predict Kerry will eke out a narrow victory. It’s 3/1 for them to beat Derry by either 1-3 or 4-6 points. The latter may be more attractive to players who are confident of Kerry’s superiority.
Betting on Gaelic football is great because there are so many markets. Why not place a wager on the first scoring play of the game? It’s 13/8 for Kerry to score the first point from play or 4/1 from a placed ball. The former would make a €16.25 profit if successful. This would make sense as part of a two-way bet with Kerry to win.
Meanwhile, it’s 6/5 for Kerry to score the first goal and win this game. We expect Derry to have problems breaching the Kingdom’s defence so this could be a wise market. Shane Ryan is a top goalkeeper and Derry had problems with him in their last meeting.
Check the over-under markets on goals, points, and yellow cards. You could also bet on the man-of-the-match winner or the first team to go seven points ahead. There are many opportunities in this game.
Another option is to build an accumulator. Why not bet on the weekend’s big favourites? Betting on Dublin in their game against Galway looks like a certain winner. Plus, a wager on Donegal is also an attractive option. Or consider a bet on the outright winner of the Sam Maguire! There’s no extra risk and players can use it instantly after signing up.
